{ Intermission }

Hello TMB Followers!  

We LOVE technology!  We love it so much in fact that we decided to start an online show to help our friends Aubrey, Rick and now Ashley find true Mormon love.  We hope you have been enjoying this season with a new production crew in Arizona that has brought a different style to TMB.  Our crew is talented and hardworking, but technology has not been so kind to them in the last few days.  To keep up with the quality of the show we need to take a brief intermission.  Don't worry though - we will still consistently post never-before-seen footage and hilarious outtakes from your favorite Bachelors.  Enjoy this mid-season teaser of the best to come and enter your e-mail address in the field above and to the left so we can let you know when we are back up and running!

xoxo,

Aubrey, Erin and Tristen

{ Help Save Little Ruby }

Hi TMB Followers - we are taking a break from our regular programming today to bring you a video and post about a very special little girl, Ruby Jane, daughter of one of Erin's friends, Ani Taylor.

Little Ruby joined Matt and Ani Taylor's family on January 5, 2011.  3 months later she was diagnosed with a rare liver disorder called Caroli's Disease/Syndrome.  Since that time the Taylor family has been in and out of the hospital with their little girl, and is now waiting for a liver donation to save Ruby's life. 

If you haven't guessed it already by watching The Mormon Bachelorette, we are big proponents of eternal marriage and families.  We wanted to bring Ruby's situation to light and ask for your support.  There are so many ways you can help, including:

 - Fast and pray for Ruby's recovery with us on Sunday July 24th.

 - A PayPal account has been set up in Ruby's name if you would like to donate to help the family - you can access it here.

 - Learn about becoming an organ donor at www.donateamerica.net.

 - Forward this post to your friends and family and spread the word about Ruby - there is strength in numbers!  Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, your blog, whatever!

To stay up to date on Ruby's progress you can follow Ani and Matt's blog - www.aniandmatttaylor.blogspot.com

- Erin, Aubrey and Tristen

{ Post Date Interview: ASHLEY & JORDAN }

{ DATE #13: Jordan Miles }

One of the trickiest parts of this all is not knowing what to wear for each date.  The Staffers want to keep the date activity a surprise for me, so I have to rely on them to give me direction on what to wear.  Today’s date was an example of just how hard this can be to figure out from their cryptic messages.  Once I found out our activity, I wished I had worn a very different outfit.

So what was this mystery activity that I misappropriately dressed for?  Ballroom dancing with a very skilled dancer, Jordan Miles!  But I’m getting ahead of myself.  When Jordan picked me up, I instantly recognized him from our mocktail party.  I had noticed him there because he was a good looking guy that I had never seen in Arizona before.  Unfortunately I never had a chance to meet him at the party so I was left wondering if he really was one of my future dates or not.

I was happy to have my suspicion confirmed when I found Jordan on my doorstep, looking dapper in a button down and nice jeans.  He took me to a nearby park for a picnic with a nice light breakfast of a variety of fruits, all carefully sliced and placed in containers with some blueberries thrown in each one to add some visual appeal.  I was certainly impressed with the attention to detail.  I was thrilled when Jordan told me that the next stop on our date was at a dance studio for a private lesson in West Coast Swing. I have done a fair amount of dance throughout my life, but I’m not incredibly trained in any one style.  Partner dancing is probably the one I’ve done the least amount of dancing in.  So I was nervous about how well I would do, but felt good knowing that Jordan would be there to lead me through it.

When we arrived at Paragon Studio, he introduced me to his sister, Jalair, who would be our instructor.   She was a beautiful, petite woman with a sparkling smile – qualities very fitting for a great dancer.  Jalair and Jordan started off by showing me an example of what we’d be learning.  It quickly became apparent that Jordan certainly had the skills that would have allowed him to become a professional dancer as he had once planned to become.  I hoped I wouldn’t hold him back too much!

As we worked through the basics of West Coast Swing, Jordan was very patient with me.  He was confident in leading me through the moves, which is exactly what you want in a dance partner.  As I caught onto each move, we added more and more moves to build our repertoire.  Jordan was great at giving me positive feedback when I did something well, and smiled and laughed with me when I did something not so well.  Trust me, this is the kind of guy that you want to be in his arms.

