"Happy Home Mommy!"

Lately we've realized that we have a little Parrot among us! Nicci is speaking almost full sentences now and is copying everything we say...it's actually really cute. She has really exploded in the personality department and has become quite the little comedian. Not only that, (not to be a ridiculously annoying proud mommy!) but she has outdone herself in the smarty pants department as well! :) The other day she took apart her Russian Doll and then put it back together all by herself. We took a video of her doing it and captured a little bit of her comical side as well. She's hilarious. Last night i said, "Nicci where do you live??" (and then i told her to say 'Happy Home') For the rest of the night she walked around saying, "Say Happy Home Ninny...Say Happy Home Ninny" almost in a mocking tone! (Ninny is what she calls herself) So this morning when i went in her room to get her she said, "Happy Home Mommy!!" I laughed until i thought i would die; i couldn't believe that she had remembered. It's such an incredible feeling when i say, "Where do you live" and i hear her respond, "Happy Home Mommy!" My mom taught me that when i was her age and i've always looked forward to teaching my child that someday. I really really love being a mom- more than i can express in words; it is seriously the very best job in the entire world! Somedays it's very hard, and other days kinda draining, BUT all-in-all it is certainly the funnest, most rewarding and exciting job anyone could ever have! I LOVE IT!!

We are in the process of landscaping our backyard and so while Seth & i were outside Nicci found one of my hair accessories, put it on, and then went on a search for 'The Rock That Would Change Her Life'...and here's a picture of the magic rock she found!! LOL. I'm telling you, this girl is hilarious. :)

Here's Ninny putting her Russian Doll back together all by herself.
(You might have to turn off the music to hear how hilarious this girl is)

"Don't be a scrub! Rise to the high ground of spiritual, mental, and physical excellence. You can do it. You may not be a genius. You may be lacking in some skills. But so many of us can do better than we are now doing...We are people with a present and with a future. Don't muff your opportunities. Be excellent."

-President Gordon B. Hinckley

My Dearest Mother

So i know everyone thinks they have the best mom in the entire world...but the truth is that I have the best, most wonderful mom in the ENTIRE world. :) Mother's Day was so amazing. I love having a specific day to dedicate to the most amazing woman i know. The day started out terrific....breakfast in bed! Seth made me french toast, eggs, bacon, and orange juice. It was so Y.U.M.M.Y. He was so incredible all day, he made sure i didn't lift a finger! He even made me breakfast all over again at 1:00am before i fell asleep. (Have i mentioned how much i dearly love my husband??) We then went to church with my parents and it was SO WONDERFUL!! The most amazing talks were given in Sacrament meeting (great job Ash!) and our Relief Society lesson was so special (wonderful job Stacie!) Being able to sit next to my mom during all the meetings was such a special treat...going to a new ward since we moved just isn't the same without her. Later that night we spent some real special time together and had some tender special moments. I love my mom so much. She really is the most incredible woman i know. My mom has a special love for everyone that most people can't understand. She is honest in literally everything she does. If a cashier gave her 2 extra cents in change she'd immediately go back to the store come rain, snow, or wind...she'd return it. She has an incredible passion for the gospel and puts our Savior first in everything she does. She is the most obedient individual i've ever met. She puts EVERYONE before herself. I can't remember the last time she bought anything just for her. My mom is pure in heart and never judges anyone. I talk to my mom everyday...we'll even watch movies together over the phone. :) She's my very best friend. She loves my husband so much and shows it in the way she treats him. Seth can talk to her for hours about UPS and she'll still be bright eyed and bushy tailed in the end. (I have to admit, i have fallen asleep on occasion when "UPS Stats" comes up...but NEVER has my mom!) My mom is a perfect Grandmother. She loves her grandkids with everything she has. Nicci's favorite person in the whole world is my mom. She calls her "Mama" and Seth & i joke that Nicci actually thinks my mom IS HER mom. lol. The joy that my mom can bring into a room just with her smile is absolutely incredible. She brings light and love everywhere she goes, & it's because she carries her Savior with her in her heart. I think she spends more time on her knees than she does on her feet. I could never ask for a more righteous amazing woman for my mother. I just hope and pray that i can be half the mother and woman she is. She's perfect, she's strong, she's my hero, she's obedient, she's loyal, she's fun, she's a healer, she's a comforter, she's my best friend, she's my angel...she's MY MOM!

I love you, i love you more, i love you more the mostest mom!

What a Wonderful Life

Seth & i were just getting ready for bed and having our nightly 'talk time' and i was so overwhelmed with how very blessed i am. I love my family so much. I spent the day with my mom and little Nicci and realized that i really have never been happier than i am right now. My mom and i are very best friends; i am so grateful to have her close to me in every way and to have her loving guidance in every aspect of my life. Her selfless love blesses so many lives, including very much my own. I have seriously the most amazing husband. He works so hard for our little family and always comes home with a smile and ready to play hard with his girls before he retires to bed. There's no place i'd rather be than wrapped up in his hugs. I have an incredible father that works harder than anyone i've ever met. He will answer his phone in the middle of any meeting just to answer whatever ridiculous question i have for him. And i absolutely could not survive without my adorable little girl. She is my pride & joy...my entire life. I have been so sick this past week and she has been so good for me. Everytime i coughed or sneezed she'd say, "Bless you Mommy." It just brightened my day to hear those three words. As i watch her run around everyday (while i miss her Daddy like crazy) i see so much of her wonderful father in her...i see his gorgeous eyes when she looks at me, his sweet smile when she laughs, and his love as she hugs me or says a prayer on her food before she eats. She's perfect. She is a literal angel that our Father in Heaven has blessed us with. I could not ask for a more beautiful and loving little girl. I could not ask for a more pure hearted & perfect mother. I could not ask for a more understanding & hard working father. I could not ask for a more loving, hard working, and literally perfect husband, and i certainly could not ask for a sweeter, happier, and more angelic child than my precious Nicci. I could not ask for a happier life. I'm so very blessed and so incredibly thankful for my kind Heavenly Father.

