pandemonium, tumult, and ...holy mess!!!

-Bees gone. Check. (They found a new home with a local bee keeper making honey to their hearts content)

-Old deck demolished and taken down. Check.

-Three big trees taken down in our side yard. Check. (still have 2 or 3 more loads to take to the landfill)

-Tent trailer cleaned, caulked and readied for a week of hard core camping. Check.

-New disposal in kitchen sink installed. Check.

-Phase one of new deck built. Check. (In the rain, nonetheless)

-Husband and son with SERIOUS power-tool skills. Check.

-Back safely from a very wet and muddy week of camping. Check.

-Piles and piles of muddy laundry done from said camping trip. Almost check.

-New deck with first coat of stain. Check.

-Natalie's arms, legs and hair with a fresh coat of stain. Check.-- Porter says I would be better off just going with a spray-tan.

-House cleaned and ready for a big shin-dig at our house this Saturday. Nope. Not even close.

-Porter packed for his first overnight camp-out with the scouts this weekend. Nada.

-Garage an utter disaster. Check.

-New hardwood floor installed. Maybe when I am 50.

-Headache the size of Toledo. Yep--for 3 days now.



My life has been nothing but project after project lately, and I feel like I am spiraling out of control. My house has gone down the drain, the blog has gone down the drain, my washer and dryer have been running non stop and I JUST CAN'T KEEP UP!!!!!!!

Plus, to top everything off, our computer/internet has been screwy. I think we will be converting from a PC to a MacBook Pro in the next little while (if finances allow).

On a side note, it looks like we will be released from our church callings in the singles ward up at the University Stake this coming Sunday after 3 and a half years...(tears). At least that's what the rumors are. So, back to the home ward for new adventures. (I just hope the ladies in the home ward don't get too upset when our little baby girl tries to snag a cell phone or lip gloss from their purse like she does from all the college girls).

**Oh yeah. I forgot one for my check list:

-Hands as moisturized and soft as a baby's bottom. Check! (Thanks to a friend's recommendation over at Jen's fish bowl). I LOVE this stuff!!! And Jen. And her brilliant blog.

the queen has landed

This may look like just a picture of a tree right outside my kitchen window, but at closer glance...







Yep. Bees.

Lots of them.

This afternoon, I was in my kitchen, doing dishes, when I noticed lots of bees flying in front of me, right outside the window.

I went over to the glass sliding doors to get a better look, and when I looked out, I gasped outloud, and yelled, "Porter, come here! Quick!"

Bees were everywhere. Hundreds and hundreds of them - flying and swarming like they were not quite sure where to go. But the funny thing about it was, there was not one single bee in either of my neighbors back yards and the bees were not in the front yard. I have never seen anything like it in my life.

I made sure my kids were safe inside the house and that the doors and windows were secure, and then I got on the phone and made some phone calls and began googling on the internet.

I found out that this time of year is when hives have to split because there are too many bees in a hive. So, bees will fill themselves with honey, say goodbye to their old home and start looking for a new home.

It just happened, this time, to be in my backyard, where the lilacs and other varieties are in full bloom.

I was told to watch them, and see if I could tell where they were landing...because that's where the queen would be...

Well, the queen landed. In our tree. And so have all her admirers.






Tonight, they have settled and I was brave enough to actually go out on the deck, a couple feet away from them, and watch them. (Whereas, earlier, I was taking all these pictures with my telephoto lens from inside my dining room).










They are beautiful, amazing creatures.

In all of my researching today, I actually found out that to be able to witness this is quite a rare occurrence.





I think I will go fix a peanut butter and honey sandwich in honor of my bee friends.

I'm just wondering what it is I'm supposed to do if they're still there in the morning.