Magical Bee Paste

So the other night I was mowing the lawn while the boys played on the play set. I made one swipe of the lawn and they were fine, then I turned around to do the next swipe, and when I faced them again they were both SCREAMING bloody murder. I couldn't hear them because of the mower, so I turned it off and ran over and saw that they were being swarmed by hornets, holding up their hands and yelling, "We got stung, we got stung!!!" I gave them what was probably bad advice, but the only way out of the situation, "RUN!!!!" It turns out that Dallin had been climbing the ladder and reached around right into a fresh hornet nest so he of course got stung on his hand, but I guess the bees didn't want to stop there because they flew right up to Luke on the slide and stung him on the hand, too, just for good measure. I feel bad for anyone who happened to be in the neighborhood at the time and had to hear all the commotion. I ushered the boys inside to survey the damage. Dallin had one sting, Luke had two. They were both hysterical, and in pain, which I can understand. Fortunately, I have a solution to the pain of a bee sting. It brings me back to a little experience I had at BYU a few years ago (Julia, I can hear you laughing right about now). I had been lounging on the lawn in front of the SFLC, waiting for my sign language class to begin. When I stood up to put my flip-flops on, I stepped on a bee and was promptly stung on the bottom of my foot. It was my first bee sting ever. Oh, the pain! I sat back down and waited for it to go away. Through my tears, I took my shoe and began beating all the bees on the lawn, hoping for some kind of revenge and/or relief. I closed my eyes and repeated, "Faith of a mustard seed, faith of a mustard seed," over and over (oh come on, that always works!). But still, nothing. Long story short, it never stopped hurting. I abandoned the sign language class (I never learned anything anyway) and hobbled my way home with tears running down my face. After several hours, I finally went to the health center, convinced that I was allergic to bee stings and was probably on my death bed. The doctor was not impressed. "It's just a common bee sting. Take some baking soda and add a little water to make a paste, and that will take the pain away." Um, hello, I'm dying here? I was so offended. I hinted around at getting some prescription pain killers, but he just sent me home. Yeah, right, like some idiot baking soda could cure this kind of agony. I didn't even try it right away, out of pride, but finally I couldn't take it any longer, so I broke down and made the paste and dabbed it on my foot. About 30 seconds later... the pain was gone. I thought it was a fluke and the sting must have been on its way out anyway. But, a few minutes later the paste had absorbed and the pain came back. As long as I kept fresh paste on it, it felt fine. So I made a little note to myself: baking soda + water = bee sting relief. That little formula has actually come in quite handy over the years. And it certainly did the other night. I grabbed a bowl, dumped in some baking soda, added a little water and stirred it around. I was rubbing it on the boys' hands when Jason came in and asked what in the world was going on. He ran into the garage to grab the bee spray and by the time he returned, both boys were perfectly calm. It was like a miracle had occurred.

The beautiful substance that saved my sanity on Monday night.
Dallin doing a reinactment of the tragic event. No children were harmed in the making of this photo.

I love this stuff because it creates a big foam ball that weighs the bees down so they don't get you after you squirt them! Watch out bees, I'm on a mission...
That's right, you little piece of junk hornet's nest... it's over!!!

I am considering making a book of home remedies, but so far this is the only home remedy I know of. Still, if I can save even one person from pain, it will be worth it. Feel free to share any secret remedies that you know of. And I will try to post more often.