Recently by Christie Humphries

I'm not quite sure why ABC insists on doing this show every season. Is it really to show off the happy couple or is it actually to highlight all of the most painful moments in the other people's lives?

Chris Harrison starts the show by bringing out Melissa, from the last season of The Bachelor, so that she can relive the moment that Jason dumped her on national television and told her that he wanted to be with Molly, as if we hadn't seen that enough. Then they talk about what a blessing it really was, because everything happens for a reason and apparently the reason was so that Melissa could go on Dancing With The Stars, get back together with her ex-boyfriend and get engaged. Awesome!

Once they finished cheering for Melissa, they decided to bring Kiptyn out. Once again, they forced the poor guy to sit there and watch his almost proposal all over again and listen to Jillian tell him that she was in love with someone else. Then they bring Jillian out to give him one last chance to question her and try to get some closure. It's always awkward and difficult to watch as they sit there squirming as they ask, "What could I have done differently?"...."Is there anything that I could have said that would have changed the outcome?" And you know that the answer is no. They aren't going to do or say anything now that could potentially ruin the relationship they are in. They just say thank you and you mean so much to me and I wish you the best....but they don't...they secretly wish that you are miserable without them...we all do. No one wants to think that they are easy to get over.

Reid certainly proved that Jillian was hard to get over. He was so convinced that the other guys weren't really competition for him that he "pulled a million strings", just to go back there and be humiliated again. He was so sure that she still had feelings for him, he bought a ring! To be honest, I think she did have more feelings for him than Kiptyn or at the very least she displayed a lot more emotion towards him in the finale and in the special. He got a little emotional watching his painful recap and even more so when he saw Jillian again. She teared up as well as she began to talk about how painful and "real" the experience is and how it's hard to deal with those emotions. You don't get a chance to let people down easy or check in on them over the following weeks to make sure they are okay. It's just over...that's it.

Chris gave Reid one last chance to ask Jillian his questions, but he said that she looked happy and he didn't want to ruin it by asking her questions about the fantasy suite that would be "inappropriate now". Her face was in shock. I think she was really afraid he was going to spill the beans! But he was a gentleman and let it go. Then, Chris opened the questioning up to the audience. A very pretty and very nervous young woman approached the microphone giggling, "Hi Reid!" and asked, "Have you started dating again and if so, would you consider going out with me?" Chris Harrison handed him a rose off of the table as if to say...GO GET HER! But instead, Reid asked with a smile, "How old are you?" The audience filled with laughter. He finished by saying, "No, I'm sorry. I'm not ready for that yet."

Finally they bring Ed and Jillian out as the happy couple. Ed revealed that he knew when they were in Spain that he wanted to marry Jillian and he reminded the crowd that he was the only guy to get to go back to the fantasy suite in Spain and assured them that they were not having any problems in the bedroom. They also shared with us that Jillian would be moving to Chicago to live with Ed in September and they were planning a wedding in the next 12 months...so you see folks...the key to true happiness is to love them, then leave them, then come back to them, then go to Hawaii and propose. It's as simple as that.

ABC may have "Less To Love" with their size 2 Bachelorettes...but dammit we'll get a manufactured wedding out of it at least 1 out of every 5 times!

See you next season.....CH OUT!

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What an emotional night...and a beautiful ending. I can't believe that all three guys were ready to propose! That is definitely one for the record books. Before I give away all the details, let's review the special moments that made this finale one of the best I think I have ever seen.

The show began with Ed and his chest hair going to meet Jillian's parents...his potential in-laws as he called them. Jillian also invited her grandmother and cousin Tori to help her make this tough decision. I'm not going to go through the 66 questions that her mom asked the men, which is apparently 10 less than the number of questions she had for Jason, but I will say that it was a night of memorable speeches.

The love story really began when Jillian asked Ed, "Do you want to tell everybody your story?"

