Hap"bee" Birthday To Me!! - Bee Installation Day!

Today was totally awesome!! 

{prepare yourselves for a plethora of pictures...}

Woke up to a beautifully sunny day.

Made banana pancakes and bacon for breakfast.

Ayden got the lid off of his smoothie.
He proceeded to drink what he didn't spill like a big boy.

We went and met David for lunch... but somehow, I forgot to take a picture.

Went to pick up the girls!!
Two 3lb packages of bees.  Each package has around 10,000 bees in it.

Made a little friend while I was there.

Came home and prepared for the big bee installation!

Removing the cover.  Let's do this!!

Jackets, veils and gloves on.  We're ready!

Removing the can of sugar syrup.

Taking out the queen cage.

Checking on the queens.
Both were alive and well!

Shaking the bees into their new home.

Ready to add the queen cage.
It hangs between the middle frames.
The bees slowly eat a candy plug that releases her after a couple of days.
It gives them all a chance to get to know her so they don't kill her.

Replacing the frames

Leaving sugar syrup for them to eat on until the nectar starts to flow.

Cheesing with our newly inhabited HIVES!!

I had a night off from cooking and kitchen clean up!

Had a very non Paleo celebration dinner and dessert.
Danatos pepparoni and pineapple pizza
followed by a Caramanda's cupcake and  REAL ice cream!

Ayden ate chicken, avocado, strawberries and kale chips while we had our pizza...

Sorry for the  picture overload. I had such an exciting, fun filled birthday and had to share all the fun!  I have a headache from all the sugar which makes me feel like it will be easy to continue to limit these special treats to just a few times a year.  Probably my birthday, a special dessert around Christmas and a S'more at my family reunion in July.  That should suffice :).  I'm gonna drink lots of water to help my blood sugar levels get back to normal so my head will feel better.  It was fun and worth it but I don't think I'll have anymore sugar any time soon. 

We will go back to see if the queen was released on Tuesday.  Hopefully she'll be out laying eggs and they'll be happy and settled in their new homes. 

Tomorrow, we have a couple's massage for our birthdays (David's is on Monday).  Woohoo!

~Sarah