Decisions....Decisions!

Well, it's January 29th and we've reached our first big decision of the new year and we are so excited to share it with you!

No moms and dads...still no babies on the way!

A Little Background:

I am not a decisive person (at all)...If Ben were writing this I would be afraid of what he would say regarding my 'decision making skills'. We are POLAR opposites when it comes to decision making. Ben makes decisions very quickly and doesn't think twice (he's a man that knows what he wants). He's sometimes impulsive, but it usually works out well for us!
I am...well...just plain indecisive (or as Ben says, my mind is like a hamster in her cage..never stops spinning). I think about each 'big' decision about 1 million times and try to figure out exactly and to what level it will impact our lives.


Here's about it goes in our home when we are trying to make the BEST decision...


I make 13 pro and con lists, call my mom, look at our budget 10 times, pray about it, sleep on it, lose sleep over it, talk to Ben about the 'what if's until he can't take it anymore', after a while he says..."It's up to you Babe, I support your decision!" SO...you would think this is what I want, but really it isn't. I can't handle the pressure so I finally tell him to DECIDE, he decides in 30 seconds and we're done...decision made...move onto the next one!


I LOVE that Ben knows what's best for us and when it's best, and that he is patient with me during this process. He's dreading the process of buying a house..I'm looking forward to it because I can 'just look' for months, maybe years...he likes to 'just look' for 2 days! It will be fun!


He has faith that I will make the best decision with time and my pro/con lists all serve a purpose (usually for me to know that it will work out fine either way), and I trust him to make decisions on the spot..so in our funny little way it all works out!


All this to say...


We've been saving up/looking for the perfect dog and car, but which will come first and how will we know they are perfect for us? Ben and his dad found a great car, we were super excited about it and considering making it our new ride.....BUT, in the mean time...Jamie found the perfect dog..oh no!


We knew we were not ready to take on our first dog and a new car...we are taking baby steps into adulthood, remember we are still young and love college so much we want to go back!


So...I visited the dog/became attached, and Ben researched the car/made multiple spreadsheets.


I fell in love with an amazing rescue boxer and knew she was perfect for us. Ben took off work to meet her and fell in love with her also! We left her and came home and had a night like a described above..you know the dreaded decision making process brought to you by jamie and ben (He left it up to me, then I left it up to him in return)...worked like a charm.....because we are excited to introduce you to the newest member of our family!

Regarding the car, we decided to wait. We will put our hearts and souls into little Aspen for now, then see what comes our way next!


Meet Aspen. She is a 3 yr old rescue boxer who in is desperate of love and attention. I went to meet her and she batted those big precious eyes at me as if to say, "Please take me home, I promise I'll be good!"


She loves her new home and is a wonderful 'study buddy' for Jamie. She cannot wait for Ben to work less so she can spend more time with him, but so far he has been amazing daddy (waking up at 5am just to make sure she's ok and not cold, taking her walking before work at 7am, spoiling her with treats, an orthopedic bed, and freshly cooked rice topped with olive oil).

Saying 'YES' to Ben was the best decision of 2008, saying"I do" to Ben was the best decision in 2009, and saying "Let's take Aspen home with us" was the best decision so far in 2010! Can't wait to see what happens next in the Commerford Family!

These are those big precious eyes I was talking about!

Seriously? How cute are they taking a Sunday afternoon nap?

Meeting Ben for the first time!


She had surgery this morning and looks pitiful.

Trying to stay awake...it took 2.5 days for the anesthesia to wear off.

Birthdays and New Years

My wonderful husband is also a party planner! He got all our friends in Denver together to celebrate my 26th Birthday. We had a great time hanging out together! Thank you all for making this day special!

Ashley, Jamie, and I....old roomies at the 124.

Lauryn Betty!!!! My new favorite friend!

Lauryn and Nicole....I love these girls

Celebrating the New Year in MS!!

Is it 2010 already? Really? We had a big year and wouldn't change a thing about it.

Our favorite moments during 2009:

1. "Will you marry me?"
2. Ben graduated with his Master's in Accounting
3. Jamie graduated with her Master's in Occupational Therapy
4. We got married in Mississippi
4. Ben passed ALL 4 CPA exams and is now a Certified Public Accountant
5. We moved to Albuquerque, NM and Denver, CO
6. Ben started his first job
7. We are excited to see where the Lord takes us in 2010!

Second Honeymoon!

We haven't gotten to enjoy skiing as much this year as we would like due to Ben's crazy work schedule, but we did make it to Winter Park for a few days prior to Christmas and had a blast skiing together! As a wedding gift the Kilgallen's gave us a 'Second Honeymoon' to their beautiful home in Winter Park whenever we wanted..so we took them up on it as soon as we could! We enjoyed sitting by the fire playing games, staying in our pajamas (that's why there are few pictures), watching movies, Rocky mountain roastery (our favorite coffee), making lists of our future dreams/wishes, scrabble competitions, wonderful friends, skiing, and the beautiful scenery!

Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas from the Commerford's!

We have definitely neglected the blog due to our many travels, weddings, Ben's long hours at work, and my new studying gig, but we are back at home and ready to catch you up on our latest adventures! Ben and I had the pleasure of celebrating Christmas in Colorado Springs with his ENTIRE family!!!

It was a short hike for some and a long trek for others...we all gathered in one place all the way from SC, NM,NC, and various parts of CO. It was so much fun to have all 4 sisters, brother in laws, and nieces and nephews in the same house! We enjoyed Christmas eve service at church followed by card games and movies! Christmas Morning was full of stockings, gifts from santa, and yummy food!

Happy Birthday Jesus...thank you for our family and many many blessings!

Top 10 most favorite things from our CO Christmas:

1. Haaley screaming/tearing up as she opened her amazing UGGS from Jilienne
2. Ben's adorable excitement to see, play with, and hold his nieces and nephews
3. Isabelle opening her CUTE pink Adidas outfit and saying shyly, "now that's a boring gift."
4. Ian and Uncle Ben playing Catan...Ben's emotional status after getting beat by a 7 year old.
5. Little 8 month old Isaac eating candied yams during Christmas dinner and LOVING them!
6. Adison playing with her baby dolls in her pink light up cowgirl boots
7. Grandma B's delicious pull aparts
8. The mad search for the green pickle on the Christmas tree, which Haaley found and was awarded a special prize.
9. David 'clowning' around during picture time and getting in trouble by mom...multiple times.
10. Gail's wonderful hospitality.... she welcomed all 16 of us in her home and provided a wonderful Christmas Dinner. Thank you so much everyone for making our first Christmas together as a married couple so wonderful!

Gail, David, Josh, Jerry, Ben
Haaley, Ian, Hunter, Isabelle, Jamie
Kimberlee, Isaac, Tara, Adison, Jilienne

Isabelle and Isaac....my precious cuddle buddies!

Isabelle, Ian, Isaac, Adison, and Hunter thoroughly enjoyed opening their gifts from SANTA!! How adorable!

The day after Christmas, Ben and I flew to MS to celebrate Christmas and New Years with my family. We are so blessed that we were able to be with both of our families during this holiday season. We celebrated Christmas with my family immediately after arriving in MS then spent the next week visiting friends and family in Jackson, Nashville, Memphis, and Starkville! We had a blast...Ben and I always have several 'MUST eats' when we visit my parents. A few of our favorites include: mom's 'breakfast casserole', dad's salmon, chai tea lattes, catfish at Smokin' M's, and ribeye rolintini at Tyler's. Mom cooked all our favorite meals, Mom and Dad took us to all our favorite restaurants and movies, we played monopoly and scrabble, got pedicures and manicures, visited my fun loving grandmother...what more could we ask for? Thank you Mom and Dad...once again, we had an amazing visit and are counting down the days until we can come again!

The Kelley/Commerford Family

Little Marley...my parent's baby girl (A.K.A. my replacement)

My wonderful Nana who tells Ben that since he's taken me away from MS he BETTER take good care of me!

I went to Starkville to visit Kelly and Kate! Kelly is one my best friend's from college at MSU and this is her precious little girl, Kate! I just love her!

Mom, Dad, Marley, and Oscar

Family outing to the Zoo of Lights

Mom and I at the Memphis Zoo

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Ben and I absolutely LOVE this time of year....we thoroughly enjoy our own birthdays, but especially Jesus' Birthday! We began listening to Christmas music November 1st when the radio stations FINALLY started playing it, we get super excited when our neighbors decorate and put lights on their patios! We enjoy egg nog, spiced cider, Christmas Ale, gingerbread houses/cookies, Starbucks caramel brule latte, ugly sweater parties, santa at the mall, giving gifts, candy canes, and most of all celebrating with family and friends!
We bought our first Christmas tree, went shopping at Gail's (Ben's mom) Christmas Supply for ornaments and decorations, then transformed the Commerford Home into "A Festival of Lights!" Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!"
~Hamilton Wright Mabie

My talented Mother!

I wanted to blog about one of my favorite gifts ever that I received recently! During my parent's visit my mom gave me a gorgeous HANDMADE quilt with all of my favorite/meaningful t-shirts from college!! She has been secretly taking a quilting class the past few months and working diligently on my quilt!! I think it's fantastic and it means the world to me! I wanted to show off her new talent!! Thanks so much mom...I love your surprises!

Ben is a CPA!

I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving day. Jamie and I went to my Mom's house in the Springs and we had our fill. It was awesome!

Anyways...I just found out last week that I have officially passed the CPA exam! If you want to know what I am thankful for, its that I am done with the CPA exam. I am thankful for a beautiful wife that supported me during the long hours of studying. Thank you Jamie. Also, I am thankful for a God who loves and blesses me despite my imperfections. I could not have passed this exam on my own. Self accomplishment is way overrated.

Happy Thanksgiving!