Now, Ed made a series of speeches throughout the evening that made me teary-eyed. This was one of them:

"Me coming here was a huge deal, because I was married to my job. I was worried about being gone...potentially for eight weeks. I was scared and I let it get to me pretty badly and it started to affect everything. I knew that I liked her a ton, but I didn't want to sacrifice my career to be here. So I ended up leaving. I left and I went home. After the first week, I just could not stop thinking about this woman. It was driving me insane. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't work...I might as well have not even left, because I could not think about anything else. I called the producers and I was like you guys have to get me back there. I knew that I let her down and I let myself down. Because I knew that I had to get back there. I knew that I had to come back."

You could tell that her family was moved by his speech, but I think his speech to Glen, Jillian's father, was what truly sealed the deal:

"I don't know how to describe it Glen. I'm crazy about her. I'm in love with her and she's perfect for me. I mean I would love to be with her forever. I will do whatever it takes to make it work. I have no doubts at all....at the end of this, somebody could ask Jillian to marry them right? And I just want to get your thoughts... What would you think about me? If I were to ask her to marry me...how do you feel...what do you think?!"

Glen back to Ed:

"I think I'm readin ya the right way and I like what I see in ya and I think she's ready for this and if you are the fella that's gonna be proposing to Jill, I would be really quite happy to see that take place...I would be doing summersaults."

I wrote all of this out, because I think it's important to compare what Ed said to what Kiptyn said. When you see them side by side, there is really no doubt as to who she should have chosen. Granted, Kiptyn does have an eight back and Ed has questionable fashion sense....but it's what's inside that matters and you can tell that Ed's heart is 100% Jillian's...I don't think you can really say the same of Kiptyn.

For example...Kiptyn didn't come right out and express his feelings for Jillian on his MEET THE PARENTS date. Glen had to ask him, "Are you in love with Jill?" This was Kiptyn's answer:

"I'm I'm I'm getting...I'm getting there a lot quicker than I thought I would. I've I've been... I've been thinking so much about this whole thing. She has this zest for life... this passion you know? She's full of life, full of energy and when I'm with her, we just connect. She makes me better and I hope to make her better and that's what you look for in a marriage. There is nothing I want more that to get married and start a family. I could see myself with Jill...with your daughter. I think I'd be a lucky man to be there. I think she is incredible and I could see myself with Jillian. I could see myself marrying her."

Kiptyn was very nervous and I think that he was sincere and honest with her father, but the answer to his question was no. He was getting there, but he was not yet in love with Jillian. As Glen put it, "I thought Ed was actually DEEPER"...about his feelings anyway. It seemed that the ladies were kind of pushing for Kiptyn...but in the end...you could tell by the smile on Jillian's face when her father told her that Ed had asked him if he could marry her, that she was hooked. Don't get me wrong...I think eight weeks is a crazy short amount of time to fall in love with someone and Kiptyn was probably right to take things slow, but I think that in the end, that's probably what bit him in the butt.

On Ed's last date with Jillian he said, "I've never been this in love in my life. There's just this chemistry there that I've never had with anybody else. Tonight is my last opportunity to show Jillian that I do want to be with her, that I want to seal the deal with her. I need to close all the loops with anything that she's concerned about. Tonight's got to be a success!"

Flying over the big island and looking at the volcano, Ed found it difficult to focus on anything other than Jillian. The helicopter dropped them off in a secluded spot in middle of rain forest with a private lagoon. The rain was very romantic and gave Ed the perfect opportunity for another one of his speeches:

"I think that I am an affectionate person and sometimes it's tough for me to show it and it takes a lot for me to open up. You could be one of my best guy friends, but you could also be the person I could be with for the rest of my life and that's a pretty amazing combination. You're beautiful. A genius...I'm mean I'm still here. You're perfect for me. I would never do it again...I would never leave you again".

He gave her "so many positive reasons to think that he could be the one", but she still needed to know one more thing....was the passion really there? After a long day of swimming and making out in the lagoon, Ed asked Jillian to go back to his room, where they found the physical and "sexual" chemistry Jillian had been looking for. Apparently the second time was the charm. As if there was any doubt, Ed made it clear, "I hope you do decide that you want to be with me. I just want you to know, that I would like to be with you forever and I love you."