Jordan was surprised when his younger sister, Jessa, arrived at the studio, ready for her lesson with Jalair after us.  I insisted that she too needed to show me her moves, so Jordan took her out to the dance floor.  She was just as fluid, beautiful, and sassy on the dance floor as her sister.  It was fun to see Jordan interacting with his sisters.  It was obvious that they are all close to each other, which is a great blessing to have strong family ties. 

After teaching me a few more moves we tried them all together to a great hip hop song and worked the floor!  By this time I was trusting Jordan more and more and was able to get my right arm to relax more and truly let him lead.  We had a great time whirling around the dance floor.   Jordan was wise to put himself in his best element and bring me along with him.  He was a great dancer!

I love that dance can be a great metaphor for relationships.  As the woman you have to surrender yourself and your will, and let the man take you through the moves.  This isn’t to say that the woman can’t show her own strengths but jazzing up the moves, creating excitement for her and her partner.  In the end the two are brought together into a beautiful showcase of compromise.

By now I had worked up a real appetite and was happy when I learned that we were going to Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, for some lunch.  We said goodbye to his sisters and hit the road.  It was nice to sit down and have some more time to really talk and get to know about each other.  By now I had picked up on Jordan’s laid back nature.  He’s not loud, doesn’t draw attention to himself, but he’s got a lot to talk about and carried a conversation very well.  I feel like Jordan has some layers that you have to work through before you’ll see just how amazing his is – he doesn’t put all his cards on the table at once.   But everything he was showing so far showed a man of solid character and faith.  I liked everything about him.

After a good chat we took our moves to the dance floor one more time.  Toby Keith’s is a great place to go for dancing.  Since it was the middle of the day, we had the whole floor to ourselves and Jordan made sure to utilize the space.  He really was so great and made me feel confident, even though I certainly was not as good as him.  What a gentlemen and an exciting date!

{ Post Date Interview: DAVID & his MOM }

{ DATE #12: David Johnson }

I have been having a wonderful time going on dates with amazing guys from places far and wide, sharing incredible experiences, and seeing blessings in people’s lives and little miracles through The Mormon Bachelorette.  I received a suggestion that I turn the tables and that I should take out a certain well-known Bachelor from Gilbert.  I was intrigued and decided I was game for the date. 

I showed up on David Johnson’s doorstep, excited to have fun with a guy who I’d been told had great enthusiasm for life.  I was also told that he would likely be calling me his girlfriend by the end of the night…confident guy!  What I didn’t know in advance was that David is a skilled drummer – but I was let in on this secret shortly after meeting him.  I requested a performance and he was kind to oblige.  I had also found out in advance that David’s favorite restaurant was a teppanyaki place called Ah-So, and that he loved bowling (I like to do my research!).  I wanted to plan something he would enjoy and I was excited to share the evening with him.

David is 27 and has Down Syndrome. David does have some limitations through his disability such as difficulty hearing sometimes, and I couldn’t always understand exactly what he said at first.  But I learned a long time ago that disabilities are not an inherent handicap.  We are only handicapped when we allow a disability to limit us.  Every one of us has disabilities; it’s just that some are more visible than others.  David does not allow his disability to limit or handicap him.  He has a job, he plays drums, he’s a great bowler, etc.   David is full of life, he trusts people, he loves people, and he knows how to make people laugh.  David lights up any room that he walks into.  He’s just pure.   I think that people with mental disabilities are actually spared some of the worries of the world.  They don’t seem to be distracted by the negative, or the evil things that exist in society.  At least I know that was the case with David.  He just saw everything with optimism.  I was so impressed. 

My favorite part of the date was probably our dance session in my car.  I tell you what, that David Johnson has some serious moves and totally showed me up!  We just jammed out and laughed.  Dinner at Ah-So was great as well, when we were able to talk and enjoy the show they put on while making our food.  Our chef, “Ninja Dave” really played off of David’s energy and we had a fabulous time. 

At the end of the night, David presented me with a bowling pin from the lane.  What a sweet momento that I can keep to remember our date.  David was just awesome.  Truly one of the best guys I’ve ever met.  I felt extremely privileged to meet him.

The great experiences from the evening weren’t quite done yet.  I was able to talk with David’s mom, Gina, for awhile after I brought David home.  Gina is a wonderful woman, mother of 7 and founder of Sharing Down Syndrome Arizona.  Her foundation helps parents of children with Down Syndrome to face their real emotions and feelings, and then look to the future with optimism.  Talking with Gina was truly life changing.  I was just so touched by her perspective on life and willingness to help others through what can feel like an insurmountable problem.  She felt that way when she had David, she was sad and upset, but she learned what a wonderful blessing David is and she helps share that message with other families. 

