The Wilhelmsen Botanical Blog

This is for all you moms in the court and any and all of the moms that I have crossed paths with in my life.  You are doing a better job raising your kids then you know.  I learn so much from you and I recognize that kids are kids and that sometimes there will be hard days.  I admire all of you for your hard work and dedication.  The best way to measure how well you are doing as a mom is to ask yourself this, does my child love me?  Do they trust me?  Are they healthy and happy?  If the answers are yes, then the bumps and bruises along the way (which are inevitable I have come to learn) are all simply a part of being a kid and being a mom.  Keep up all of your hard work and keep on loving those little ones and when you are having a rough day remember that at least one person recognizes all you do and the positive influence that you are in the world through your kids.  🙂

Oh and per my previous entry I was lucky enough to find a killer deal online on a swimsuit that will match my existing swim trunks.  Sweet!  (It is also 90ish% polyester so it won’t wear out as fast.  Yay!)

So, as Latter Day Saints we have specific standards and guidelines for the clothes that we wear.  One that for the most part we don’t have to go out of our way to hunt down things to wear that match our standard.  Sure we need shorts, skirts & shirts that are little bit longer, and shirts that are not so low cut.  We also like swimsuits that cover our belly and are not low cut up top.  Well, as it gets harder to find clothes like these little niche shops are popping up that sell modest clothing.  Which would seem to be a wonderful blessing.  Well, for some reason they think that they can get away with charging an arm and a leg for things.  Why?  Because our other options are becoming more and more limited. 

Why am I on this little rant?  Well because the swimsuits this season (even the one piece) are more revealing then ever.  There are very few tankini tops that do not have the low v cut and the one piece suits have the low v cut with zero back on them.  As well as being cut out around the sides to show off ones waist.  Oi!  The cute ones that I have found are $40 for the top and $20 for the bottoms.  This is a problem when your swimsuit budget is $25 total.  Anyway, if anyone knows of any inexpensive swimsuit stores please let me know.  :o|

So, for several years I have wished that I would follow my heart a little bit more and my head a little bit less.  I have, for as long as I can remember been a very logical minded person, weighing everything heavily and in the end opting not to do something because it was too risky.  As a result there are a couple things that I regret having missed out on and I am still hesitant to do anything that if it goes bad could have to big of a risk.  In this sense it would be nice to follow my heart a little more and quieting those fears of negative risks in me head. 

Recently however, I have seen a glimpse of what happens when someone follows only their heart without their mind keeping it in check.  It too can be bad to always just follow where your heart will lead with out thinking of the consequences or listening to the nagging thought in your head that perhaps you ought to reconsider the path on which you are headed. 

As a result I have learned that the best thing is for your heart and your mind to work together as one as you trod through lives paths taking risks every once in awhile (it is good for you) but also letting your more logical thought processes let you see the bigger picture further down the road.  I just need to learn to look at the big picture of each decision and be willing to do something if the negative risks aren’t too great or if the amazing things I will get out of it are greater then the risks.

For instance, in 2003 I had the oportunity to go to Europe as a tag along with one of the U of U choirs.  I paid for the trip and in the meantime flew on an airplane to California.  It was only my 2nd or 3rd plane ride but I was sick a couple of times during the flight.  I was already feeling aprehensive about traveling 5,000 miles away from home without my parents or family and then to think I would be air sick for 15 hours during the flight over I just about talked myself out of going.  Thankfully, my wise mom sat me down and helped me to put my fears and the pros and cons on paper.  We also talked about the worst that could happen while I was gone and the best that could happen, my mom said that the trip would fall somewhere in between and I decided to go despite my worries.  To this day that trip is still one of the biggest life changing events in my life.  It as helped me to see the things don’t always go wrong and I met a lot of cool people and saw some of the most amazing things that I have ever seen in my life. 

So there you go.  Don’t follow your heart all the time or your mind.  Let them be balanced with one another and work together so that you can get the most out of life.

You are all probably thinking what?!?!?!?  But it is true, they are cute, prevent bum rash, and they aren’t much more difficult then disposable.  Yea, I have to rinse the poo off whenever he has a bm but that is down to once or twice a day and really isn’t as bad as most people think.  They also leak a little bit more if I don’t change him frequently enough but that is my own fault for not changing him.  As for blowouts, I have had an equal amount of those per cloth or disposables so what can I say?  I highly recommend making the investment.  If you are curious about the different kinds and what not then let me know and I will arrange to show them to you (I have several kinds) and can tell you what my favorite are and why.  So there you go.  Cloth diapering is going well and I don’t regret it for a second.  🙂

