Ever Ever After (Carrie Underwood/Enchanted)

Time for another song. This song is from Enchanted, which is, I think, one of the best/cutest movies to come out within the past year. It's pretty cute. . .and the soundtrack is pretty fun -- including this song, sung by Carrie Underwood, which has a cute music video. Enjoy!

Ever Ever After

Storybook endings, fairy tales coming true
Deep down inside we want to believe they still do
In our secretest heart, it's our favorite part of the story
Let's just admit we all want to make it too

Ever ever after
If we just don't get it our own way
Ever ever after
It may only be a wish away

Start a new fashion wear your heart on your sleeve
Sometimes you reach what's real just by making believe
Unafraid, unashamed
There is joy to be claimed in this world
You even might wind up being glad to be you

Ever ever after
Though the world will tell you it's not smart
Ever ever after
The world can be yours if you let your heart
Believe in ever after

No wonder your heart feels it's flying
Your head feels it's spinning
Each happy ending's a brand new beginning
Let yourself be enchanted, you just might break through

To ever ever after
Forever could even start today
Ever ever after
Maybe it's just one wish away
Your ever ever after
Ever ever ever after

(I've been dreaming of a true love's kiss)

Oh, for ever ever after 

Fall Arrives in North Idaho

(Fall at the bakery)

Fall has arrived in North Idaho in full force. I don't know how long it is going to stick around this year, so I thought I had better take some pictures while it lasted. :-) I took a couple pictures at school a few weeks ago, and then this past week, during a slow period at work, I grabbed my camera, ran outside and flopped down in the grass underneath a tree to take some pictures of the majestic maple trees that surround the bakery.

(The result of lying down in the grass and pointing the camera at the sky)

Yeah, don't I work in a pretty neighborhood? For those who don't know, the bakery I work at is in an old house, so we're right in the middle of a residential neighborhood. :-)

I took this picture when I was at school the other day. The red building is a little red chapel on the campus. The other building is the art/music/communication building (which is where my class is at).

So, there's a taste of fall in North Idaho! :-)

By Your Side (Tenth Avenue North)

I heard this song on the radio a few weeks ago, and I thought it was kind of cool. . .so, here are this week's lyrics.

By Your Side

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

(Chorus 2x)

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go

(Chorus 2x)

Phantom of the Opera!

I went. It was amazing. I would go again in a heartbeat! Yep, that's right, I finally got to see Phantom of the Opera on Saturday evening. It was great fun, let me tell you. We (me, two co-workers, a friend, and a friend-of-a-coworker) met up around 5:30pm on Saturday night and piled into the truck for the drive over to Spokane. I sat in the front seat, trying not to get *too* excited, but not finding much to say other than to comment on the sunset (which was beautiful!).

Once we got to Spokane we stopped at Sonic to get milkshakes and malts -- yummy! We arrived at the INB Performing Arts Center wayyyy before we needed to, but oh well. Once we parked, we finished our milkshakes and decided to walk around. We walked over and looked at the river, and walked over to the falls but they weren't on, so there wasn't anything too exciting to see. :-)
Finally they let us into the theater and told us where to go for our seats. Our seats were not where we thought they were going to be, but it was okay. We could still see pretty well. I was glad I had binoculars, though!

Anyway, after a looooong (or so it seemed!) period of waiting, the time we were all waiting for arrived. The theater went dark and then the actors begain the production. The stage version began, just like the movie, with an auction that then sent us back in time. It was amazing when, with a big flash of light and the loud, haunting strains of the organ, the chandelier was raised to its spot on the ceiling. That song was *amazing* -- of course, the whole show was! :-)

As I hoped, my favorite songs from the movie were just as amazing live. "The Phantom of the Opera" had an *awesome* scene with fog rolling off the stage, "underwater" candles, and lots of awesome special effects. And, of course, "All I Ask of You" was just as amazing and beautiful as I hoped it would be. I love that song. . .and wow! Christine's dress was *gorgeous.*

Actually, all of the costumes were amazing. Very intricate. I could really see a lot of detail with the binoculars! It was spectacular.

The chandelier crash was, well, lame. It kind of floated to the ground and rested in a nice little heap (no crash, no nothing), but it was still cool. It threw me off because I was expecting it later in the show.

The ride home was fairly quiet (at least on my part), too, due to the fact that we were all tired, but mostly because we had all enjoyed the show so much and didn't want to ruin the moment at all. :-) Would I go see Phantom again? Absolutely. Now to find a way to see it on Broadway. . . :-)

(I couldn't take many pictures, and this is one of the best ones I did manage to get)

Overture (Phantom of the Opera)

Here is how it all begins. With the great sound of the organ, the show comes to life. Doesn't it seem dramatic?! There are so many scenes I didn't post (the unmasking of the Phantom and the crash of the great chandelier, the masquerade scene, etc.) but I hope that the few I did post give you a good idea of the amazingness of this production. I'm sure I'll have lots to tell you all after the show!

Enjoy. . .

