Cherries ~ Cherries ~ Cherries

When we were kids we picked cherries a couple times.  Mom canned cherries every summer it seemed.  At least I remember eating them during many long winter months.  I recall Gabe, Matt and I sneaking jars out to the barn and gobbling them up while sitting on top of the haystacks.  We were starved for sweets....or so we thought!  Shannon always commented on the copious amounts of bread and jam our family consumed, "Yeah, you guys had it pretty rough.  You NEVER had anything sweet.  How much jam did your mom go through in any given year?"  That said, the cherries were another sweet that we didn't really factor in because they didn't fall into the processed-sugar-from-a-bag category.   

I've wanted to head up to the Flathead and pick cherries for a couple years and finally got it done this summer.  I had imagined green lawns and white pickets fences (always white picket fences!) with lush trees scattered throughout.  The powdery, grey dirt surrounding the trees was not what I expected.  But the trees were certainly lush and the cherries were profuse.  I informed the guy we'd probably pick 30 pounds.  That seemed like a reasonable quantity, without buying myself too much work.  

We left the orchard with 90 pounds in boxes and who knows how many in our stomachs. Thankfully, there wasn't a weigh-in/weigh-out of each picker.  We picnicked on the shore of the nearby lake and swam afterwards.  My friend who tagged along with us got a taste of the craziness that is our life.  It was somewhat funny as I pulled over on the side of the highway for multiple discipline sessions on the trip up and and back. A kid can only sit angelically in the car for so long I guess! 

Like 10 minutes.  

Nickles was, yet again, my faithful kitchen helper.  I told him we were canning sunshine for grey winter days.  Now we have 50 quarts of cherries, errr I mean sunshine, sitting on our pantry shelves.  Whenever we pull a jar out, he's all about the sunshine he packed for a dreary day!

Peeking through the branches ~ 

The fruits of our labor.

Never mind. 

There was no labor involved.  We were pretty much done in 15 minutes!

Happy 9th Birthday Nicholas!

Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday, dear Nicholas!
Happy birthday to YOU!

Where do I even begin?  You light up my life....when I'm not pulling out my hair!  Actually, even then you do.  When I found out we were expecting you all those years ago, Grandma D had just passed away.  Daddy and I felt you were a bit of a gift from her.  Despite your struggle to be good, you have such a big heart.  And even when you're naughty, I have to hide my smiles because, well, just because. 

Nickles, your perpetual smile, even when you're knee deep in trouble, warms the whole house.
Keep smiling, keep bringing joy to others, keep encouraging those around you...you do that so well! 

I love you!

Love,
Mom  xo

Always a thumbs-up, you're ready for any adventure.

You were awesome this day...an entire hike with bare feet.

If only I were as confident...you combed your hair, donned an outfit (damn the hole in your pants) and wanted your picture taken.  

You had the entire photo mentally composed, down to where and how you wanted to pose.  

In a pool full of rather unrecognizable bodies, all I need to scan for is a thumbs-up and a smile!

You are always treated rather special by your godparents on your feast day!

Boo ya! Now you are 9!

Happy 11th Birthday Dominic!

Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday, dear Dominic!
Happy birthday to YOU!


Ahhhh ~ it seems like yesterday that I was in labor with you.  There was a lot going on that year, but you were MY biggest event!  My favorite memory, and I know I've told you this many-a-time, but the day after you were born was Sunday.  Following Mass, Aunt Rose and Uncle Steve, along with all their kiddos, came to the hospital to see you...beautiful little you.  All their boys were so big.  As you were handed around the room, I was struck by how tiny your body was compared to how big they all were.  I pray that you grow to be a fantastic young men as they have all grown to be.

Dom, I treasure your hugs and how you're just there many a time when I need a "Thank you" or an "I love you" or a "You're the best."  Keep doing the 'Next right thing' each day.

I love you!

Love,
Mom  xo

If I've published this on your birthday previously, sorry, bud.  

It's still one of my favorites.

You've always been in the thick of whatever the big kids were doing.  

While they may not be included in this shot, they were all there and you were prepping 

to do a flip or imitate something they had just done!

Always an adventure, helping Daddy with some animal retrieval!

You and Dad camped together for a few days, hunting and fishing...

and watching movies and cooking and eating junk food and shooting the breeze.....

You're quite proficient in the kitchen.  

And the once a year that we pull out the deep fryer brings your creativity to life. 

You fried donuts, french fries, apples and pretty much everything else that seemed like it may work.

After swimming in some frigid water ~ attempting to warm up for another dip.

So it would have been a nice picture.

When you and Tristen are together, I rarely see you.

And stretching your wings to peddle down the hill to fish is right up your alley....

biking, fishing, best friend/cousin.

Now you are 11!!!