I grew up watching and loving the original Annie musical. I also loved seeing it when local schools or theaters would perform it. Obviously, none of the remakes can compare to the original, but when I saw the preview for the new one I was so excited!

Turns out, my friend also is obsessed with this musical so we saw it on opening night! The theater didn’t have many people, except for more girls who were our age reliving their childhood haha!

My thoughts on the movie? I loved it. I mean, it was cheesy and there were dumb parts for sure. But overall, the music was really enjoyable! And the new Annie was ADORABLE! I love her so much. Probably more than the original because she’s not as obnoxious. Her voice was so sweet and seeing her a modern kid in NYC really tugged at my heart strings. Jamie Foxx was also a huge surprise. I really liked his voice, who would have known? And my favorite part? The end when they’re singing together just about a mile down the road from where I live! That was pretty awesome to see them out at Liberty State Park and on the river path I walk on! So, if you grew up loving the musical… go see it! It’s not better than the original, but it’s still a fun movie that brought me to tears a couple times and made me want to stand up and dance and sing!

Hope you enjoy these wonderful Christmas videos on this Black Friday! Let Christmas Season officially begin (even though I’ve had my decorations up for weeks)!

On Tuesday night, a friend of mine from church posted online that she had an extra ticket to see Once on Broadway the next day… and it was free! I found a babysitter and snagged the ticket! Eleanor and I met up at the theater on Wednesday afternoon and were seated on the SECOND row! Some people say sitting that close isn’t good, but I think those people are out of their minds. I could literally reach up and touch the singers if I wanted. At one point I thought one of the singers was singing FOR ME! Haha… I am officially crazy.

Anyway, it was really enjoyable. It was a different show than any I’ve ever seen on Broadway. A small cast, one set, and a simple plot. If you aren’t much of a fan of Irish folk music, I don’t know if this is the show for you. But personally, I loved the music and LOVED all the stringed instruments. It was so neat that all of the characters in the show were also the ones accompanying them while they were singing, instead of having an orchestra in the pit. They were dancing around while playing… it was really impressive!

I think the show is in Cincinnati right now and is coming to Utah in the Spring. So, for my friends back at my other two homes, you might want to check it out! Full disclosure: they do swear quite often. It’s horrible, but I’m kind of used to it now that we live out here and everyone cusses on the street, in the mall, everywhere, even church sometimes 😉 . So it didn’t phase me too much, plus their Irish accents kind of hide it. But just in case you’re interested in the show, I thought you might appreciate a heads-up.

Set in modern day Dublin, ONCE is the story of a Guy who gave up on his music—and his love—and the Girl who inspired him to dream again. This exhilarating musical is performed by an extraordinary cast of actor-musicians who sing, dance and play their hearts out on stage. Directed and choreographed by the brilliant team of Tony Award winner John Tiffany and Steven Hoggett (The Glass Menagerie), this theatrically breathtaking production will dazzle you with its originality, wit and unforgettable music.

Featuring all of the magical songs from the critically-acclaimed film, including the Oscar-winning “Falling Slowly,” this achingly beautiful, joyously uplifting show strikes a chord in audiences and speaks to the power of music to connect us all. A show like that only comes around ONCE.

Official Broadway Site

Tonight we have tickets to a screening of Meet the Mormons in the city! We are very excited to see the film (and have a double date night). I saw online that David Archuleta has a new song out that will be in the movie. I love David so much so I had to share the song with you. Listen and share, and even download the song here! I just wish that they released a music video instead of just the track… maybe that’s coming?

Warning, this post might make me sound like I’m in high school.

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Last March, I was visiting my parents in Kentucky and driving on a long windy road home from my mom’s school. I was by myself, which as a mom, rarely happens. So, I turned up my music really loud. The song Carry On, by Fun came on my shuffle and boy, did it hit a chord with me. (I know, it’s a really popular song and so please feel free to skip this post because it’s nothing you’ve never heard before.)

Last March, well… really, last Winter and Spring was difficult for me. I have never been through so much struggle and stress in my life. T.J. was never home because he was crazy busy at school and I was left to myself to worry about our future. So, when that song Carry On came on, I lost it. The words seriously spoke to me (I told you, this makes me sound like I’m 15 years old). But I bet everyone has a song that has spoken to them at one time or another.

If you’re lost and alone
Or you’re sinking like a stone.
Carry on.
May your past be the sound
Of your feet upon the ground.
Carry on.

Carry on, carry on

I vividly remember that drive. That song made me think things would be okay. I wasn’t sure of where we were going but we would get there and we would be okay.