Oh my goodness you will not believe what happened this afternoon.  It was TOO funny and a little bit of a shock mixed with some ewww factor.  Aiden and I had been playing airplane and I was lifting him up in the air because he enjoys it.  Well, as you all know he is a bit prone to spitting up and well, up he went and down came the spit up right into my EYE.  My glasses got some on them too but they did not provide my eye with any protection.  I was a bit shocked but amused at the small chance for that to happen to me and yet, somehow it did.  I was laughing and had to put Aiden down on the bed so that I could clean my face.  He fussed a bit, mostly I think because he didn’t understand the abrupt actions I took to resolve the mess.  I got up quickly, went to the bathroom to wash up quickly (while holding Aiden), and then plopped him on the bed when I realized I couldn’t hold him and clean up at the same time.  All the while I was giggling and saying, “Oh Aiden you spit on mommy’s face,” and “it’s ok.”  Word to the wise, be careful because it could happen to you!

Anyway, we have been busy, busy since July 3rd on which day we thoroughly enjoyed the REAL Salt Lake soccer game courtesy of Brandon’s employer.  I missed a lot of the game due to feeding Aiden but it was still fun because we were hanging out with Dan and the fireworks were nice.  It was a late night though and we are unnacustomed to that.  Here is a picture of Aiden watching the fireworks…

On Independence Day we went and ate dinner at my mom’s, made yummy cookies, then Matt (my bro-in-law) and Brandon lit fireworks.  Aiden couldn’t decide if he wanted to look at the Citronella candle flame or the fireworks.  The noisy ones scared him.  This ended up being another late night.  Two in a row for us which is unheard of!

Saturday we watched a movie (Drillbit Taylor, lots of bad language which was not appreciated, decent story line, kind of a mean girls but with boys) and we plopped Aiden into his little pool again.  That was fun and he enjoyed it without fussing one bit.  Here he is with his ducky…

Sunday was mostly laid back, we had to water my dad’s lawn and so we visited my grandma & grandpa for a bit.  They really enjoy seeing the great grandkids.

Yesterday was crazy again.  Aiden and I went to Vicky’s for a scrapbook day and he took only short or very short naps throughout the day and so by the evening he was slightly ornery.  After Vicky’s I went to get my lovey hubby and Aiden and I ended up sitting at his work for an hour so that he could “put out some fires.”  At which point we figured we had just about enough time to get to the airport to pick up my dad and decided to drive straight there, at which time we sat there for 30 mins.  By this point I had been feeling too warm almost all day, was getting hungry, and needed to use the restroom so I made Brandon leave the park and wait spot so we could drive to one and of course at that moment my pa called.  So we told him we’d be right back.  Thankfully after we finally picked him up he was generous enough to take us to dinner and that perked me back up a bit.  Needless to say I slept well last night.  So there you are.  Thanks for reading.

Well, I plan to write about family news later this week but I just had to take a moment to declare that I am proud to be an American.  Let me explain a little.  Lately where the USA, government, and all things politics are concerned I have been worrying about the state of affairs in America.  All the talk about illegal immigration, global warming, the war in Iraq, the Nafta super highway, and the insane rise in gas prices has been enough to make me wonder where this country would be in 10 years, it has made me worry about the kind of world that my children will live in.  The thing that concerns me the most is that a vast majority of the people that I talk to aren’t going to vote for the presidential candidate that best exemplifies their political views, instead, because they don’t like any of the candidates or have one they especially dislike, they have decided to pick the candidate of the “lesser evil” and vote AGAINST the one the dislike the most.  Whatever happened for the people, by the people? 

Anyway, as I was watching the fireworks explode in the sky above me last night after the REAL Salt Lake game and saw the awe in my son’s eyes at something so simple, but that keeps me amazed year after year, I realized that despite everything, I am glad to live in America where I am free to wear what I want, go where I want, do what I want (as long as I am following the laws of the land, which were put in place to protect U.S. citizens) and to choose whatever religion I want.  I also realized that no matter how bad things appear to be, this country was founded by God through our fore fathers and that he is watching over it and us and won’t let things get so bad that I am in constant fear for my life and the lives of my child(ren).  What a priviledge to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave!  🙂

Well, Aiden has had an adventure filled couple of days.  Friday we went up to Pineview Reservoir again, this time with our ward.  We spent the day on the beach and we took one boat ride.  I wish I had a picture of Aiden in a life jacket.  You see it was for 30 pound toddlers, not 16 pound infants and it squished around his little cheeks and made him look a bit like violet on Willy Wonka when she turns into a blueberry.  Tee hee.  He seemed to enjoy the ride and since it was nap time it eventually lulled him off to sleep. 

Saturday Aiden and I went to my friend Katie’s baby shower while Brandon stayed home and designed some things for thumb prints.  At the shower we went swimming and so I took Aiden in the pool again.  This time I was brave enough to dunk him twice. 

