News From: The Nut Bunch

Hyrum's Baby Announcement

2012-01-13T14:38:00.001-08:00

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Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T14:08:00.000-08:00

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Joshua's Baby Announcement

2010-07-21T09:58:00.000-07:00

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Are we there...yet?

2010-05-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

We know it has been a while since we have posted anything on our family blog. Be assured that we are not trying to hide from anyone...or everyone. We have just been really busy.

Before Christmas, we started typing up the Nut Bunch Newsletter for 2009. However, it still isn't finished. We'll try to have it done and posted within the next couple of weeks for everyone to read and enjoy. If we don't...well, just keep an eye out for it.

Along with the Newsletter, we'll also post a copy of our Christmas 2009 family photo. Feel free to e-mail us if you want us to send you the original file.

We love you all, and hope you are doing well. Please send an e-mail or other form of message to let us know how you are doing. We would love to hear from you!

Christmas 2008

2008-12-16T14:39:00.001-08:00

2008-12-16T14:35:00.000-08:00

The Nut Bunch Newsletter

Jason Jr., Leigh Ann, and Jason David Sellers

December 2008

Two Years

Sometimes it’s hard to believe how quickly time passes. We’ve been married two years, have a little man, and another one on the way. Despite periodic hardships, it’s great to know that a family can remain strong. We love each other so much and thank our Heavenly Father for our blessings every day—and how great those blessings are!!! Although letting all of our friends and family know how things are going for us can’t give them a full view of how we have been blessed, we do want to share those things with you—for Christmas is a time of sharing the things we hold most dear.

Finally Settled?

After two big moves in less than a year, we hope that we’re finally settled for a while. As things look right now, we’ll be able to live in our apartment for a couple more years. It may be a bit tight for us, but we’ve been able to save money and spend quite a bit of time together. As we said in the last Nut Bunch Newsletter (July 2008), we are now living in a valley, in a city called Logan. Yes, it’s in Utah—northern Utah, to be exact. Logan is so north, that we see a lot of license plates from Idaho! It’s a town that’s prominent enough to show up as a big name on a map, but small enough to find your way around quite easily—almost everything you need is on Main Street. We love it here, and although we don’t know how long we’ll be staying, we’re ready to stay for some time.

Nursery…Still

After about two years of three Nurseries, we’re still alive! It’s really not that bad, though. We enjoy our callings in the Nursery and, since Jason Jr. is now an official Nursery member, we’ll be involved for a long time.

There is a new Nursery Manual that came out this year. We’ve been using it to teach Nursery, and it’s an awesome resource! The manual, spiral-bound, is entitled Behold Your Little Ones, and can be purchased from Church Distribution for $5.00. Especially if you have young children, we highly recommend it!

Jason Jr.

Jason Jr. has been talking a lot lately. Not only does he mimic sounds we make, he also copies things that we say. Jason understands almost everything we say and is able to communicate with us as well.

Jason Jr.’s growing up and learning so fast. He no longer needs his sippy cup when he goes to bed, and he hardly makes a fuss when it’s time to do so. He walks or runs everywhere, climbing up and down stairs with little or no help. One of Jason’s favorite things is to have Mommy and Daddy read books to him, while he identifies objects on the page.

One of the greatest blessings Jason Jr. gives us is his helpfulness. When we wipe his hands after eating, he has to wipe the table. When it’s time to do laundry, he has to put the scoop of soap in the washing machine. And, after he gets a diaper change, he has to throw his dirty diaper in the garbage and clean up all the diaper changing materials.

Speaking of diaper changing, Jason Jr. has actually been going potty like a big boy! He usually goes in the toilet two times (or sometimes more) every day. We just put him on the potty each time we take off one of his dirty diapers, and he knows what to do! Sometimes, it’s hard to get him to come off!!! When he goes pee or poo, he gets to choose a sticker or a story as a prize. But, if he does both, he gets a sticker and a story! Soon, we’ll be changing his rewards a bit so that when he tells us he has to potty, he’ll get a story and when he actually goes, he’ll get a sticker.

