Dreams Do Come True In Disneyland

I, being one of the luckiest ladies this side of the border, had the incredible opportunity to spend a whole week with my best friend on a senior road trip.


FUN, HUH!?


Ya. It was. And that's why I haven't posted for a week!


But this one is a good one.


The last three days of our adventure we went to The Happiest Place On Earth. The most beautiful, the most peaceful place, I've ever been. The place where dreams come true. And time never ends.


The D-Land.

(sung) AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!


Now, like your average tourist, I enjoyed the rides, Indiana Jones, Big Thunder (The wildest ride in the WILderness!), Space Mountain, The Tower of Terror, Splash Mountain (my favorite), and the many less thrilling but wonderfully themed attractions. 
 
Unlike your average tourist, I was kind of/sort of obsessed with all the musicians at the park... Ha.
 
Have you ever seen the Dapper Dans?!?!
AMAZING.
 
Or the Royal Street Bachelors? That's the incredible Disneyland Jazz Band! WOO!
 
Or what about the Pirate ensemble? 
 
Or the Hillibilly band?
 
Or the Ragtime pianist on Main Street?!
 
I bet you didn't even know about half of those. But I did. I admired them almost to the point of creepiness actually. But, Hey! It paid off.
 
My dreams came true on that trip. 
 It all started when I was on the train about to go to the Primevil World when a soft and delicious sound reached my ears. It was the sound of Duke Ellington's "Don't Get Around Much Anymore". I spotted the Jazz Band on New Orleans Square--The Royal Street Bachelors--ditched Hannah, jumped off the train and pulled up a chair right in front of them and sang along to that beautiful and inspiring tune. 

Now, I'm not really sure if I bring it all on myself with my unnatural enthusiasm, or maybe musicians just like me! But the sax man invited me up to pretend to sing on stage while he took my picture. The pianist awarded me with a necklace. They played "Only A Paper Moon" on my request. And I even got a picture with the whole band afterward! WOO! It's my dream to sing with the Disneyland Jazz Band. MY DREAM.

Only moments later, I was walking by myself down New Orleans Square (I had ditched Hannah for the musicians) and I came across another entertainment crew! 


Singing Sensational Pirates! Ha....

See this young man here playing the guitar?

Ya. He liked me. I was swaying along to one of the musical tunes and he walked up to me, leaned forward and whispered "You are swayed pretty easily aren't you?" And with a smile he continued singing and strumming as I laughed and he almost winked. Almost. The next song was dedicated to me. A Pirates Lament about women. Or something like that...






Ah. What a dream...


Or should I say, Aye! What a dream! (Ya, ya....that was pretty bad)






Hannah and I also came across some Hillbilly band in California Adventure. I'm not sure if it was my inviting smile or my overalls; but the old man invited Hannah and I to play the washboards and sing It's A Small World! Good times.

I dunno why he gave me the tiny washboard...






We also came across the incredible Dapper Dans Quartet! Love them.

And then there was Jonny. Oh, Jonny. One morning as we walked through Main Street toward Adventure land, the beautiful sound of Ragtime piano played in my ears. 

I looked up and that handsome man was playing and singing to Cruella Deville. I stopped to listen obviously. And again with my unnatural enthusiasm or inviting smile, he looked up at me and yelled "I'm not singing this song about you, young lady!". He finished the singing the song then asked me if I had any requests. I was speechless and in awe of his incredible piano talent I couldn't come up with a song. So he said he would choose one and started playing Michael Buble's "Everything". I sang along... You know that part that just keeps saying "Love love love love love love love?" Mmmmhhmmm. 


I walked away, he finished playing and winked at me.


Oh ya.


I came back to see if he was playing later on that day and someone else was playing and they had me come up and play! JAZZ! And sing! On the piano!

This girl started dancing and sticking her tongue out at me. We had fun together.

Anyway. My heart basically stopped/melted/turned into a butterfly/exploded everytime one of these experiences were experienced. Call me crazy, but the music is one of my favorite things about Disneyland. I love the entertainment. It's all old school and themed too! 


Maybe someday, Jonny or that crazy pirate will call me up and have me come live in Disneyland with them and I can go sing with The Royal Street Bachelors, play piano on Main Street, befriend the Dapper Dans, feed birds, dance with kids to Disney music, and become a legend.


This man is a Disney legend.

   
Chef Martinez. He is the oldest employee at Disneyland. Also the friendliest. Everyone at the Carnation Cafe was loved and enjoyed by Chef Martinez. It was truly inspiring. 


Disneyland pretty much is inspiring. 


And obviously, a place where dreams come true.


I hope I go back soon.


Till then, 


I'll keep on dreaming. 

You And I

Let's get rich...

..and buy our parents' home in the South of France...

Let's get rich...

..and give everybody nice sweaters and teach them how to dance...

Let's get rich...

...and build our house on a mountain making everybody look like ants...

From way up there: You and I

You and I

Today.

An opportunity came.



If you are confused, scroll down....a little more.....a little more. See that post? Jammin' Toast? Well, I talk about how I am bad at grasping opportunities. And also how I WAS GOING TO GRASP OPPORTUNITIES.

Now listen to my day.

Stake conference: exceptional. Come home: nap. Then I prepare for my potential BYU-I roommate to come over and meet her for the first time. I whip up some pancakes, bake some cookies, and clean the kitchen. Her family comes over and Hannah too because all three of us are rooming, and we enjoy a wonderful typical Sunday meal at the Framptons' (except the pancakes were green this week for Saint Patrick's Day).

