Grandma and Papoo, busy bees, and Happy B-day Ryan!

We have been running around this week with Grandma and Papoo, from the zoo, to the berry orchards, and to the aquarium! Before I continue, I must give major props to my Dad and my cute hubby for working their buns off over the past two days. They have been digging me a garden in our back yard and it is beautiful! We planted tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, and zucchini. I think with this and the bees I might need to get chickens next!

Grandm and Lily and I went to the super cute Reston Zoo on Tuesday. It is small, kid friendly, and there are sinks everywhere so you can wash your hands as needed. This was a welcome sight for me, the germ-a-phobic mother!

Berry picking at the orchard was a true highlight. Lily knew just what to do with those berries. She picked them perfectly (despite the occasional smushings), and only snitched a few :) The scenery was so breathtaking. I felt like I was in an Anne of Green Gables novel! We took all of our strawberries and blueberries home, and Grandma made strawberry jam, and Papoo made blueberry tapioca pudding! Delicious!

The aquarium was also a treat, a fishy treat of course. We saw turtles, sting rays, sharks, dolphins, jellyfish, one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish, etc. Dr. Seuss would have been proud! We had a wonderful time and lunch at Phillip's Seafood was delish.

Lily has been such a good sport and has slipped into the two-year-old stereotype quite nicely all of the sudden! She really is such a good kid; however, there are moments (and now they are NOT few and far between) where she makes her very strong will known! We are working through little and big tantrums with Grandma and Papoo's help!

So, I also checked in on my bees this week. To say they have multiplied in number is an understatement! There were so many bees in that little hive!

I have to admit, I had my first freak out. After checking several frames and seeing all good things, lots of good comb, honey, larva, etc. I had to close up shop due to some quickly increasing anxiety on my part, and my 20,000+ friends! Enjoy the pictures, and soon I will get some more up close photos, especially the queen!!!

PS No laughing at the clown pants....I have to keep the bees out!

So in the midst of all these fun day trips, my wonderful husband and Lily's incredible daddy had a birthday today! Happy Birthday to you Sweetie! We are gearing up for residency year #2! Six more and away we go!

So far, success!

Sorry no pictures, but here is the update:
Sunday
2:00 pm: transferred frames from nucleus colony into hive
2:15 pm: checked each frame, found lots of honey, pollen, brood (soon to be new bees), but no queen
2:30 pm: closed up hive
2:30-3:00 pm: sat nervously in my house watching the hive freaking out because I didn't find the queen
3:10 pm: suited up again on a search for the queen
3:15 pm: drumroll please.......found the queen!
3:20 - 10:00 pm: watched the hive, watched the hive, watched the hive

Monday
5:30 am: Ryan leaves house, peek out our bedroom window and watch the hive
7:00 am: Lily wakes up
7:15 am: Mommy and Lily go outside to check on bees
7:20 am: suit up to make sure all is well
7:25 am: bees must have just woken up too....calm, no buzzing, walking slowly around hive entrance
7:30 - present time: watching hive, watching hive, watching hive

Am I a little obsessed? Yup. I'm wondering if type A personalities and beekeeping are a good match :)

They're Here!

Step 1: Drive to Damascus, Maryland to pick up nucleus colony (mini beehive) - complete with one queen and her 20,000 children.

Step 2: Place nucleus colony in trunk of car.

Step 3: Try to stay calm when one bee escapes and is inside car - in back seat with two-year-old child.

Step 4: Suit-up to introduce the girls to their new home.Step 5: Light smoker to calm the bees.

Step 6: Place nucleus colony on top of my hive - their new home.Step 7: Unscrew nucleus colony "fence" and stand back as bees come flying out in all directions.

Step 8: Pat self on the back for not getting stung, and for staying calm!
Step 9: Watch as bees inspect their new home.

Step 10: Repeatedly look out window or go outside to let this new adventure sink in.More to come tommorow.......bees move into the new hive - with my help of course!

Two Years Old!

