home for the holidays

My beautiful, wonderful, perfect, exceptional, family greeted me at the airport on Tuesday December 22. My flight was delayed 1 hour which was perfect because my family took a slight, unexpected detour on the way to pick me up! My flight from Newark to SLC was exciting, we had 2 celebrities on board! Gossip Girls own Serena (Blake Lively) and Dan (Penn Badgley). They even picked up their luggage in SLC so for some time last week they were in Utah. Skiing maybe?

Home brought laughter, fun, and love. We played some of our favorite games, Ticket to Ride (USA and Europe), Canasta, and Mad Gab) and we watched great movies (Forever Strong, The Proposal, and Star Trek)

We also ate our favorite foods. Clam Chowder, Crab Legs, Prime Rib, Bread Pudding, homemade caramels, caramel and chocolate covered pretzels, sugar cookies, and date pudding!

Christmas was delightful as always, it was the first time in 2 years that we have all been together! That was the best part, having Seth back.

I also enjoyed a spa day with Talyn, we steamed our face and relaxed with a Sonic Cranberry Limeade. I also did get the champ I was craving!

So far my break has been AMAZING! and I am so glad that I am here for so long (January 30) so I can relax, have time to see all my friends, and spend time with my family!

Taylor Swift Project

FINALS week....

I can explain.....

The week of sleepless nights.

Monday: FHE ice skating at Bryant Park! We even had a really good turn out so that was awesome! It was so much fun only  my feet were sore the next day, the skates were not that comfortable that's for sure! BUT I did an arabesque on the ice! Thank you! and Katie is practically pro and did a cross over! After we went to Rockefeller to look at the tree then went out to eat (me,, Katie, Richard, Kelly, and April) PS do not eat at applebee's, 2 meals was $60!!! Ridiculous! The night was fun but lasted too long, (more pictures to come of me and Katie's tourist adventures) I started working at 1 am on my project that is due Friday. I rendered until 6:30 am then decided it was bedtime.

Tuesday: I worked all day on photoshop and I finished up the sewing on my coat. I entered my bed at 7 am...
Wednesday: During the day I had a ton of errands I needed to run for school and before coming home so I did those. I went with Katie to buy fabric at Mood for skirts I am making for us over break, then we went Christmas present shopping at J.Crew. Then I stayed up again finishing up my photoshop. I only lasted until about 4 am before I couldn't stay up anymore, luckily that was the time that I completed everything that was due.
Thursday: DAY: already wrote about, see post below...(me and my coat, and Prof. Simonton (my favorite ever!!!)

Thursday NIGHT: Went to bed at midnight, planned to wake up at 7 (trying to get rid of my dark circles under my eyes). Finally a full night's rest..........

haha WRONG! I was sleeping, happily when all the sudden my body decides it is time to wake up. Not just wake up for a bit and fall back asleep... no, it wanted me WIDE awake for some crazy reason (I thought lack of sleep meant body wanted to sleep, because my mind sure did... BUT apparently it was used to getting only 2 or so hours a night so the 4 threw it off, cause yes, it was 4 am (not 7) when I woke up.

My roomie Hannah was up still (hadn't fallen asleep yet) so we partied it up all night. We LOVE working all night, it's so fun! haha I did finish my Taylor Swift project which was very good because now I don't have to stress about getting it done between classes tomorrow.

Basically I am STARVING, lack of sleep, too much sugar/caffine, not enough meals tends to do that to a person so naturally I look in my fridge......yep, very promising. Pasta sauce (no pasta), pumpkin butter and jam (no bread), chili sauce (no eggs), chili (I've had 8 bowls already in the past couple weeks), and some bad grapes.... yummy. Basically no luck, I found some applesauce but couldn't eat any cause all of my spoons were dirty......... NO LUCK.

The time kept passing and soon it was light, my alarm went off at 7am, to remind me of the sleep I meant to have.
 Friday: My dress was officially due in my other draping class, we had to have it finished last week but today is when it was graded and looked at by the board. (pictures posted in a previous post). My drawing design Taylor Swift project was due in the afternoon, P.S my new nickname is Taylor haha because my hair looks like hers and she is pretty much my role model!
I will post the project in another post, this is getting too long, too many pictures... because...

Friday NIGHT: I went to Serendipity with Katie and Emily. YUMMY. once again, hands down the best thing on earth!!!! It is what my heaven will contain. MMMmmmm! Then we RAN (literally) to j.crew, RAN me and Katie, uptown... shoot I mean downtown... and over to the subway, now being 8:40 RUNNING to get to Rockefeller Center before it closes at 9:00. AND WE MADE IT, YAY. GO sales at J.crew, GO Katherine (our dear friend and j.crew worker), and GO us! We worked off our sundae..... haha, well maybe an 1/8th of it. We were then suppose to go to look at an apartment that we may want to move in to come summer/fall, but.... that fell through, it is on Waverly Place.

