The Bees Learn To Sign

     The Bees are learning sign language.  Stinger will demonstrate what he has learned so far..


This is the sign for "MORE."

 

 

 This is the sign for "EAT."

 

This is the sign for "don't make me do any more signs, mommy!" 

 

 

The Bees Make Broccoli Salad

     We had a fellowship meal after church yesterday.  I took broccoli salad.  I thought I would share the recipe in case you are like me and never can decide what to make!

Here are the ingredients:

 

8-9 cups broccoli

6 slices of bacon (this is an estimate- put in as much as you like!)

 1 1/2 cups cheese (this is an estimate- add until you think it is enough!)

2 cups mayo

6 Tablespoons sugar

4 Tablespoons vinegar

 

 

I doubled this recipe due to serving a large "church is just over and I am starving"crowd.  Feel free to half the recipe if you are just making it for yourself! 

 

 

First wash and cut up the broccoli...

Then fry the bacon.  While the bacon is frying make the dressing.  Mix together the mayo, vinegar, and sugar.

 

When the bacon is done, crumble it and add it to the broccoli along with the cheese.  Then pour on the dressing!  Refrigerate for at least and hour before serving.

 

Take it to church to serve all the "church is just over and I am starving" people and this is what you will bring home!

 

(I am glad I added all the fattening, unhealthy, artery clogging ingredients to the broccoli.  I have a feeling if I would have just taken the plain, boring, vitamin rich broccoli I would have brought it all home!)

 

 

"The Old Account" Peasall Sisters

 

 

The Bees Favorite Library Book

Bumble loves the library which means we have read many children's books in our hive.  Here is one of Bumble's favorites...

 

I like that this book rhymes and has a rhythm that is easy to get into when you read it.  She has practically memorized it and so have I!  There are other Jesse Bear books in this series as well. If you are looking for something to read to your child "Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?" by Nancy White Carlstrom comes highly recommended by the Bee family.   

An Ode To A Mobile Home

An Ode To A Mobile Home

by a reminiscing Queen Bee

 

O Mobile Home how I will miss thee!

 You made a wonderful hive for my family.

I will miss your small spaces and all the tight places,

found in this trailer size 14x70.

O Mobile Home how I will miss thee!

 Your "crawlspace" I hope never to see.

It's housed raccoons and wild cats, 'possums and rats,

I screamed many times upon entry!

O Mobile Home how I will miss thee!

Your kitchen was really your specialty.

From your tiny kitchen sink where we filled many drinks,

O how I will miss your efficiency!

O Mobile Home how I will miss thee!

Your rooms hold many a memory.

Its where Stinger and learned to walk and Bumble learned to talk,

O I am not sure I want to leave thee!

O Mobile Home how I will miss thee!

Unfortunately we're selling thee for a small fee.

Whoever moves in will keep you neat as a pin,

and will begin their own special memory!

The Bees Say "Ta-da!"

     This past week Stinger's speech therapist suggested that the Bees do a lot of "Ta-da!"ing.  Anything to help Stinger learn to talk right?!?  When Stinger would make a basket I would throw my arms up in the air and say "Ta-da!"

 

When he would put a letter in his puzzle I would throw my arms up in the air and say "Ta-da!"

 

 

 When he would find the letter I hid in his shorts I would throw my arms up in the air and say "Ta-da!"

 

When he would put the letters in between his toes I would throw my arms up in the air and say "Ta-Da!" (He learned this from Grandpa!")

 

When he would put his letters on his train I would throw my arms up and say "Ta-da!"

 

Well I wish I could say that Stinger eventually said "Ta-da!" but he did not.  The good news is that my arms got a great workout!  Stinger also thinks he has one funny mom as he would laugh and smile everytime I said "Ta-da!." Maybe that is why the word "mom" come out of his mouth this week!!!!! It was like he was giving me something else to "Ta-da!" He said it one time as clear as can be.  If I wouldn't have seen his mouth move I wouldn't have believed it!!  The last time I heard any sound come out of his mouth relating to mama or mom was when he was 10 months old.  Then all language left him.  I am waiting to see if "mom" was a one time thing or if he will keep saying it.  It seems like once he learns a word or sound he only says it once and does not retain it.  In the meantime we will keep "Ta-da"ing until we get our next assignment!