Adam Michael Sellers

Wait a second…who’s that?

Although he’s not here yet, Adam will be joining us sometime around February 6^th (his due date). Yes, we are having another boy. Jason Jr. is so excited about his baby brother. He loves pulling up mommy’s shirt to pat, hug, and kiss her tummy saying, “Beebee”. As Adam grows, Jason Jr.’s interest in him grows. He knows something is happening.

We are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new addition. Because we are having another boy, we don’t need much little stuff. Mostly, we’re going to need the big expensive things—like furniture. If you would like to contribute, we would really appreciate it. Any little bit helps.

Blogs

As blogs become the commonplace alternative for an expensive web page, we find ourselves creating our own! Not only do we have a family blog (on which you can view family photos, as well as past Nut Bunch Newsletters), Leigh Ann and Jason have recently created individual blogs. To give you the chance to see them, we have listed their web addresses below:

Family Blog: thenutbunch.blogspot.com

Leigh Ann’s Blog: butterflyimpressions.blogspot.com

Jason’s Blog: beingsomethingmore.blogspot.com

Out of Narnia—Into Harry Potter!

Well, it has taken a while, but we’ve reached the end. We just finished reading the Chronicles of Narnia the end of last month (November). Now, we’re starting in on the Harry Potter series. So far, we’ve only gotten through a couple of chapters. Although Jason has read it before, Leigh Ann and Jason Jr. haven’t. We’re sure it will be a great adventure—“great” meaning “long”. Who knows how long it will take us to finish reading those books?

Merry Christmas!

To finish off our annual Nut Bunch Newsletter, we want to wish all of our friends and family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Each new year brings such wonderful blessings that are such a joy to reflect upon. We encourage all of you to reflect on your year, remembering how you have grown and all that you have to be thankful for. As you do, please know how grateful we are for you and that we are thinking of you during this Christmas season.

2008-12-16T14:33:00.000-08:00

The Nut Bunch Newsletter

Baby, Jason Jr., Leigh Ann, and Jason David Sellers

July 2008

Austin, TX to Logan, UT

After staying six months in Austin to save up money, we moved to Logan, UT. So, that’s where we are now. Logan is located in the Cache Valley of northern Utah, making it absolutely beautiful. It’s surrounded by mountains that help to keep it a bit cooler than other parts of Utah. We love Logan because it is a small town, yet with the University of Utah providing a high demand for shopping options, it has all of the stores that are needed—Wal-Mart, Deseret Industries, and even a mall! Our sub-basement apartment stays cool during the summer, even without AC. We do have heat for the winter, though, which will be great for how low the temperature can get here.

Nursery...Again

So, after being in the Nursery in Shelbyville, KY and Austin, TX, we are now in Nursery…again. Although we had a bit of a hard time with the Nursery in Austin because they wouldn’t give us the responsibility due our callings, it has been great here. The Primary Second Counselor, who is over the Nursery, is always open to suggestions. She works with us and supports us really well—trying to help as much as we need her to. We just recently split the Nursery into Junior and Senior classes due to high numbers. It has worked really well and has allowed us to better meet the needs of the different age groups.

Jason, Jr.

Jason, Jr. is still growing. He’s learning so much, and we can already tell how smart he is. On May 7^th, he took his first steps, and now walks practically everywhere! Now, he’s using a booster seat at the table instead of his high chair. At his last check-up a couple of weeks ago, he was measured to weigh 23 lbs. and be 31” tall. Jason communicates really well using words such as mama, that, done, duck, George (his stuffed monkey), and the traditional dada. He points at things he wants, uses hand signals to tell us when he wants more, and chooses his own outfits and other things. Over the past few weeks, he has become much more snugly, gives great hugs, and offers bounteous kisses to his favorite stuffed animals.