Sunday after church I had a meeting and Brandon had to do some home teaching.  I made an apple pie and we started a batch of apples to dry along with two trays of strawberry apple fruit leather.  Saturday we dried banana’s, peaches, and made apple fruit leather as well as peach fruit leather.  We love our food dehydrator!  We also picked up our first food co-op order.  It was a GREAT deal for some really quality and fresh food.  There are food co-ops all over the state for information about a food co-op in your area go to http://www.crossroads-u-c.org/cfc/ You can get about $50.00 of meat, veggies, and fruits for $21.00.  Sweet!

Yesterday, my sister and I took Aiden to the zoo.  He slept through a lot of it as babies tend to need a lot of sleep but he did enjoy the things that he saw after he woke up.  It was extremely hot but we kept hydrated and Aiden drank out of his sippy cup pretty well.  It was fun for me to go and see all of the changes.  I haven’t been to the zoo in a few years and was pleased with most of the changes.  Although I must say, “Where are my beloved hippopotumuses?”  🙁  They are gone, it is very sad.

Today, oi.  First of all Aiden spit up about 4 ounces of his morning milk feeding.  Resulting in a need for a change of clothes and a mopping of the floor.  Then I fed him prunes for the very first time and he liked them, he was squealing and grinning (to me they smelled a lot like raisins).  Then while he was napping his pocket diaper leaked (sometimes the fleece wicks the moisture right out of the diaper, but not too often) and of course I had to change his clothes again.  Then while we were sitting at the computer so that I could do my weekly scrapbook page, he spit up a little bit of prune colored goo down the front of his most recent onesie.  So, he gets to go around looking a bit messy until he soaks this outfit in either spit up or urine.  Such is the life for a mom.  Busy, busy and messy, messy!  😉  It helps that he is so darn cute though!
Well, I don’t really have much else to say.  Things are going well.  Brandon’s job will be at the U of U stadium before the Real Salt Lake game on Thursday doing promotions for their business.  As a result he gets a few free tickets to the game and so we will get to see the fireworks and soccer game on the 3rd.  On the 4th we are being pyro’s at my mom’s and having our own small firework display and then on Saturday the 5th we have free tickets to go see the 23rd army band at temple square.  I think it will all be a lot of fun.
We hope that everyone is doing well and is having a fun filled (and cool) summer.  Be careful on the 4th!  Thanks for reading.

Well everyone, last week Brandon, Aiden and I went camping with my extended family up at Pineview Reservoir.  It took us half a week to prepare, we were there half a week and it has taken another half of a week to unpack and resume normal life.  Camping went fairly well.  The first two nights were pretty chilly but Aiden had on a sleeper, blanket sleeper (basically a bag with sleeves) and 2-3 blankets on him.  The 3rd night was pretty warm.  I just had little Aiden in his two sleepers.  The days were pretty warm and Aiden was eating peculiarly the whole trip but he seemed to be getting enough.  He had his first two full halves of a popsicle.  Half of a blue on one day and half of a yellow the next.  I felt it neccessary in order to keep him cool and hydrated.  While we were there we shot our bow and arrows, I made 4 cards for our yearly family auction, we played cards, I read, Aiden slept and got to enjoy being held and played with by various family members, and Brandon got in the lake and found some cool rocks which got lost amongst everything else.  We ate well, spaghetti one night, bbq beef the next, and chicken & ribs the last night.  Mmm tasty!

While we were gone some friends of ours in the ward watered our garden for us and so we came back to a flourishing garden.  I harvested some of the pea’s on Monday and turned them into baby food puree today.  It is now in the freezer getting frozen.  We also received a letter in the mail telling us that we are eligible for the medicaid Primary Care Network and that we need to pay our $50 annual enrollment fee by July 19th.  How cool is that?  Very soon our WHOLE FAMILY will be covered by insurance.  Hooray! 

Anyway, I think that is everything of consequence that has happened since I last wrote.  I did come home from camp on Sunday with a sore throat and it has developed into a cold.  (Meh!)  Aiden also had some allergies at camp which I eased with a 1/4th dose of Children’s Claritin.  He still has a gagging/choking cough but the pediatrician said that I only need to worry if Aiden has trouble breathing or gets a fever and that it is probably just allergies.  Until next week, thanks for reading…

Hey everyone.  So, I guess I spoke to soon about the nice spring weather and rain because BAM!  It is in the 90’s again.  I think it was actually 99 degrees (according to one of those time and temp. clocks) on Saturday evening when we were headed home from Canyon Rim park.  Oi. 

