Variable,
Welcome to the forum...I got interested int he whole "bee" thing a little over a year ago. Started with two Nucs in January, with the original plan being, 2 or 3 hives for this first year. Well....fair warning, the hobby is a bit addictive, ended up catching quite a few swarms and doing a couple cutouts and I'm now headed into my first winter with 10 hives. :-D
I would strongly suggest doing at least 2 as opposed to 1, lots of advantages to having 2...it allows you to have something to compare and contrast, not to mention, if you have a hive in trouble....You can rob Peter, to help Paul.
How old are your children? I have a 14 year old nephew who's been my right hand man in this adventure and he's really enjoyed it, it's allowed for us to share some real quality time together.
Are you planning on making your own woodenware? If so, my advice would be to make at least twice as much as you think you may need. :laugh: Trust me, you'll need it at some point. Besides, it'll be a great way for you to help pass the time till spring and your bees arrive. :)
Good luck and welcome to the forum, I know it's been an invaluable resource to me, plenty of good knowledgable folks willing to share their experiences.