I have experienced some major ups and downs through this process, but this was a high that I am incredibly grateful for. 

**Special thanks to Annie Johnson for doing my hair tonight.  I wanted to look my very best for David and so I wore one of my favorite shirts, and got all done up.  No holding back on this one.  Annie helped me feel very pretty.  

{ Post Date Interview:ASHLEY & BRANDON }

{ DATE #11: Brandon Pitcher }

When I opened the door and found Brandon on my doorstep, I couldn’t help but notice the Ford Mustang behind him. Alright, this guy speaks my language! I assumed that he must be local and that the car must be his because that’s not a typical rental car. The truth is that Brandon lives in Texas where he’s finishing up Dental School. As for the rental car, the customer service rep had informed him that he would be receiving a Kia Soul.

Brandon determined this would not be a sufficient car and utilized his negotiation skills to get himself a Mustang at a good price. Ironically, just that morning on my drive to work I had looked at a Kia Soul on the road and thought to myself, “man that is an ugly car.” Please forgive me if you own and love your Kia Soul. I am happy for you to have found a car that suits you. In dating we all have our preferences and people that fit and ones that don’t, so too in cars do we all have different opinions and matches. I wondered if Brandon and I could match on more than just car interests.

I quickly learned that Brandon was from the great state of Colorado (my home state), and that he, like I, did not grow up snowboarding or skiing – which often comes as a shock to people who live outside of Colorado. It just wasn’t the activity of interest for either of our families. And in my personal defense, I did live about 2 hours away from the slopes. This excuse held sway in Utah, but it doesn’t do much to help me in AZ where people drive 3 hours to go snowboard.

Over dinner at Café Rio I discovered that Brandon shares a love for all that is BYU, but he also likes the Texas Longhorns, as do I. Lest you should question my loyalties, BYU is ALWAYS #1, and when I go to the BYU v. Texas football game this fall, I will be cheering for BYU all the way. But though I was raised in Colorado, I was born in Texas, so I gotta have a little bit of pride! I’m glad that Brandon and I saw eye to eye on this.

It was time to get up and get active, so we headed to Golfland for a round of min-golf. Brandon showed his great creativity with a game he’d created to go along with our golf round. At each hole we pulled a slip of paper from a BYU bookstore bag, and on the paper was a specific way of hitting the ball, and each one related to something unique about him. What a great way to get to know more about my date! It turns out that Brandon is an All-American guy. He loves sports, he enjoys a good movie, he’s willing to bust out an accent and play a character, he’s solid in the Church and he loves his family.

Amid our fun we happened upon a frog on the course. I couldn’t resist picking it up. I learned long ago that frogs use urination as a defense mechanism, so I wisely held him on his sides and far away from me. Tell you what though, when this little guy let loose I was blown away by how much he had held inside for just a moment such as this. I was getting the vibe that this couldn’t be my prince charming…perhaps I just needed to focus on Brandon and see if he was possibly my prince charming!

As for the performance on the course, though I started off with a hole in one, the number of strokes on each hole for me were varying greatly. Meanwhile, Brandon was playing nice and consistently. With a few holes left Brandon had a pretty solid lead on me, but then I started to catch my stride and he could feel the pressure. Did I succeed in closing the gap? I guess you’ll have to watch the video and see!

Win or lose, I had fun with Brandon on a very pleasant evening in good ol’ Mesa, AZ.

{ Post Date Interview:ASHLEY & GRAYDON }

{ DATE #10: Graydon Anderson }

I carefully selected a shirt in my closet to match a new pair of baby blue earrings that I had just received from Ryan Amelia Design. They were adorable and I really felt like wearing them. You can imagine my delight when I opened the door and found that my date, Graydon, was wearing a very similarly colored polo. Wow, two dates in a row that were connecting with my brainwave across the miles!