Saturday: I was in the workroom starting and finishing my final last project, Pattern Making, yes it is Saturday and I am barely now having time to do my project. I worked from 11am until 1am. Ah LONG day, but it is done! finally I am done.

Monday: FINALS OVER< DONE

Today.  3 finals due. 5 down 2 to go. going on 8 hours of sleep this week, 3 energy shots, 4 projects worked on, 1 due tomorrow (almost complete) and 1 due monday (haven't started, haven't had TIME to start). HOME IN 5 DAYS! then sleep.......FOREVER!!! and EVER!!!

my jacket, and illustrator/photoshop assignment (the 3rd project is not post worthy, just a simple ugly blouse for sewing)

oh how i live for sundays...singing, button 6 and dessert

I sang in the choir today..... ya, me...singing..choir, my hidden talent?..haha nope, I got cookies last week and muffins today though which made it well worth it thanks to our lovely choir director Hillary!

Basically all I want to say is that this is my proof that I know Richard Sharrah, so when he is famous and forgets about me I can prove to everyone that we were great friends once upon a time in NYC. Because he will be big one day and I know it (big and famous as in he is a legit actor)! He sang a solo in church today to the most beautiful song ever and honestly, no lie, it was the most amazing thing I have ever heard, ever, and I have heard some amazing songs. I would even post a picture of me and him as more proof  but we don't really have any...... so words have to be enough for now! hahaha GP pays off....

I should have done more homework today... I planned to... but... it didn't quite work out like that. It was Relief Society dessert night, and of course me and Katie can't say no to that... so..more baked goods for ME! pumpkin pie, lemon pound cake, hot chocolate, cookies.... mmm...

SO..... elevators are very selective here in the city.. who knew? Apparently we didn't haha...floor 15 looks good though, right? I mean, we have to press a floor number..... yep that or 24 what's it going to be... crap the other people are going to 16..... shoot... 15 it is! hahahahahahahahahahaha ha actually we need floor 6....? huh? no button for 6? but that is the floor we need... 602.... hmmm... hahaha... how do we get there. 15 held no answers so down we went... back to 1, trying very hard to contain our laughter so the other guy in the elevator (that was deserted except for when we needed it to be) didn't think we were completely insane... we tried a new hallway, shouldn't there be signs somewhere....... nope, there isn't but... a different set of elevators?????..what!!! with floors 1-15! FINALLY destination found! button 6. honestly 2 sets of elevators for the lower and upper sections?... really???? yes.

Since I don't have home teachers.. or they don't talk to me... whichever it is, I stayed with Katie while hers visited her! I was fed spaghetti to calm my hunger... too much spaghetti.. and more cookies, 3 kinds of cookies.... me and baked goods, really got to get better at fighting that urge.. BUT we had a good time! oh Katie, the joys of our forced friendship..... I can't wait to go home and be rid of you... oh wait, you'll be there too.... but we won't be forced to spend  unnecessary time together, like getting lost downtown, cause Utah is on a grid system... SO that will shave some time off of the hours we must spend together. Just cause we are both from Utah and go to FIT doesn't mean we are going to click and be best friends, I mean honestly... haha oh ward christmas parties, relief society, missionaries, subway, revolving door sharing, eating, and facebooking times we've shared together.... and eventually marriage between others that will bound us together eternally... haha kind of?... maybe????? hahahahaha oh wow NYC wouldn't be the same without you.

And since I am on a roll with praising my friends I will move onto the fact the my bestie Talyn is living in my house now, in my room, with my family.... and I love it. I call my mom, sy answers and talks to her for me, then I call my mom again, bain (yes, I never really even got to talk to my mom....) answers and is making my favorite christmas cookies with my mommy and Talyn gets to join in the celebration.... I love that I can call Talyn and my dad comes in to..our...room and tells her someone is at the door for her! haha my second sister... By the way bainy... so excited about our music videos, Sy I am excited to see your face, Seth I am excited to talk....in person and actually remember what you look like, who are you?, and mom I am excited for a hug, and dad I am excited to make you ice cream and berries and eat it with you! and Talyn (since you are part of the family now) I am excited to GET SONIC!!!!!