The Bees Got Mail

Honey bought a mailbox for our new hive the other night.   Guess who wanted to play with it?

 

Bumble has been mailing us things ever since.  Yesterday, I received a rolling pin, a ball, and a stuffed animal in the mail via Bumble's mail delivery service.

 

Yesterday, I also received this...

 

She made this "quilt" just for me!

When she puts mail for us in the mailbox she puts the flag up.  Sometimes I don't always notice so she will do silly things like dance and point to the mailbox until I notice it!

 

She also made a "quilt" for daddy!

 

 

Thanks Bumble for all your mail.  I love to see what unexpected things you put in there.  Just please never send me any bills!

Stinger's Learns About Locks

    Stinger learned a new trick last night.  He learned how to lock his bedroom door.  The only problem was he was on the inside and Honey and I were on the outside.  His crib is right along the wall and he can reach his door knob from his crib.  He started crying frantically when he realized we couldn't get in.

 

Honey tried to unlock it by using a toothpick.  He said it would work but it didn't. 

Honey didn't want to take the handle off the door, so the only other way in was through the bathroom door that connects to his room.   You have to go through Bumbles room to get to it.  She was sleeping peacefully through all of this.  Honey quietly went into her room and tried to open the bathroom door that connects to Stingers room. The only problem was that Stingers room is so small that there is a large recliner in front of that door! I am thankful for a strong Honey that was able to push the recliner and get to a crying Stinger.

 

Let's hope he never pulls this trick again especially when Honey is away.  The "key" to keeping him safe may be to remove all our door handles!

The Bees Get All Decked Out

 Here is the back of our new hive.  

     Before the Bees can move in we need to build a deck or one of our little bees could fall out of the dining room doors...

Building a deck should be a pain free process.  How many decking options can there be?  Turns out, quite a few!!  All you have to do is take a trip to Lowe's.  One could get lost in the decking aisle.  Thankfully, I had Honey there to guide me.   There is so much to choose from.  Regular wood boards, composite deck boards, railings, post covers, balusters, and post caps just to name a few.  I am learning so much I could be a deck saleswoman! 
    One thing we know for sure is that we are going to go with composite boards just for maintenance reasons.  I do not care for the price but I know in the future going with composite will save us Bees a lot of splinters and headaches.  We are thinking about going with a brown color for the boards.  Maybe something like this color...

 

 

We will probably choose the same color for the railing but may mix things up a bit with the balusters.  Honey and I both like black.  This photo I found while browsing the Internet really caught my eye. 

 

I am not sure if it would look right on our house though.  We need to choose all these items soon, but I will have to admit both Honey and I are a little overwhelmed with all the choices.  I will be sure to "cover" what we chose in a later "post"!

"My Sheep Know My Voice"

 

  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

 

"My Sheep Know My Voice"

Written By Herbert Buffum

 

My sheep hear My voice, and the path that I take,
They follow wherever I go;
My sheep know My voice and come at my call,
But a stranger’s voice do they not know. 

 

My sheep know My voice, and day by day
They abide in the fold and go not astray,
They love Me because I have made them my choice,
And they follow My call for My sheep know My voice.

 

My sheep know My voice, and the pastures of green,
Where I lead them so often to feed;
My sheep know My voice and the cool sparkling stream
Where beside its still waters I lead.

 

My sheep know My voice, and day by day
They abide in the fold and go not astray,
They love Me because I have made them my choice,
And they follow My call for My sheep know My voice.

 

My sheep know My voice, and the valley of death
Through which I shall lead them some day;
But no danger nor harm can touch one of them,
For I will be with them alway.

 

My sheep know My voice, and day by day
They abide in the fold and go not astray,
They love Me because I have made them my choice,
And they follow My call for My sheep know My voice.

A Peek Inside A Scrapbook

I am still working on the scrapbook for a young man that will be graduating this June.  Since its been awhile since I posted pictures of what I have been working on I thought it was time to share some more!

 

Here is the first two page spread I worked on yesterday...

And here is the second...

