The Nuffer Nest

"Wrap up".  I crack myself up with all my "witty" puns.  I realize I'm the only one amused and I accept this. Well, since tomorrow is New Years Eve I figured I better get all the Christmas festivities updated on the blog, especially since we packed up Christmas at our house on Christmas night after the boys went to be bed.  That's right, our Christmas tree and decor was put away on Christmas night.  That might make me a bit of a Grinch, but I like to wake up on the 26th with a normal house so that I can clean clean clean. I'll try to make this short and sweet with lots of pictures-  I got the idea from Pinterest to do a small Polar Express  type experience with the boys at home.  We read the book, then I made special golden tickets and hid them in their beds. We put them to be early so that we could take them to Santa Land (which Jackson still thinks is the North Pole) to see Santa.  I honestly didn't think this little idea w...

So we made some salt-dough ornaments last weekend and Jackson has far better ornament making skills than his mother!  I kept messing up, but time and time again his ornaments came out perfect.  He's a chip off the old crafting block! Austin didn't want anything to do with the dough, but he had a good time chewing on the cookie cutters. This face is so cute!  I just want to squeeze this little boy all day!  Look at those sweet little cheeks. Jackson's perfecting his dough ornament skills.  Seriously, he made no mistakes.  Not one. He gives his brother a run for his money on the cutest little face in town! Jackson with our ornaments this year.  Look at the humongous hand print- I swear his hands are almost as big as mine already.  He's so big! Jackson wanted to take a picture of the ornaments all by himself.  He did a pretty good job.  And check out those ornaments- I told you he's an ornament making cha...

I can not say enough how much I LOVE Jackson's school!  I like that it's a Christian environment so they have REAL Christmas activities and programs.  The kids are so excited this time of year and I like that even at school Jackson is reminded that Christmas is about Christ. Jackson had his first Christmas program.  It was the story of Christ's birth.  SO SO SO cute!!  I get so emotional when I think about how much Jackson has grown up already.  Just being at a school for a program for him made me tear up while I waited anxiously to see him.  Then I saw him walk out in his little angel outfit and I cried uncontrollably.  In fact, I'm tearing up again just thinking about it.  What is wrong with me?!?!  Jackson did perfectly!  He was loud and irreverent.   He wouldn't keep his little angel halo on and loudly told his teacher that he no longer needed it right in the middle of the program.  He picked his nose (which, h...

St Nicholas day this year was a little difficult.  If you're not familiar, it's a German tradition that children leave their notes to Santa in their stockings and an elf comes and takes the note back to Santa.  The elf leaves a treat if the child's on the good list and rocks (or coal) if the child is on the naughty list, and then the child has the next 2-3 weeks to get back on the good list.  Well, Jackson has had a rough week and yesterday was no different.  He finally cleaned up his attitude and started making good choices just in time for me to call Santa and tell him he can stay on the good list.  ...for now.  I really thought this was going to be Jackson's first year for rocks, but he saved himself in the "Nick" of time. hahaha, pun intended! Last night we let the boys pick out some toys that they want out of some toy ads and then they glued them on to paper to give to Santa.  Here's Jackson with his stocking and letter last night.  He was ...

I LOVE this time of year and I LOVE that the boys are both big enough that they can both participate in fun Christmas activities!  First, we started the 24 days of Christmas on the 1st of December. It's basically just a song and a Christ centered activity every night that leads up to Christmas. The first night Jim and I both got a little teary and it was only a little 5 minute video clip along with the song "Away in a Manger". Anyway, you can join in the 24 days of Christmas anytime, here's the link . Second, I want all of our December FHE's to be about Christ's birth.  Yesterday's FHE was SO MUCH FUN!!  Jim and I had just as much fun as the boys did.  I got the basic idea from Pinterest and kind of made the rest my own.  After prayer and a song (Away in the Manger again- it's my and Jackson's favorite) we read the story of Christmas from the book The First Christmas  by Carol Heyer.  It has great pictures and tells the story a little bit...

Today is our 5 year anniversary.  I have been thinking back on all I put Jim through 5+ years ago.  Poor guy, I was very scared of marriage.  I loved him very much, but in the back of my mind I kept waiting for him to leave, and subconsciously, I kept pushing him to leave.  There's not one marriage in my family, in my lifetime, that has lasted or that has been a good marriage, so I was very afraid to fail. But here we are 5 years in and going strong.  Every day I love him more.  Every day I get a better look at just how big his heart is and how greatly he loves.  I don't know if he wakes up in the morning wondering how to make my day better or if it just comes naturally for him, but not a day goes by that he doesn't make my world a better place.  Honestly, I've said it before and I'll say it forever, Jim is a much better, kinder person than I am, and a great example for me on how to love.  He's not only an amazing husband, but he's a...