New Baby

Lately, Leigh Ann has been feeling a lot more tired. It might have something to do with the fact that she is now almost three months pregnant! Of course, we’re hoping for a little sister for Jason, Jr. If we have a boy, though, that will be great, too. We’ll find out on the 14^th of August when we go to see the ultrasound at Leigh Ann’s obstetrician appointment.

Qwest and School

Since moving to Logan, Jason has gotten a new job at Qwest. Qwest is a telecommunications company that offers home phones, cell phones, TV services, and internet. He enjoys it very much. It pays hourly, and gives bonuses for sales—based on commission. The environment is relaxed, fun, and lively, with other employees close to Jason’s age (the average age is 23 for the center where he works). Benefits include full health insurance, along with paid school tuition. Jason plans on starting school when his tuition benefits take effect in September. He wants to take online courses, which will be easier while working and give him more time at home. For his major, Jason plans on studying Family Relations. Eventually, he wants to get a Masters in Religion in order to be able to teach Institute.

Finished Lemony—Now on Narnia

We finished reading A Series of Unfortunate Events shortly after moving to Logan. Although the process was an interestingly entertaining one, a lot of questions were left unanswered at the end—providing little closure. Overall, the series was a good one, and not as depressing as most people might think. Now, we are in the process of reading the Chronicles of Narnia. We have finished four of the seven books and are now on the fifth—The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Although these books were obviously written for children (they are written in a way that makes them very simple to understand), they are quite interesting, being that they are allegorical. Next, we plan on reading the Harry Potter books. Then we’ll be in for a long haul!

Christmas 2007

2008-12-16T14:31:00.001-08:00

2008-12-16T14:26:00.000-08:00

The Nut Bunch Newsletter

Jason Jr., Leigh Ann, and Jason David Sellers

December 2007

One Year Anniversary!

Goodness—how time flies! We’ve already been married for over a year. Not only that, but we have a beautiful, healthy boy. Jason Jr. is such a wonderful little guy—as all babies are. He only cries when he’s uncomfortable (hungry, bored, teeth, etc.). Life is great! It’s amazing how when you stop to count your blessings, you can become so overwhelmed with…everything. We love our family so much, and that love grows every day.

A New Job and A New Home

With Leigh Ann staying home with Jason Jr., she gave up working for the summer. So, Jason Sr. needed to get a new, more sustaining job.

A couple of weeks before Jason Jr. was born, his daddy applied for a job with a place called Cedar Lake Lodge. It seemed like a great job for him, until he got fired right before his benefits kicked in. Yes, it did seem a bit suspicious, but we tried not to get too discouraged about it. In this trying time we turned to Heavenly Father for help.

As we contemplated on what we should do, we both felt as if we should move to Austin, TX temporarily, then move to Utah more permanently.

So, right now we’re in Austin. Jason has a Customer Service job with AT&T, which he loves. He would like to stay in Customer Service a while, even if he has to change from AT&T when we move to Utah the beginning of next year. Because Customer Service jobs are challenging, they pay quite well and usually have great benefits.

Growing

Jason Jr. is growing quickly. Just yesterday we had to put his new “Big Boy” car seat in the car. He weighs about 22 lbs. and he’s 2’3” tall! He isn’t really crawling yet. Rather, he’s doing what we call “The Inchworm” or “The Frog Leap”. He just gets on all fours, rocks back and forth, then launches himself forward. It’s so cute! Jason Jr. has also been working on balancing to stand. He’ll be 8 months old on the 29^th of this month, so he’s growing fast.

Voice Lessons

For the past couple of months, Leigh Ann was giving voice lessons to a girl in their ward. She had a lot of fun and was able to organize a lot for continuing her teaching. Right now, voice lessons are on hold, but she hopes to begin them when we move to Utah. It will be a nice source of extra money for our family.