Once in the car and on our way to lunch, we truly did jump right on the same brainwave. Graydon is a man that believes in the Gospel, comes from a solid family, graduated from BYU and loves BYU sports, and is in accounting. I actually really love crunching numbers, analyzing them, etc. I realize he’s using much higher level competencies than that, but I could appreciate and admire what he did for work. I was impressed when I learned that Graydon had just become aware of The Mormon Bachelorette a week prior to our date. How remarkable to be willing to take a leap of faith and commit to coming out from Palo Alto to take me out, without really having the time to ponder the prospect and all its implications.

We ate lunch at Sweet Cakes, a locally owned café and sweets shop in downtown Mesa. I love one and only restaurants like Sweet Cakes. They just have a charm to them. They had lots of great salads and sandwiches to choose from – it was actually hard to pick just one! But I settled on a stuffed tomato salad and felt good knowing that I had made my choice and would love my choice (just as President Monson had advised us to do in dating in his talk at April 2011 General Conference). We were both impressed by a table that was waiting for us, with a bottle of chilled Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Juice and a rose in a vase. It was such a nice touch! The most concerted effort I’d seen by one of the restaurants I’d gone to up to this point.

Over lunch, Graydon and I easily moved from one topic to another, getting to know about each other. From what I can tell, Graydon is a go with the flow kind of guy. He’s certainly driven in what he wants in life, but he can also roll with it.

Our next stop was his brother’s house in Mesa, to make some rice krispies to then take to an assisted living home. Once more I was in the kitchen working with my date to create a masterpiece. Graydon and I laughed as we tried to find everything we needed (always hard to be in someone else’s kitchen). Eventually we pulled off some great treats, if I do say so myself! Treats that were definitely worthy to share.

Though it was a warm afternoon, Graydon wanted to ride bikes over to the assisted living home. I was totally on board, but I’m the one that’s used to the heat. I give Graydon mad props for being willing to handle the temperature. It turned out to be a really wonderful ride – it made me wish that I had a bike!

Once at the assisted living home we were able to meet with Marie. She was such a sweetheart and was very appreciative of the rice krispies. She enthusiastically told us about her family, but it was actually really hard to get her to talk about herself. Anytime that we tried to get her talking, she would turn the tables and ask us about ourselves. It was a good example to me of the importance of continually looking to put others before ourselves; to always find other’s lives more interesting than our own. When we asked for advice on how to make a marriage work, she told us that we had to stay true to the Gospel. It really is as simple as that.

The whole time I was with Graydon I felt uplifted and at ease. He is such a caring and thoughtful person, as evidenced by the activity he chose for our date. I truly enjoyed the afternoon and add it to the list of wonderful experiences I’ve had through The Mormon Bachelorette.

**A big thanks to Jane Johnson for the beautiful earrings from Ryan Amelia Designs!  Mention "BACHELORETTE" at check-out for a 10% discount**

{ Post Date Interview: ASHLEY & PETE }

{ DATE #9: Pete Howe }

I knew I was off to a good start with my date Pete when we both chose to wear purple shirts for the night.  Purple is the color of royalty and since the royal wedding was this year I think it might be a good omen.  I liked this guy’s style.  I know that men aren’t always fashion savvy, and trust me, I don’t want a man who’s more concerned with his clothes than I am, but I can appreciate a man who does know how to dress well.  What’s great about Pete is that he’s not a metro pretty boy, he’s just a guy that knows how to buy a good shirt.  I promise it’s possible for all men to figure this out.

Pete took us out to Phoenix for dinner at Delux Burger.  Once more the power of the internet was manifested, as he’d just found the place online with good reviews.  I am a girl that can definitely appreciate a good slab of meat so I was stoked on the fancy burger joint.  I liked that we had a love for food in common, and that we’re both slightly foodies - this is a quality I have been looking for in a husband.

Over dinner I learned that at one point Pete was a salesman for a cell phone company.  I didn’t really see him being a salesman, given his laid back personality.  He didn’t seem like the type that would get in your face and convince you to buy something.  But as I looked at him, I realized that he did look like the Verizon guy in all the commercials…dark hair, tall, black rimmed glasses.  Okay, okay, I could trust what Pete told me to do. 

I was excited about the next portion of our evening – we were going to the Phoenix Bat Cave!  There is a flood control tunnel behind a school that is home to 5000 bats.  As the sun sets, the bats begin to leave the tunnel to go forage for the night.  I was impressed by Pete’s 'outside of the box' thinking for this one.  I was also impressed by his thought in bringing a flashlight for the walk back from the tunnel.  It’s the little things that say a lot.  But watching the bats was really interesting.  They move so fast that every time you tried to put your eyes on one, you’d lose focus and sight of it.  At least I couldn’t pull it off!