So, it's no secret that Jim and I are both students and I'm a stay at home mom which basically means we are super poor .  ...I mean, super budgeted.  And my birthday is mid November, a couple weeks after Halloween, the week before Thanksgiving, 2 weeks before our anniversary, and about 6 weeks before Christmas.  Needless to say, my birthday gets skipped over every year.  My birthday just has terrible timing for our family.  ;)  Anyway, this year I expected the same, not much of anything- maybe some birthday hugs and kisses and a card from the boys that Jim helped them make (which usually makes me cry because I love them so much), and possibly a date night. BUT this year... Well, you all know now that I was pregnant and VERY sick.  I felt really good that day until nap time hit when the nausea decided to be extra strong.  Jim and I had planned a dinner date while my mom watched the boys.  I had already decided that I would definitely go ou...

I have been debating whether or not to publicly announce what our family has been through recently, but I decided to tell our story because of the many blessings we have received from all those that love us.  Jim and I got a little surprise awhile back when we found out that Nuffer baby #3 on the way (hence I've been "sick" for so long).  We weren't expecting another baby, but we were ecstatic nonetheless.  We had a lot of ups and downs with this pregnancy, beginning with a miscarriage scare due to my low pregnancy hormone numbers that weren't doubling correctly.  I went in to my first OB appointment expecting to confirm a miscarriage, but miraculously, there was a tiny little bean with a beautiful beating heart.  It was the 3rd most beautiful little heart I have ever seen. My OB warned me that our baby was still in the danger zone and he sent me to see a specialist the following week.  Again, miraculously, the following week our little bean had g...

Sadly, since I've been sick we only made one trip to the pumpkin patch this year and we didn't get too many pictures, BUT we had a great time!!  And Grandpa Tyler, Grandma Viv, and Grandma got to join us this year.  We went on a hayride out the the pumpkin patch and picked out some awesome pumpkins.  Then we went on another hayride that night to see a bunch of really cool carved pumpkins that were all lit up.  We didn't really get any pictures of the glowing pumpkins, but they were amazing. Grandpa Tyler found this tiny pumpkin for Austin and he loved this little pumpkin to death, literally.  He carried it around for a couple days until the pumpkin was soft and mushy from being "loved" so much.  It was so sweet how much he loved his little pumpkin.  Here's a picture of Austin's little pumpkin in tribute... **I just realized I don't have any pictures of Grandma at the pumpkin patch, but I promise she was there!  She even got to see...

While my dad and Vivian were in town it was my dad's birthday and Vivian's was just 2 weeks earlier so we threw them a good ole' Nuffer family birthday party complete with embarrassing hats and cheesy decorations! It's party time! Grandma and Grandpa with their cake. Happy birthday Grandpa Tyler and Grandma Viv!!!

I met my dad!  I blogged awhile back that after 32 years I had found my dad and my brother.  Well, I finally met him and his fiance, Vivian, last month. I was so worried that it would be awkward because my emotions about the whole experience have been so overwhelming, but it was really nice.  I was so surprised that there was no awkwardness at all.  In fact, it feels like I've always known him.  And Vivian is just wonderful, she's like an old friend.  Anyway, I'm very happy to report that the visit was fantastic!  It was good to spend time with both my dad and Vivian, and it was sad to see them go, but what a great visit we had together. I never thought I would have a picture of my mom AND dad.  ;)

Well it's time for Austin to start attending nursery.  When Jackson went to nursery for the first time he didn't even look back to see if we were with him, but I knew Austin would be a different story.  I didn't go to church that Sunday because I was sick, so it was just Daddy, Jackson, and Austin.  Daddy took him to nursery and had to stay for awhile, but then the nursery leader brought out Mega Blocks and Austin went off to play so Jim slipped out.  He did really well until the last hour of church when another baby bit or hit him and he was done with nursery for the day.  I can't blame him, it's a dog eat dog world in nursery. This is the start of his first day.  He doesn't look too excited... This is how sad he was when he was returned to Daddy.  Look at that sweet face.  Maybe next time will be better... I just like this picture because you can really see the resemblance between Daddy and Austin here.  Austin is his Daddy...

Wow!  I have really dropped the blogging ball!  I keep putting the blog on my "to do" list, but as you can see I haven't gotten around to it.  So it's a little late, but here's Halloween 2012.  We only made it to one carnival and Trunk or Treat... Our pumpkins Every year I make a goal to make at least one of their costumes for a little stretch of my creativity and to add a little originality.  This year I made Jackson's knight costume.  It was a little rough around the edges, but he liked it. Austin HATED his costume!  Actually, he just hated the hood. He wasn't a fan of the carnival.  He's doesn't like new people or strangers so I think all of the people threw him off for the night because this was how he acted all. night. long. Jackson LOVED the carnival! It's almost impossible to get a good picture with both boys- Jackson and his crazy faces and Austin satisfying his urge to eat anything he can get his ...