The Phantom of the Opera (Phantom of the Opera)

Hope you're enjoying all the Phantom of the Opera clips and lyrics. Can you tell why I am so excited to see this live?! This particular song and scene is one of the most amazing scenes in the whole show. Watch how the candles pop out of the ground leading to the Phantom's lair. It's amazing. And the music is not half-bad, either! :-)

The Phantom of the Opera

CHRISTINE
In sleep he sang to me
In dreams he came
That voice that calls to me and speaks my name
And do I dream again for now I find
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my mind

PHANTOM
Sing once again with me
Our strange duet
My power over you grows stronger yet
And though you turn from me to glance behind
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside your mind

CHRISTINE
Those who have seen your face
Draw back in fear
I am the mask you wear

PHANTOM
It's me they hear...


BOTH
Your/My spirit and my/your voice in one combined
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my/your mind

BACKGROUND
He�s there, the phantom of the opera!

CHRISTINE
He�s there, the phantom of the opera

PHANTOM
Sing, my Angel of Music
Sing, my Angel
Sing for me
Sing, my Angel!
Sing for me!

I have brought you
to the seat of sweet music's throne
to this kingdom where all must pay homage to music
music
You have come here,
for one purpose, and one alone
Since the moment I first heard you sing,
I have needed you with me,
to serve me, to sing,
for my music...
my music...

In other news, in 12 hours I should be hearing the haunting strains of the opening overture, which will be posted later
(thank goodness for Blogger giving the option to schedule posting times!)

Music of the Night (Phantom of the Opera)

Time for more Phantom of the Opera lyrics/clips. This is a song that the Phantom sings to Christine when he takes her to his lair under the Opera House for the first time.

The Music of the Night

Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation
Darkness wakes and stirs imagination
Silently the senses abandon their defenses
Helpless to resist the notes I write...
For I compose the music of the night

Slowly, gently, Night unfurls it's Splendor
Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender
Hearing is believing, music is deceiving
Hard as lightening, soft as candlelight.
Dare you trust the music of the night?


Close your Eyes –
For your eyes will only tell the truth
And the truth isn’t what you want to see
In the dark it is easy to pretend
That the truth is what it ought to be.

Softly, deftly, Music shall caress you
Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you
Open up your mind, Let your fantasies unwind
In this Darkness which you know you cannot fight,
The Darkness of the Music of the Night!

Close your eyes -
Start a journey through a strange new world
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before
Close your eyes -
And let music set you free.
Only then can you belong to me

Floating, falling, Sweet Intoxication
Touch me, trust me, savor each Sensation
Let the dream begin, Let your darker side give in
To the Power of the music that I write,
The Power of the Music of the Night!

******

You alone can make my song take flight
Help me make the music of the night.

Because I included a link to David Archuleta's version of "Think of Me" it seems fair that I also include a link to David Cook's version of "Music of the Night." This is, I think, one of the best songs David Cook sang on this season of American Idol. Click here to listen to it.

Think of Me (Phantom of the Opera)

Yep, another song. I've got a few favorites from Phantom of the Opera! :-) This one is "Think of Me" and it is the first time that we hear Christine, one of the main characters, sing. The clip is from the movie.

Think of Me

CHRISTINE:
Think of me, think of me fondly,
when we've said goodbye.
Remember me once in a while -
please promise me you'll try.
When you find that, once again, you long
to take your heart back and be free -
if you ever find a moment,
spare a thought for me

We never said our love was evergreen,
or as unchanging as the sea -
but if you can still remember
stop and think of me . . .

Think of all the things
we've shared and seen -
don't think about the things
which might have been . . .

Think of me, think of me waking,
silent and resigned.
Imagine me, trying too hard
to put you from my mind.
Recall those days
look back on all those times,
think of the things we'll never do -
there will never be a day,
when I won't think of you . . .

RAOUL:
Can it be? Can it be Christine?
Bravo!
Long ago, it seems so long ago
How young and innocent we were...
She may not remember me,
but I remember her...

CHRISTINE
Flowers fades,
The fruits of summer fade,
They have their seasons, so do we
but please promise me, that sometimes
you will think of me!

I also really like the version of this song that was sung by David Archuleta on American Idol in 2008. You can listen to his studio (full) version by clicking here.

All I Ask of You (Phantom of the Opera)

Because I am going to see Phantom of the Opera this weekend, and it has such amazing music, I thought I would share one with you. Actually, you may see more Phantom of the Opera videos and lyrics showing up here in the next day or so. :-) Here is one of my absolute favorite songs from the movie, along with the clip from the movie.

All I Ask of You

RAOUL
No more talk
of darkness,
Forget these
wide-eyed fears.
I'm here,
nothing can harm you -
my words will
warm and calm you.

Let me be
your freedom,
let daylight
dry -your tears.
I'm here,
with you, beside you,
to guard you
and to guide you . . .

CHRISTINE
Say you love me
every
waking moment,
turn my head
with talk of summertime . . .

Say you need me
with you,
now and always . . .
promise me that all
you say is true -
that's all I ask
of you . . .

RAOUL
Let me be
your shelter,
let me
be your light.
You're safe:
No-one will find you
your fears are
far behind you . . .