When we arrived at the house Pete was staying at, there on the kitchen counter were all the ingredients for home made Oreos, perfectly set out and waiting for us.  Once more, the attention to detail really stood out to me. As I’ve said before, I like working side by side on a project together to see if we will be compatible as husband and wife.  Pete was patient and trusting that I would do my part correctly, but he was confident in taking the lead on making the cookies.  Our only flaw with the cookies was perhaps overcooking them a bit…other than that they tasted great and they looked so pretty.  I thought we made a pretty good product together and also made a great team!

I felt really comfortable around Pete which is one of my number one requirements.  He’s unassuming which allows you to just open up and enjoy the moment.  I feel like I didn’t really get to know Pete and all that he has to offer on our first date though.  He said himself that he doesn’t think a first date really allows you to get to know someone.  I agree that a first date only gets you so much of a glimpse.  But it has to be a glimpse that makes you want to see more.  I want to see Pete in a different setting, perhaps one that includes even more adventure to see if we can enjoy that together.  

{ Post Date Interview: ASHLEY & MATT }

{ We Want to Get YOU Married }

If you are interested in being the next Mormon Bachelor or Bachelorette apply through our website today! Temple marriage is only 22 first dates, 8 second dates and 1 final date away!

E-mail us at themormonbachelorette@gmail.com with any questions!

Here's to finding True Mormon Love!

 

If you don't want to be the next Mormon Bachelor/ette but are still 1. Mormon 2. Single 3. Ready to get married - get in Tristen's database here.

{ DATE #8 - Matt Walter }

Door step greetings on a first date can be slightly awkward, but that’s real dating, right? But, I’ll let you in on a secret. When Matt came to my door I told the crew, “okay wait, we need to do that again - I just completely bumbled over myself, and it just didn’t work.” This exchange instantly broke the ice and had Matt and I laughing right from the start. The light mood carried on as we got in the car, and continued throughout the night. Matt is an outgoing, upbeat, confident guy. We quickly found ourselves jumping past the basics and talking about past relationships, and long term goals. It was just completely comfortable and I felt secure in sharing those things with him from the first hello.

Dinner was at a great local restaurant – Famous Dave’s BBQ. Tell you what, these guys put on a real show! They have multiple BBQ sauces to choose from, with intriguing names such as Devil Spit and Hot & Sassy. When I saw the rack of sauces I was a bit overwhelmed, but our server took us on “the sauce tour” (something he apparently coined), by writing on the plate and explaining each sauce and what made it unique. They brought out a bowl of kettle potato chips and Matt and I went to town trying the different sauces.

While Matt and I were talking over dinner, I happened to lean forward and hold onto the edge of the table. I noticed that shortly after, Matt mimicked my move, and put his hand on the edge of the table, leaning forward as well. It wasn’t intentional, he just did it subconsciously. I instantly noticed and felt elated to literally be witness to a physical confirmation of the connection I was feeling. Our conversation was flowing so naturally and he had me laughing all night long. I laughed so hard that I actually snorted…yes, I know, totally embarrassing. But that’s what happens when you really get me going. It was genuine. What was great though was that it wasn’t just laughter over silly things - we were having really meaningful conversation.

As dinner came to a close, Famous Dave’s pulled out the big guns and brought us a bowl of ice cream with a sparkling firework on top! This was very representative of how I was feeling inside about this incredible guy. I have never seen something like that in a restaurant. I actually can’t believe it wasn’t against fire code... But it was a perfectly charming touch and end to a perfect dinner.

We had so much fun at dinner that we lost track of time. The funny thing is, I didn’t care what we did. I was just happy to be spending time with Matt. We ended up going for a walk on the bridge that runs over Tempe Town Lake on Mill Avenue. It’s lit up with white lights and is very picturesque and incredibly romantic. The setting was just a wonderful as I’d hoped it would be and the good conversation just carried on.

On the drive home, Matt asked if I’d ever gone skim boarding before. I’ve always wanted to try it but haven’t had a chance. “Oh well then you’ll have to come skim boarding with me sometime.” The butterflies were going strong inside when he made mention of our future plans together. I felt my cheeks blushing. What a perfect night. I can’t wait for more to come…