Taylor Swift SNL

My idol! haha I love Taylor Swift, you have to watch this!!! So funny. What is even greater is that I am doing my drawing project on her and her line at the beginning about dresses is so true! Love it!!! I am slightly depressed though, she is here, singing on  34th street, 7 streets uptown........but I am stuck here at school.............wish I was there so bad!
http://www.hulu.com/watch/107502/saturday-night-live-taylor-swift-monologue

a day in the life of a designer

I woke up to this text from my bestie Talyn "..I happen to know for a FACT that your THursday is going to be chalk full of blog material!" So here it goes.........
7:00 am. morning time. read, write, clean, eat, etc...
8:45 present time. Day 10... pretty earrings, and m&ms
9:00 class time. I am Professor Simonton worthy. I finished my final drape for the coat I am making in one of my draping classes, George Simonton (look him up in saks) approved of my design, now I am off to make the pattern and then sew the final garment in muslin. If it turns out good then I will make it in real fabric over the break. no sneak preview of this baby, it is a complete surprise! I am very ahead in this class and feel really good about my final project. It is my favorite, he is my favorite, I am going to miss him terribly!
1:00 lunch time. Leftover chili from FHE, chit chat with mommy, received notice of a package!!!
2:00 class time. Sewing class. working on a horribly ugly blouse. Love sewing when it is my design, my idea, my creation... not so much when it is forced, ugly, and boring. BUT good news. along with the final blouse we have a final sewing exam and....... SHE CANCELED IT! since we are the 1 years, we have a huge work load and she felt sorry for our poor tired souls! She is an ANGEL!
5:00 nap time. power nap because I could literally not keep my eyes open during sewing, I am surprised I didn't sew my finger off! I literally had to re-sew my sleeve into the armhole one too  many times cause I wasn't functioning properly haha
6:30 class time. Photoshop/Illustrator class. way behind, lack computer skills.......
7:30...(left early) food time. Good ole' subway, nutrients to burst my brain activity and give me some energy. ALSO my second caffeinated beverage of the semester.............(you'll see why it was needed). practically got blown over on the walkway cause the wind here was SO CRAZY. literally couldn't walk straight, if i was 20 lbs. lighter I would have been a goner.......
8:00 tay time! my package was from Debbie (Elder Wilkins) mom. He had sent home videos of him on his mission and she sent them to me. So I got to see my BEST FRIEND for a few minutes, one video I would like to share... hopefully he doesn't mind..

This is what happens when you mix...

 Actually... maybe I can't upload videos as easily as I thought... but pretty much the missionaries did a dance for a church party and it was pretty legit! I'll try to work it out so I can post it. Pretty much made my day.

8:30 work time... Finishing up my final dress for my other draping class.... detail work and hem... doesn't sound like a lot......... well it was haha and it was an adventure. China silk is BEAUTIFUL, one of my favorite fabrics but it SUCKS to hem!!!!!!!! and for the record Silk Dupioni is a LIFE SAVER!!! love it!
11:15 problem/freak out time... as I was taking my dress off the form, the zipper got caught in the lining......... Result..BIG HOLE IN LINING. UNfixable.
11:55 hem time... blind hem by hand..... the devil! BUT i did find out I am really pretty fast at it! So that was good news.
12:53 pause time... exciting text from Talyn!
1:45 am slight party time... FINISHED HEM!
2:00 school classroom closes, room time... sewed (by hand) all my detail work, closures, touch ups etc. while watching a movie that my friend from my block lent me. Hand work and silence cause insanity so it was Christmas music until my ipod died, then movie time.
4:00 am REAL party time, sleep time. SIX hours of hand sewing later.... my dress is complete and I am TIRED. set alarm for 7:00 to finish up some final details...
8:30 am...... missed alarm time.........oops...... no shower for bree this morning
9:00 press time. finalize garment, fit on form.

10:00 present to teacher time. NERVOUS. She will make you redo anything she doesn't approve of. really don't want to redo ANYTHING......... my turn. She looks at my garment and says "whoa, the reality of your garment is much better than your sketch!" She admired, checked my lining (I only flipped open the side that wasn't trashed by the zipper) and was sad to see me go without needing her approval again because SHE LIKED IT! I only have to put in my hook and eye (I only had silver with me and I need black)

10:10 relax time... until meetings/class at 1:00

...more christmas!

MY FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE!

and my countdown until Christmas! My sweet, loving, creative, amazing, thoughtful mommy sent me this! Thank you for loving me and for making my little home here feel more like HOME. I LOVE YOU!!!! even with the chocolate powder spills! (notice the pile in the empty hole... haha)

CHRISTmas

ah christmas season, there is nothing better. Between all my sewing this week (by the way I finished machine sewing everything for my final dress project, I just have hand sewing left, and it's not due until FRIDAY, I feel so on top of things) I enjoyed some wonderful christmas experiences!