So on Saturday we all went to the bishops house for swimming and a luncheon. (View Brandon dunking Aiden in the pool here http://wilhelmsenfamilyadventures.blogspot.com/2008/06/dunking-aiden.html) It was tasty as usual and I got a recipe for some delicious pasta salad!  Yippee.  After that we came home and Brandon helped a new family move in while I grabbed a posicle at the 900 court activity.  Then after feeding Aiden, and showering to get the chlorine off of us we headed out again to pick up part of my dad’s father’s day gift and also to go to this festival that was being held at Canyon Rim park.  It was pretty neat there were a lot of booths about various transportation updates (rail and road) and also different outdoor vendors.  There was an area where kids could shoot a compound bow, another where they could get in a garbage truck and pick up a trash can, and another where you could see the wiring of a traffic light.  I enjoyed looking around. 

Needless to say it was a long day in the sun.  I was worried about Aiden because he hadn’t slept much and was eating spastically.  My body is definitely not used to being so hot and in the constant sun.  It pooped me out (and Brandon too).  In the evening when it started to cool down we went and shot our bow.  I shot 14 times and only hit the 18 in. target that Brandon made 1 time.  I was consistently too high and to the left, even when I tried to correct it.  He hit the target about 8 times or so out of 24-30 shots.  It was fun and I am sure that I will gradually get better at it. 

Father’s day was good.  We ate dinner with my dad, sister, and brother-in-law before going up to my grandparents to visit my grandpa.  Aiden and I gave Brandon a card, olive oil, and under the cabinet lights to go above our stove.  (I bought the lights Friday and was so excited to give them to him that I did when I got home.)  I think that he had a good Father’s Day but I don’t know.  At my grandparents he played croquet with a few of my cousins and he won!  He finished a good 5ish mins. before everyone else.  Crazy eh?

Well, life is good.  Aiden and I have stayed indoors most of the day to compensate and recuperate from all of the time spent outdoors in the hot over the weekend and I imagine we won’t be going outdoors during the hottest part of the day if we can manage it.  I just worry too much about him getting heat stroke or dehydrated.  We are going camping with my extended family at Pineview Reservoir this weekend and I am a bit nervous about it but hopefully it will all go just fine.  We will post pictures from camp next week.  Thanks for reading…

So, this is the next update on cloth diapers.  You see these days Brandon and I are looking to save money any way possible.  We recently decided to start taking advantage of the food co-op in our complex (they are actually all over utah here is the link…http://www.crossroads-u-c.org/cfc/) because you get a lot of good food for about half the price.  Then of course we have our garden, a lot of which will become baby food for Aiden.  We also decided to make an investment and buy 24 pocket/all in one diapers with our credit card.  Now, we do not like to go into debt for anything.  But we both could not see a way to get the diapers without doing so, because the money we would use to save up for cloth diapers would need to be spent on disposables for Aiden to wear in the meantime.  This way we will only spend the $40-60 you spend a month on diapers for the next 6 months and then we will have paid off the cloth diapers.  This seemed like a much better idea then spending $40-60 a month indefinitely for 6 kids.  I recognize that we will have to replace worn out ones and if by some craziness we have twins then we will need twice as many as we do now but it is still much MUCH cheaper then continuously buying disposables.  Here is an approximate price breakdown.  $300-500 for 24 (which is two to three days worth) cloth diapers (I bought mostly the one size fits all diapers which will fit 5 lbs. babies to 35ish lbs. toddlers) that will last through the entire length of time that at least one child is in diapers (say 24 months). OR disposables which are about $10.00 for a package of 40.  I go through 6 packages a month which would equal $60.00.  So the total cost for two years worth of disposable diapers is about $1,500 per child if they are potty trained by age two.  This cost is 3 to 5 times more then cloth diapers.  Can you believe that?

Anyway, so far Aiden has worn 3 of his all in one diapers and it is going pretty well.  I have to change them a little bit more frequently because the all-in-ones are just flannel lined and so the wetness sits on Aiden’s skin.  However, once I get the pocket diaper liners pre-washed their 5 times before first usage they will slide into the pocket on the diapers and Aiden will have fleece against his skin which will wick the moisture away.  Pretty neat eh?  Well, I better go get the liners off the clothesline and back into the washing machine again.  If any of you are ever curious about what they look like and some of the different brands (I have 5 different kinds of pocket diapers and one kind of all-in-ones) then you can come see my diapers.  If there are enough curious people I could even throw a diaper party to introduce the different kinds of diapers and how they work (there is a place online that will send me a diaper party kit).

So there you go.  Cloth diapers are much more fancy and user friendly then they used to be.  I also read this tid bit of information that said one child will produce 2 tons of dirty diapers from infancy to potty training.  I don’t know how accurate it was but I was shocked and amazed.  It must be fairly accurate because it was in the users manual for my Kushies diapers.  Wow huh?  So if you are looking to save some money one was is buy and use cloth diapers.