The Nuffer Nest

I was beyond excited that Austin's first Christmas was a white Christmas! It started out on Christmas eve looking like this: There was a lot more snow that fell all day, but it all melted same day. Sad. BUT this is what we woke up too Christmas morning!! Santa came for a visit as well! He felt much more at home in Lubbock this year because of all the snow, so I think it made him extra generous this year. I don't really have pictures of the boys opening up presents because we took video instead (and it's a long video), but Jackson got a digital camera for Christmas from Grandma Marlow and Great Grandpa Marlow and he managed to get a couple good shots. If I can figure out how to get them downloaded to the computer I'll add them.

I keep forgetting to put of pictures of the decor this year. I mostly blog this for myself, so I remember what I did the year before. This way I can keep the ideas I really liked and change up some things I didn't like as well. Entry way: Entertainment center: I had to include these cute monkeys because we found them for the boys (both for $8 at Sam's) and I think they are just adorable! The Children's nativity: Since our first Christmas when I was pregnant with Jackson I have been looking for a nativity that the kids could play with. Thanks to Target I finally found one this year! I think I was more excited than they were that I finally found one, but they loved playing with it. Pictures and advent calendar: (Jackson completely understood the advent calendar. It helped him get really excited for Christmas, and it saved me from telling him how many days till Santa visits 1,359 times a day). Desk and nativity: Back window: And finally, our tree:

I made quite a few gifts this year for family. I don't have any pictures, but for my grandpa I am recreating an awesome picture of his hands with the boys' hands, and I also made him hand warmers because he walks every morning and it's very cold. For my mom and mother-in-law I made a few goodies that will help them pamper themselves. First, I made a peppermint foot scrub and a citrus body scrub. Then I made a cute book mark for their favorite book. A little pampering never hurt anyone! For my mom (because I already did this for my MIL) I decoupaged a heart keepsake box with pictures of her life on the lid, and pictures of her family all around it. It came out pretty well. For our friends and neighbors I made some yummy sweet breads and my world famous fudge (Elf Bait), along with a few ornaments I crafted.

My boys have been blessed with really great aunts and uncles, but unfortunately most of them live very far away. My little brother, Brian, is the only uncle the boys see all the time and they LOVE him! The last couple weeks Jackson talks about Uncle Brian ALL DAY LONG. Uncle Brian just started his first year of college and it's about an hour and a half drive from here so he has been away for a few weeks. As soon as Uncle Brian came into town he promised Jackson he would come see him first. Jackson was ecstatic! And Uncle Brian made good on his promise! Please excuse the ridiculous shirt Uncle Brian is wearing, we don't condone such apparel in this house usually. And I don't know what's going on with his hair, I think he was just in a rush to come home... at least I hope that's what happened to that mess. Uncle Brian is just a big kid himself, I think that's why the boys love him SO much.

Today the boys are in matching sweaters and I couldn't help myself, I had to take some pictures of them. They're so flippin cute! And they really do love each other so much. Austin adores Jackson, and Jackson is so protective of Austin. I know one day they will fight and yell, but I'm completely enjoying how loving they are right now. My cutie little munchkins! It wouldn't be a true Nuffer photoshoot without an outtake.

Our Christmas cards were ready for well over a week before we actually got them out because our family has been plagued with illness in some form or fashion for about 5 weeks (ridiculous), and because we've had lots of snow already!! Anyway, now that I know a lot of you have already received the card I want to post the picture of the boys because I LOVE it so much! This was the ONLY good shot I got (and it was sheer luck). They boys were genuinely playing and laughing with each other and I just happened to catch the picture. I love these two little boys more than I can ever explain. I know my mommy friends understand exactly what I'm saying. They make my heart so filled with joy and love. I just love them to pieces!

Shockingly enough Texas got it's first snow day of the year before my friend that lives in Wisconsin! Thankfully, Jim had the day off so we were able to enjoy the weather from inside where it was warm. Since we couldn't go outside because we are all sick, I decided that Jackson could help me make some cookies inside instead. We made chocolate chip cookies and (my favorite) chocolate crinkles. Jackson was a big helper, but he wanted to wash his hands every time he got messy- which was pretty often considering we had to roll each cookie in powder sugar. He's my ODC mini me and can't stand to be dirty. Since we are all sick and we just keep getting sick, I decided that we needed to clean, clean, clean! We need to get these germs OUT of our house!! While we vacuumed the house Jackson watched cartoons, but the noise disturbed him, and this is the face he had the whole time he was watching the cartoons while the vacuum was on. Apparently, he did not appreciate the nois

This is the first year that Jackson is understanding Christmas, Santa, and Christ's birthday. I LOVE IT! We celebrate St Nicholas Day by writing Santa a letter and we told the boys that Santa's elves would come that night (last night) and take their letters and leave a treat if they'd been good (rocks if they'd been bad). So last night I cut out all the toys that Jackson has had his eye on from all the zillions of toy ads we've received recently and Jackson glued them on a letter to Santa. Then we put their letters in their stockings for the elves to see. The elves came last night and left Jackson some Starbursts, (he only eats Starbursts, M&Ms, and gummy candies- no other treats. He's the only kid I know that refuses and runs from treats) and yogurt melts for Austin. We also had FHE and we talked about how Santa and Christ are alike, and how Christmas is the celebrations of Christ's birth. We didn't emphasize that Christmas is a celebration of C