Well, flash forward to now… Almost a year later. I was at the gym, looking over Jersey City. Music blasting through my head phones. Carry On came on my shuffle again. Guys, I started crying! There was only one other person in the gym, so fortunately I didn’t look like a crazy person. But I just couldn’t get that memory out of my head from last year. And now. Here we are. Everything worked out. We are where we are supposed to be.

‘Cause here we are
We are shining stars
We are invincible
We are who we are
On our darkest day
When we’re miles away
Sun will come
We will find our way home

 

Isn’t it weird how a certain smell can make us remember something so vividly from years before? There’s this one Bath & Body Works lotion that, whenever I smell it, makes me think of the first time I was in Utah as a little kid (probably about 7 years old). We had been up in the canyon and playing in the river with some other families. I smelled like the water at the end of that day and so I put on this new lotion I had gotten in Salt Lake (it had sparkles in it) to try and mask the smell. That strawberry lotion will forever make me remember that summer day.

T.J. wore oldspice deoderant occasionally when we were dating and I finally had to tell him he couldn’t wear it again because an old boyfriend of mine wore that same scent and it immediately brought back all those memories. It’s just amazing to me though that such a small thing can trigger such a powerful memory.

And it’s not just smells. Sometimes I’ll hear a certain song and it brings me back instantly to a certain time in my life. Here are some examples, I’ll spare you all the details:

I could seriously go on and on. It’s ridiculous and really awesome how our brain connects those songs to certain memories when we listened to the songs long ago. Is any of this even making sense or am I just rambling?

The reason I  wrote this post is because tonight, T.J. went to see Catching Fire and so Eva and I had a little girls night. I turned on my ‘N Sync Christmas album and we sang and danced to all of the songs. It was perfect. And then I vividly remembered when I got the CD on Christmas Day (probably in 5th grade) and as soon as I opened it up, I put it in my boombox, and started making up a dance to this song:

I can see it in my head so perfectly. I was in my brother’s room by the bunk bed doing lots of awesome moves. And then it hit me tonight… WHERE DID TIME GO!?! I was JUST making up corny dances to ‘N Sync songs back in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, as a 9 year old and now I’m dancing in my apartment in Jersey City with my toddler. Crazy. So crazy.

The moral of the story is… 15 years later and all of those songs on that album are just as great today as the day they came out and they will forever remind me of my childhood!

Bonus for sticking around to read this post:

On Friday, December 21, my family and I saw Amahl and the Night Visitors on Xavier’s campus in Cincinnati. For those of you not familiar with this opera, it is about the three kings who stop by a poor woman’s home on their journey. The opera is about the interaction between the kings and the woman’s son-Amahl. We grew up listening to the music and seeing the opera every couple Christmases, but it had been quite some time since I saw it live. If you ever have the chance to see this opera, you should definitely go! The particular version we saw this year used huge puppets as the kings with the opera singers back with the orchestra. From a creativity point, it was very clever and the puppets were beautiful but I really missed seeing the expressions of the singers.

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Unfortunately, as the night progressed, my flu was really starting to kick in. So, we hurried home after the show and I went to bed at 9!

 

I spent most Sundays in August driving and walking through the Provo Canyon.
I can’t get enough of those beautiful mountains!

Turn on the Gabe Dixon Band while you drive through the canyon. Bliss.

Dear Justin,

I’ve got to tell you something. This is hard for me to say but I have to say it and I have to say it now.

It’s getting harder and harder to be a Belieber. You know I’ve been a fan since the first day I heard you on the radio and I told my friends your name was “Jason Bieber.” I thought you had a cute little voice and you took me back to the days of boy-band voices and High School Musical cheesiness.

But here’s the thing. Your latest CD. I’m hoping the songs will eventually grow on me… but how can they? I can barely even make into a minute of most of them! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t need any awesome lyrics. You had me at “Baby!” But the song Maria literally made me LOL and immediately skip to the next track. I can’t take it and I am just so disappointed we waited so long for that!

Oh, and there’s one more thing. Pull up your pants and take out the earrings. You’re not Usher and it is not 2001.

I love you, but this is my ultimatum. Shape up or ship out!

xoxo,

One less lonely girl

 

A couple months back, I came across the music video by a comedian named Miranda Sings. Her real name is Colleen Ballinger and she is a classically trained singer. But her character Miranda is a narcissistic and quirky girl who makes videos of herself. I instantly fell in love because she is so funny.

She came to Salt Lake last Thursday and I went to her show with some old coworkers. I honestly don’t think I have ever laughed so hard in my life. If you ever have the chance to see her show, do it!