I really liked my potential roommate. She was pleasant and kind. I discovered she is incredibly talented as well. She played a ten minute 3rd movement of Opus 54 (or something like that) on the piano! Showing up my jazzy version of Jingle Bells by a long shot. Her dad sits down at the piano and asks what my favorite jazz song is. Hannah pipes up and tells him for me "It Was Only A Paper Moon". OK, Maybe not my FAVORITE. But, one of them. He starts playing it. No sheet music. Just the most beautiful jazz piano ever. My heart melted (it always does a bit when I listen to jazzy love songs). So I start to sing with him. We jam together. Singin' and playin' Paper Moon while our families enjoy. Awesome experience.

I'm shown up once again finding out my potential roommate is a wedding singer and she sings some song in this gorgeous rustic voice of hers. But I enjoyed it. I show her my room and the three of us make a nice cake. Then they head home. Hugs later, they are out the door. My mom asks how I like her and I truthfully say I think she is really fun and very talented.

Then my mom informs me: "Ya, her dad actually owns his own recording studio. His brother coached David Archuleta. The whole family is in the music business!"

MOTHER. WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME THIS ONE MINUTE EARLIER BEFORE THEY LEFT MY HOUSE. WHY?!?!


My mind went through all the possibilities.

Shelby Frampton: Wedding Singer.

Shelby Frampton: Jazz Vocalist.

Shelby Frampton: Concert Pianist.

Meh. But the man with the recording studio just left my house. Without me sharing my talents very well at all. Just a sloppy piano Christmas piece and a casual singing along to his amazing jazz skills. Not to mention his daughter could do the above occupations lightyears better than I could.

My goal?! MY GOAL.

I feel so inadequate.



It's like the time The Voice of Disneyland (Yes, I just said the Voice of Disneyland) came to my house to see his niece in MY piano recital. Who works for Disneyland. Who also heard me play my mediocre Jazzy Jingle Bells.

He demonstrated "Welcome to Disneyland! the Happiest Place On Earth now celebrating 50 YEARS OF MAGIC!"

He continued. But I was in so much awe that I don't remember anything he said. His voice was so familiar. Like I had known him my whole life. Like he was MY CHILDHOOD.

I gawked at him for fifteen minutes.

Then he left.

And as he was walking out of my house I realized, It's Hannah's birthday. What an awesome present would it be if I had him call her and do his Voice of Disneyland act? Ya, that would be cool.

Then the nerves came. And the doubt. And the insecurity. And.....the door closed.

Why?


I ask myself all the time.




WHY?

The Jammin' Toast

Alright, alright, I know I have a gazillion secret dreams that aren't really secret because I post them on the internet....


But. This is another one.


I have always had a secret dream to be in a band during High School.


I honestly could care less if it was a horrible band (well....I would WANT to be good) and we only put together one song. But, I want to record one song. In a band. During High School.


It's just one of those things you gotta do, you know?


So I came up with a band name


and my first album


and the band members

The Jammin' Toast

Coolest band name EVER?! Right?

Ya....Most of my friend's didn't think so either. But I think it's great. Bands jam. And jam and toast just go perfectly together.

Carlie, Anna, and I, will be the coolest band. Album name: Drinking Marmalade. Yes?

Just you wait. 

Soon you will hear us on the radio.

Soon being relative. It all just depends on perspective, right?

Anyway.

I went to the AF Talent Show Thursday Night. IT WAS SO FUN. I love listening and critiquing and cheering and voting for all the awesome talents so prevalent in happy valley Utah. My friend was in the piece that WON! 

Check it out. Check it out here.

 But, I'll admit, it made me a little guilty. 

Why?

BECAUSE I WANT TO BE IN A BAND. 

A jazz one preferably. Maybe I'll wear a black dress and black heels and pearls with my hair in a fancy up-do and scat to my heart's desire. And you know what? I could. Because I have talent. A fair amount.

I play piano.

I sing.

I have presence.

I got rhythm (well....usually)

I have musicality.

Yes. Yes I do! (Forgive the appearance of arrogance--This is mostly to convince myself) So how come I never perform in talent shows? Or variety shows? Or I dunno....other shows. Why don't I grasp opportunity? 

Hmm. 

Hmmmmmm......

Mmm. Hmmmm... (If you are curious this is: My contemplation. I still have no idea why I don't grasp opportunity).

As demonstrated in the previous thought, there is NO reason for me to not grasp opportunity. 

Here goes, baby; here goes. 

I, Shelby Alyse Frampton, promise to grasp opportunity. I WILL share my talents. I WILL perform to my hearts desire. From this moment on, when an opportunity arises, I will walk run to take it into my arms and not let go.

The End. 

As Beautiful As The Sky: Dona Nobis Pacem

As you can see, this is not a 30 days topic. Too bad. It has been taking up my time the last week and deserves it's own post.
It's called:
Dona Nobis Pacem by Ralph Vaughn Williams
A masterworks concert with Alpine districts honor choirs and orchestra.
It was a privilege to perform such an inspiring and beautiful piece. Not to mention being directed by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's director Dr. Murphy.
Ah! It was so motivating and satisfying. The piece consists of six movements and ends up being around 45 minutes long. But it is just incredible.
This excerpt below is probably my favorite movement IV. Dirge for Two Veterans.



And that is just a taste, my friends.
Even though my back is aching and my chamber dress is smelly and my feet hurt and I haven't done anything but sing with an almighty gusto for 48 hours;
it was SO worth it.