This young man is a talented runner.   His mother gave me lots of newspaper articles to incorporate in the album. I put them in large memorabilia pockets made by Creative Memories that way he can pull them out and read them whenever he wants.  I still have some more pages to go before the album is completely finished, but hopefully I will be able to get it done by June!

Bumble's Artwork

     Bumble made this the other day with no help from me whatsoever!

I love the straw ears and the balloon nose.  She is quite creative.  I think her art work is the cat's meow!

The Bees Get To Peek Inside Their New Hive

The Bees were able to take a tour of their new hive yesterday.  Here is an updated photo of the front...

 

  

They are still doing some finishing work inside and out so please excuse the mess! Here is the entryway to the living room...

 

    and the kitchen area...

Here is the dining area.  I love all the windows and natural light. 

From the kitchen you can take the stairs up to the second floor.  Here is the unfinished upstairs...

Here is the master bath..

 and our pretty tub!

It will still be a little while until the bees move in.  The heating, plumbing, and electric hookups have not been done yet.   We still have a hole in our backyard where the septic is going to be as well.  Then we need to build the deck in the back of the house and the porch steps.  However, things are moving right along.
      If anyone is going to be building a home in the future we would highly recommend Schaffs Modern Homes out of Fayetteville, PA.  The owner Greg was wonderful to work with!  You can visit their website at www.schaffsmodernhomes.com for more information on the homes they offer.  You can tell him the Bees sent you!  

The Bees Make Jello Cake

I have been trying to use up the food we have in our cupboards instead of buying more.  The less I have to move to our new hive the better!  I seem to have a lot of cake mixes and Jello, so this recipe seemed like a good one!  Here is the recipe for Jello Cake...

 

First start by making a white cake using whatever brand cake mix suits you.  I used Duncan Hines brand.  I probably bought this when I was boycotting Betty Crocker when her coupons didn't print from her website!  Thankfully we worked that out!

 

 

Sorry about the price tag that is stuck to this box.  Bumble is responsible for that as a lot of these were used in her pretend grocery store.  I am not sure if that is a dollar or cent sign!

 

After you have baked the cake and it has cooled, it is time to poke holes in the cake.  You can use a fork or toothpick to do this. 

 

Bumble used a fork and went a little overboard on the poking but she had fun!

 

 

 Next we are going to make the Jello mix that gets poured over the cake.  You will need 1 large box of any flavor Jello you prefer, and 1 cup of water.

 

A box of Jello costs $5.00 at Bumble's store!  I will have to inform her that her prices are a little inflated! 

 

 

First bring 1 cup of water to a boil and then stir in the Jello.  Pour this over the cake while the jello mix is still hot.

 

 

It will look like this when drenched in the jello.

 

 

Then refrigerate the cake to get it nice and cold again.

While that is in the refrigerator begin making the icing.  Here are the ingredients...

 

1 small box of vanilla instant pudding

1 cup cold milk

8 oz container of cool whip

 

Mix the pudding and milk together first...

 

Then add the whip cream...

 

Then when the cake is cold again take it out of the refrigerator and spread the icing on top.  Next take a bite of the Jello cake.  Here is what my piece looked like... 

 

 

This cake is very refreshing and delicious.   Make sure to store this in the refrigerator to keep it cold.   Maybe this will last a little longer than normal in our house since it is in the refrigerator and not on the counter!   

The Bees Say "Wheeeeeee!"

     Stinger's speech therapist recommended that I should try to reinforce the sound "wheeee" over and over again in the hopes that Stinger will eventually say it.  I think we did well with this homework assignment.  Ok, maybe Queen Bee went overboard with this assignment just a little bit!

We made Stinger's trains and cars go "wheeee!"

The stroller went "wheeee" down the driveway!

 

The swing went "wheeee!"

 

 

The ball went "wheee" down the hill in the backyard!

 

And even Stinger's body went "wheeee" down the slide!

 

All this "wheeeeing" did eventually pay off!  I gave Stinger a car to hold while changing his diaper.  He ran it along the wall and without any prompting from me out of his mouth came "WHEEEEEEE!"

 Queen Bee was so happy she let out a "WHEEEEE" as well! Homework assignment completed and successful!