CHRISTINE
All I want
is freedom,
a world with
no more night . . .
and you
always beside me
to hold me
and to hide me . . .

RAOUL
Then say you'll share with
me one
love, one lifetime . . .
Iet me lead you
from your solitude . . .

Say you need me
with you
here, beside you . . .
anywhere you go,
let me go too -
Christine,
that's all I ask
of you . . .

CHRISTINE
Say you'll share with
me one
love, one lifetime . . .
say the word
and I will follow you . . .

BOTH
Share each day with
me, each
night, each morning . . .

CHRISTINE
Say you love me . . .

RAOUL
You know I do . . .

BOTH
Love me -
that's all I ask
of you . . .

Anywhere you go
let me go too . . .
Love me -
that's all I ask
of you . .

It's Almost Here. . .

The moment I have been waiting about 4 months for is almost here! That's right. . .on this Saturday night I am finally going to see Phantom of the Opera!!!! Yep, it's safe to say that I am pretty excited about the whole thing.

Don't worry. . .I will be sure to post pictures and tell you all about it afterwards!!!!!!

Only about 46.5 hours to go! :-)

My Wish (Rascal Flatts)

I think it would be fun to post song lyrics, oh, maybe once a week. Whenever I do, I will post an accompanying YouTube video so you can listen to the song, too. Enjoy. . .and who knows. . .maybe you'll find a new favorite song!



I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
And each road leads you where you wanna go,
And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile.
But more than anything, more than anything...

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this is my wish.

I hope you never look back, but you never forget,
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
And you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
And always give more than you take.
But more than anything, yeah, more than anything...

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish. Yeah, yeah.

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

Feeling Good (Michael Buble)

I thought it would be fun to, every now and then, post songs and lyrics. I found a Michael Buble CD at the library they other day, and I'm really liking this song. Enjoy! :-)



Birds flying high
You know how I feel
Sun in the sky
You know how I feel
Reeds driftin' on by
You know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good

Fish in the sea
You know how I feel
River running free
You know how I feel
Blossom in the tree
You know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good

Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don't you know
Butterflies all havin' fun you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when the day is done, that's what I mean
And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me
Fooor me

Stars when you shine
You know how I feel
Scent of the pine
You know how I feel
Yeah freedom is mine
And I know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life

It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
It's a new life
For me

And I'm feeling good

A Grand Adventure. . .

[WARNING: Picture-heavy post! Be prepared to see the whole experience!]

It all began early on a September morning. Doug, Kaye, Elizabeth, Katie and Laura climbed into a rental van, homework in tow, and began the over-2-hour drive to Lewiston, Idaho. The five of them were going as representatives of the Coeur d'Alene branch of the Associated Students of Lewis-Clark State College, and they were heading to the Lewiston Campus to meet the council down there, and to tour the main campus.

The drive itself was nothing special, but it was fun. Laura had never been farther south on dear old Highway-95 past Cougar Gulch, so there were lots of new sites to behold.

On the way to Lewiston, Doug pointed out a little white church on the hill, which he had seen before. The passengers all agreed it could be fun to see the little white church on the hill, so a stop was made. The little church also had a cemetary next to it with graves from many years gone by. Many of them were from the 1800's!

After stretching their legs for awhile, the excited travelers boarded the van once again and continued on their journey. Their next stop was in Moscow, Idaho, home of the University of Idaho. It was just a quick rest stop, but now Laura can say she has been to Moscow. In Moscow, Elizabeth bought some twizzlers at the gas station. This made Laura (and everyone else) happy.
Laura and her new friend Katie were having quite the time on this trip. They spent pretty much the entire drive to Lewiston sitting in the backseat talking and getting to know each other better. They also enjoyed walking around campus taking in all the sights once the destination was reached. (that's them below. . .well, their shadows!) The campus was amazing. It was much different than the strip-mall classrooms that the CdA students were used to. Laura, especially, was quite enthralled with the brick buildings. And Doug was especially taken with the number of vending machines, considering the CdA students do not have any at their disposal, and the Lewiston students have at least one on every floor of every building. Katie enjoyed seeing the tennis courts, and Kaye and Elizabeth enjoyed pretty much everything!
Brock, the student government president in Lewiston, was gracious enough to take a picture of the group. From left-to-right that's Laura, Katie, Doug, Elizabeth and Kaye.
Everybody had their picture taken by the Lewis-Clark State College sign. Maybe it will look good hanging with their diplomas someday.Here's the whole group, with the exception of Doug, who wanted to take the picture, not be in it! It was Kaye's birthday, so on the way home the travelers decided to stop for dinner at the (cheap) buffet at the Coeur d'Alene Casino. The food was delicious, and they all enjoyed the endless options for food. . .especially dessert!
The group had a grand time on their all-day trip to Lewiston. Katie and Laura think it would be fun to go again, to a basketball game or something. Who knows, maybe they will be able to make another trip sometime. . .regardless, it was new territory for some, a great bonding experience for the whole group, and while little homework got accomplished that day, a good time was had by all!