Celebration #1 on Sunday with Daddy, Mommy, Grandma Debbie, and Papa Ron!

How did this happen? Where did the time go? Happy Birthday Little Lily! Two years ago our lives changed in ways we could not have imagined. Life is more entertaining, more exciting, more challenging, and definitely more rewarding. We love watching her grow and grow with each new day, and nothing beats those great hugs and perfect kisses.

Top Ten Lily Quotes:

10. I'm gonna go in there.
9. Daddy go work....doctor.
8. I bleed Mommy (when she is crying).
7. Oh, I see!
6. Go play Mommy/Daddy!
5. Ok mommy?
4. Airplane....go fly....in the sky....far away!
3. Mommy no like the rain.
2. My party? Eat my cake???
1. Love you Mommy....love you Daddy.

We love you too Lily. Happy Birthday to a wonderful little 2-year-old!

Celebration #2 with Mommy on the big day!

Making cookies for friends at Margarita's house!


Third night of birthday cake, and blowing out the candles again!

Elmo cake - pre-birthday celebrations!

We love Papoo!

Just a quick update today....we had a fun quick visit from Grandpa, or Papoo as Lily calls him this week. Lily loved spending time with Papoo! Going out to eat, reading books, and working in the yard were just a few of the highlights of his visit. Thank you again Dad for all of your help in the yard...in case you didn't know, my dad is a genius when it comes to yard work. It's amazing what a little lawn mow and some edging can do. Plus he helped me prpare the greatest bee yard ever! We love you Dad and miss you already!

Bee update:
My veil and smoker arrived. I think I have the cutest model!

Meant to "Bee"

Not to be too punny, but today my message was loud and clear. Beekeepers will tell you that if you see a honeybee flying around it is most likely not wild, but from a beekeeper's hive. Tonight as I was cleaning up my basement I saw this.....


I don't know where this honeybee came from, I dont' know how it got in our house, but here it was slowly making its way over to my freshly painted hive - that is my hive there in the background. Ryan and I inspected it and noted the thin layer of tan hair on its back (one feature that distinguishes it from a yellow jacket). I carefully scooped it up and set it free, and I hope it will make it back to its home.

So there is yet one more sign that this is a calling for me. I get it Mother Nature....I'll keep your bees safe and sound.

One more thing, Lily discovered how much fun the iPod is today....

What am I doing during naptime these days?

So some of you may have heard my newest hobby....yes it is true, I am going to be a bee keeper! Call me crazy people, but I am "super" (if you are into bee-lingo, note the "super" pun - if not, see "bee"low) excited about this.

Yesterday it arrived....my beehive! No there were no bees in the hive, just all the hardware. Apparently there have yet to "bee" any major technological gains in the beekeeping world, as evidenced by the screw up in my order resulting in a box full of frame pieces I have to assemble. Now, I ordered 30 frames, so this is going to take me a while!

Pause....

Definition: frames - n what you put into the hive body for the bees to draw comb, for the queen to lay eggs, and for nectar/honey to "bee" stored

I ordered unassembled hive bodies and supers....

Pause....

Definition: hive body - n the large box in which you place the frames; this is where the bees live and work
super - n a smaller hive body where the bees store their honey

....so I'm trying to assemble these hive bodies and supers, and lets just say that these ain't no IKEA items! Nothing is fitting quite right, and my arms are getting very tired from all the pushing and pulling to make these things go together! The whole time I'm thinking, "I have to get this just right....I have to respect the bee space!!!!!"

Pause....

Definition: bee space - n approximately 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch; a space that is large enough for a bee to pass through, but small enough to discourage comb building

....so I'll keep you posted, but for now, it looks like I am going to "bee buzzing" around this job for awhile! After I assemble these finely crafted pieces of equipment (tongue way way way in cheek here) I have to paint them. I'm thinking of hot pink, any other ideas????

The bees arrive mid-May, so stay tuned!

On a totally different note, the cherry blossoms were just as lovely as ever this year!