Face Book

Leigh Ann and Jason both have accounts on facebook.com. The site is free, and a wonderful way to safely keep in touch, or get back in touch, with friends. We have found it to be a rewarding resource and highly recommend it.

Merlin to Unfortunate Events

Our family has recently finished reading a series of five books by T. A. Barron called The Lost Years of Merlin. We all agree that the first and fifth books are the best. But, if you like fantasy, you’ll probably like to read them. They aren’t hard-core fantasy—rather, they tell the story of Merlin’s early years of finding his identity as a wizard.

Now, we are reading Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. Of course, they are great so far, and they get even better as we read more! Although they are meant for a younger audience, these books are quite entertaining and interesting. We are really enjoying the time we spend together reading them. Right now we are in the middle of book 11. Just 2 more to go!

Salsa Dancing

Leigh Ann has just started teaching Jason Salsa dancing. They are both having a lot of fun with it. Hopefully, they will get good enough with it that they will be able to share the talent with others. For now, though, it is just a great way to spend time with each other.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone! We had such a great year, and we would like to thank all of you who have helped us in any way. The Lord has blessed us all so much.

2008-12-16T14:21:00.000-08:00

The Nut Bunch Newsletter

Leigh Ann and Jason David Sellers

February 2007

Top 10 Most Asked Questions and Their Answers:

Where are you two living now?

We are living in a house, on East Cross Main Street, in the town of New Castle, in the state of Kentucky, in the United States, on the North American continent... Okay, you get the picture.

Is Jason working, or in school, or…?

Right now, Jason is on the desktop computer (Hopefully he won’t break it). But, as far as work goes, Jason has been working in the mornings and afternoons as a school bus monitor for Head Start and Pre-School children. He also substitute teaches Special Education students from the High School. The permanent position of assistant Special Education teacher is available for next school year, and Jason plans on taking it. He has been highly recommended to the position by Mrs. Hosey, who is in charge of the Special Education program at the High School. As far as his schooling goes, right now he has no definite plans.

Does Leigh Ann have a job?

Yes.

Is Leigh Ann teaching?

Like Jason, Leigh Ann is also working two jobs right now. Most of the time she substitute teaches at the Elementary Schools 3 or more days a week, which she enjoys very much. Leigh Ann also works as an after-school daycare teacher for elementary age children. This is the same daycare she worked for over the summer for her summer job. Although she will no longer work as a substitute teacher next year, Leigh Ann plans on continuing with the after-school daycare program after little Jason is born.

What are you both up to?

Leigh Ann—5’5.5”. Jason—5’9”. But seriously folks, if you want more of an answer, just read below the other questions.

How has life been treating you?

GREAT, of course! Isn’t that what eternal marriage is all about?

How is married life for you?

GREAT, of course! We love spending time together, and can hardly stand being apart. So, consequently, we think of each other a lot when we are not together. We defy anyone who spreads deception about the horrors of married life. There is nothing horrible about our married life. All of that was swept out of the house with the dog hair (when we moved in). As Jason’s dad would put it, “You two are ‘silly-in-love’.” We prefer “giddy-in-love”, but that’s practically the same thing, anyway.

What do you do?

This is actually our favorite of the Top 10 questions. At first, we were wondering whether it was a typo and should read “How do you do?”. Or, perhaps, “What did you do?!?”. Either way, we do and have done a lot. More specifically, we love working with young children, spending time with Leigh Ann’s family, and (most of all) spending time with each other.

Any good snowstorms this winter?

We’ve had a total of 3 school snow-days and about 4 inches of snow. Personally, we feel that this measurement is a bit lacking on the snowstorm scale. Does 4 inches of snow qualify as a snowstorm, or not? Send your opinion to thenutbunch@gmail.com.

Haven’t wasted any time being married, have you?

No. Definitely not! Time is something you can never get back—you’re always losing it. We both love children so much, we knew that wasting time would be…bad. We are both looking forward to the birth of Jason Jr. with great anticipation and excitement.