Brandi Goes DRASTIC!

It all started yesterday afternoon. I was at the mall with my best friend Amanda buying a shirt for my little brother when we passed a wig store. I've always wanted to know how i would look with short hair so i tried on a couple wigs and strangly enough...it didn't look so bad. I thought to call Seth and ask him if he minded if i cut all my hair off...but then...that just didn't seem crazy enough. :) Since i was 3 i have had beautiful long hair that i have never ever had short. I've been talking about cutting my hair for a while now, but it's always been talking, never doing...because Brandi Lyn Bullock-Rasmussen has LONG hair...and always has...

until now... (take a deep breath)

-10 inches later-

Unexpected Amazingness & Improvements!

My cousin Aly called me a couple weeks ago and asked me if her and her husband and some friends could stay with us for a couple days on their way back from Disneyland. Now i went through all the emotions of stress, happiness, frustration, and jealousy- i LOVE Disneyland! :) because we had only been in our house for a little under 2 weeks and we hardly had any furniture or anything set up ready for company. A couple days prior to their arrival Seth & i picked out an incredible Love Sac ("The Big One") and it was suppose to arrive a couple days after our guests would come. The next day i was just browsing around RC Willey when i found an AMAZING bedroom set for half price (thank heaven for blowout sales), the perfect couch, and a coffee table with a matching end table. I called Seth & told him about everything i had found and he told me to get it!! He hadn't even SEEN any of it, but he apparently trusted my judgement...and lets FACE it, a $3500 bedroom set for $1400 - and a $1400 couch for $499 doesn't come around everyday. SO, i did it. I got it all! We were very excited, and it ended up coming the day after our company arrived. NOW you might be thinking the "unexpected amazingness" is the great deal we received on our furniture...BUT it's NOT. The unexpected amazingness was the company we received. My cousin Aly & her hubby Ryan were a blast, and the couple they brought with them will forever remain our dear friends! I mean, i had no idea that such special people would be gracing our home! Not only did we hit it off right away and NEVER ran out of anything to talk about, but they helped me out so so much. Seth was working a lot and was not home for our entire load of furniture to be delivered, but the two boys, Jake & Ryan, put smiles on their faces and moved furniture, helped me set up furniture, ran errands with me, and MUCH more. Even after Seth got home they helped us with "Operation Mattress" and "Beating the Sac"! (Pictures and explanations are below :) All in all, our company was a blast and such a great blessing to us. We spent time with four individuals this weekend that made us better people and who we will love and cherish for the rest of our lives.

We love you Aly, Ry, Cassie & Jake!!

Here we are at our incredible dinner at Red Robin! We were the last ones out, we had so much fun. (Ryan your face is priceless) ;)

Ryan & Nicci had a good ol' Lemon eating time at dinner!

The two proud soon-to-be Papa's!! They were so cute with Nicci, they're going to make great fathers!

My beautiful cousin looks so great pregnant! I love her.
This picture is for my wonderful parents. They were in Seattle for a week and i was missing them pretty bad, and when we walked out of Red Robin i smelled Star Jasmine and thought of them. In their backyard they have a ton of Star Jasmine so the smell took me back home. :) I love you Mom & Dad!

~The GIRLS!~
(These two pregnant girls radiate like no other!)and...

the BOYS!!
These three guys are all incredible husbands and fathers. I feel so blessed to know them.

---- OPERATION MATTRESS ----

We needed to get our gigantic King Mattress up the stairs...BUT...one small problem. It didn't fit. So what were we to do??

...

...Look towards the light??!

Nope! So when that didn't work we came up with a grand ol' plan!

Shimmy it up the balcony!! The boys tied rope around the mattress and handed it to Seth. He held it there until Jake & Ryan ran upstairs to help pull it over the railing. They were champs!!

Mission Accomplished!!!

We finally have our King sized mattress!! There's nothing that says love like sleeping 4 blissful feet away from your adorable husband! :) We are very excited.

---- BEATING THE SAC ----

And this is our FAVORITE piece of furniture! Our Love Sac...'The Big One'! The instructions we were given was to "beat our sac" until all the matter inside was broken up...SO WE DID!!
The first time we sat in our very own Love Sac. I love him. :)

---- GIRL/GUY TIME ----

The guys went golfing...
(this picture was taken right after they got back)

The girls got Pedicures!!

This was Nicci's first pedicure!!

Beautiful Beautiful Cassie!
Nicci got to put her feet on my hot towel and we got matching colors as well!

Me & my girl and our matching toes! She's the best thing that ever happened to us. I LOVE her.

---- IMPROVEMENTS ----

We worked on our front yard this weekend! Here's 'muscles' getting ready to pull out tree #1!
Planting new tree #1!!
(We named it our "Love Fern". We are fully aware that it's not a fern, however it's the first thing we've ever planted together, therefore, it's our 'love fern' :)

I didn't get pictures of the second tree getting ripped out but here is the final product!


Here are pictures of all the furniture i picked out all by myself!! Let's see how i did...

The beautiful king bedroom set...

The coffee table (the end table is hidden behind the couch) and the new clock.









We finally have a dining room table & family room furniture!

Here is Nicci's favorite part!!
I'm so very blessed to call these two incredible individuals my family.

"Great is your power for good. Marvelous are your talents and devotion. Tremendous is your faith and your love for the Lord, for His work, and for His sons and daughters. Continue to live the gospel. Magnify it before all of your associates. Your good works will carry more weight than any words you might speak."

"Stand A Little Taller," by President Gordon B. Hinckley