Yesterday... SNOW!!!! BIG HUGE WET snowflakes, it was the most BEAUTIFUL thing EVER! I was just sewing, it is like 4 in the afternoon, I look up, the sky is darker and there are huge white flakes falling and it was just perfect. BY the way i swear it was just christmas... honestly if feels like yesterday that I was sewing my special sweats for my dear friends (sorry all, no presents from me this year, but if you would like to donate to my fabric fund that would be great!! haha I am so just kidding, I need nothing but prayers and love). I also just found the picture of my last Christmas, my dear friends Brandon (Santa) and Joey (elf) surprised me at my doorstep, Joey did jump out of Santa's bag of course with presents for me! haha I love them. and yes, onesies are a must for Christmas!

I went to a stake Christmas song program last night with spiritual and secular Christmas songs which completely got me in the mood for Christmas! It was great, I love good Christmas songs!!! That is all my ipod is set on these days, LOVE IT! oh it makes me want home "I'll be home for Christmas!" and not only in my dreams!!! Christmas at home..... the smells, the candles in the window (which I hope you did again this year mommy), the red and white lights, the Santa tree, the winter tree with candy canes, the barbie tree, the sports tree, all the decorations, the Santa mantle, the nativities, the food, the cookies, the games, the stockings, the mistletoe.... haha i have actually never even had a mistletoe to stand under........ maybe this year?... probably not. anyways.....

Sledding, snow angels, snowmen, snowball fights.... in central park, hopefully if the snow sticks... if not, UTAH BABY! then hot chocolate (my all time FAVORITE drink) and hot tub/sauna... I love winter! COOKIES that is another great part about Christmas, I had free cookies for dinner yesterday and lunch today, healthy I know.... oh well I never pass up free food, i could have just had 1 yes.... but instead I had 3... each day... oh Christmas! by the way mom, I am so excited for the sugar rolled in sugar cookies pressed as Christmas trees, and Santa! AND home made caramel, I started the tradition last year and it is continuing.... so YUMMY!!!!!!!! don't worry, I am also working out EVERYDAY that I am home, so it's all good!

Today I walked out of my dorm and it just felt like Christmas. It was FREEZING!!!!! I am bundled up, with my Christmas music (breath of heaven) on my ipod, off to the Christmas devotional, which by the way was INCREDIBLE. I love our 1st presidency, they are so great. President Monson is just so sweet, they all are! If you didn't get a chance to hear his story tonight on the broadcast I would recommend finding it cause it was a PERFECT Christmas story, one of those that makes you cry and hope that you will one day be that good.

President Uchtdorf: One sees clearly ONLY with the heart. Notice the plain and simple beauties RIGHT in front of your eyes, the Savior! It is so easy to be distracted with the shiny and bright beauties of the season but remember that Christ is the reason for the season, that He is worthy of being noticed. Recognize Him, see Him in your life EVERYDAY. He is really literally here for us, DAILY! Don't get caught up in the details of running your life, don't only pay lip service to Christ and let your hearts be far from Him. Don't miss the transforming qualities of the spirit, of the season. Reflect on Christ's life, He was sent to us at this season, reflect on our blessings. UN-CLUTTER our lives a little bit, and find Christ.

President Eyring: Christ chose to be our Savior, and we knew it, we knew we would need Him to redeem us, to help us return to our loving Heavenly Father. He came here for all of us, He is the message of LOVE. Christ was born to save us, REJOICE! Wonderful, Counselor, All Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. In Christ comes EVERY GOOD THING. ALL good things come directly from Christ. Forget ourselves and lighten the load of others, feel His love, His approval, feel His thanks. Choose to take His hand. He loves us perfectly.

President Monson: Find the REAL joy in the season, show the love and compassion inspired by the Lord. Focus on others, enjoy the season, let goodness prevail in our hearts. Spend time bringing the true spirit of Christmas in the lives of others. What Spirit do we feel this season? The SPirit of CHRIST, CHRISTmas. Walk in His footsteps, celebrate His life, He lives, and continues to be the light of the world!

So pretty much it was a perfect weekend. My Christmas season will be complete when I have my perfect snow day, when I am home, and when I go ICE SKATING AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER and SEE THE CHRISTMAS TREE next week for FHE!

now I am listening to Christmas music, as always... a few favorites...

all i want for christmas is you
breath of heaven
christmas shoes
the first noel
i'll be home for christmas
let it snow
mary, did you know
o come all ye faithful
o holy night
pine cones and holly berries
the prayer
where are you christmas?
white christmas

... on my bed, in my sweats, eating popcorn and drinking hot chocolate....practically perfect, it would only be better if i was by a fire, while either reading a good book/playing games/ or watching elf in the arms of a loved one...... haha I can dream right?!....it can't always be completely perfect. PRACTICALLY perfect is good enough for me!





Now... off to work again!
MERRY early CHRISTMAS
P.S I want to give a shot out to 'Stephen's' brand of hot chocolate and cider, you are my salvation and love, and to my mom who lovingly sent me my favorite flavors