You're system is most likely not fully charged. Over time the refridgerant leaks out of the system, causing the a/c to become less effective. You can buy new refridgerant at any autoparts store, along with the valve setup to do the recharge.
You probably also want to look for leaks, and may need to replace components. It may not be that serious from the sound of your post. I did a quick search and found this thread:
http://www.xterraownersclub.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=24;t=001385
If this doesn't cover your questions, I got a lot of good returns by searching "a/c".
Good Luck