1st year questions

I started in late spring with three new hives built on nucs.  They
were strong but all three swarmed in early summer.  I lost one of my
new queens then and did not know it.  Heck, I did not even know they
had swarmed. This hive developed a laying worker.  I shook out the
bees and requeened.  She took and started laying but we were then
getting into September.  The colony did not have many bees still and
only one deep of built out comb - no honey.  I gave her the hive tool
test and combined the hive with the other two which at lkeast had two
deeps worth of built out foundation.  A few weeks later, my remaining
two hives (both of which had been strong) swarmed (1st October
roughly).  Again, I did not see it.  One of these successfully
requeened - the other did not and developed a laying worker.  Rather
than trying to requeen so late in the year (can't get any queens
anyway), I shook out the bees, scraped my hive tool over the capped
drones, and combined the hives into one.  I have been feeding 2:1
sugar water since around Sept.1 and they have some honey put up.  

I am really upset that I gave the first girl the hive tool test as I
could have combined the two failing hives (in November) into one and
had two good hives ove the winter instead of one.  Don't think I'll
ever be so quick to write off a hive in the future.

Anyway, I am planning on having to feed with candy this winter and am
hoping for the best but if I loose this hive this winter, I'm gonna
think twice about starting over.  

My plan (if the bees make it through) is to split the hive and requeen
(both hives - i think these queens have a natural swarm tendency) next
spring and start the third hive with a package.

Do you all see any glaring errors or something I'm missing?  I know
its hard when you can't see the bees but I am just very anxious right
now.

I live in Loudoun County, Virginia and am west of DC by about an hour.
I have a mentor and have been following his advice - this is only his
second year but he seems to understand what he is doing.

Eric