It wasn't exactly the date that you would want to try to top, but Kiptyn did his best. Jillian took Kiptyn on a speed boat to a secluded beach where they paddled around on a surfboard and cuddled. There's usually a lot of giggling when Kiptyn is around and they are very happy and smiley together, but I didn't really see the passion. Back at the hotel, Kiptyn tried his best to get his feeling out and let Jillian know that he wanted a future with her too:

"For the first time in the past week, I've been stressed out about all this stuff...I mean the end of it all. Which is so A-typical of our dynamic and our interaction. Everything has been so natural and easy and good and getting better and better and better. To feel stressed out at the end of this is just so weird. Tomorrow is the big day and you have to make a decision between people. I would be really hurt if I lost you. Losing you scares me a lot. For this past week, I've been stressing myself out because I've maybe moved slower than some of the people in this process and it did take a little while to get to where I am at, but that's what makes me feel so good about where I'm at right now. I really do see a future for us...not a month or two months...but years...a lifetime. And when I say a future, I think a marriage and family and kids. You know a lifetime. That's what I want. That's where I'm at now, because I'm falling in love with you. Without question, I can see a life with you. I want to do that once in my life. Right now, you and me, let's do this forever, so I can whole heartedly go to your father as a man and look him in the eyes and say I want to spend my life with your daughter....I think that you should come and live with me and I think that our worlds could be one world."

I had to admit...that was pretty good...long...lots of words...but he got to the point eventually and I think she was really touched. However, it may have been just a little too late. He should have tried to express himself a little more throughout the process and worn less clothing. If he had distracted her with the eight pack more often, maybe she wouldn't have fallen for someone else.

The next morning, they showed Jillian waking up in her hotel room. She looked like she had been crying all night. It was hard to watch. I can't imagine what it must be like to know that you're about to have one of the hardest days of your life and potentially one of the greatest.

Both guys were very nervous as they went inside to pick out their engagement rings, but both seemed convinced they were ready to make the plunge. Little did they know, they weren't the only guys planning a proposal to Jillian that day.

The first limo pulled up and it was..... Kiptyn. As he walked across the bridge over the pool, he told Jillian how beautiful she looked and she asked him how he was doing. He explained that he was excited, but nervous and told her that he had a sleepless night. He summarized their time together and all of their wonderful dates and tried to make it clear to her that he wanted kids and a marriage and saw those things with her, but from the second she started talking, I think he knew...she was not going to pick him. He took it like a man. He said that he wanted her to be happy and that she was an incredible woman and Ed was a lucky man. As he walked across the bridge with his head down, you could see him reach inside his pocket and touch the ring box. Then he put his hand over his heart. That stung a little.

When she walked him out to the car, there was no long embrace or goodbye kiss on the cheek. Kiptyn just opened the car door and hopped in. Once the car pulled away, he reached inside his pocket, took out the ring, and sat it on the seat next to him. He explained that he didn't pull out the ring because he thought she was going to say something back to him about what he had said and then he would continue on with what he needed her to know, but he didn't get the chance. He didn't realize those would be the last words he said to her.

The next shot we see is of Ed in the limo, and Jillian saying that it's weird to think that Ed could be walking down that path in a few short minutes, and I could be engaged. But instead of Ed, Reid pulls up in a red minivan! He reveals that on his plane ride back to Philadelphia, he was thinking, "What did I just do?" So, he pulled a bunch of strings to get back there. He said, "Where am I going to find a girl like her?" He decided he had to do something about it. He said that there was no doubt in his mind that they were perfect for each other and he was finally ready to tell her.

The minute she saw him, she bit her lip, her head tilted and her shoulders dropped as her hand went to her heart. They hugged for a moment before he said, "I know this is crazy and insane and I had to pull a million strings to do it...Every second was painful without you... I was an idiot. I knew that you felt what I felt and I thought that was enough, but I was an idiot, so I came back to tell you that I love you and hopefully you feel the same way". They talked back and forth for a minute and then Reid hugged her and said that he didn't see her with either of those guys. She asked him if he knew what was going on there and he said, "What is going on, without me here, is all wrong." Then, he got down on one knee and opened up a box with a ring inside. "Jillian" he said, "I love you and you're someone I could spend the rest of my life with." She grabs him and lifts him up and says, "You need to come here for a second. I don't know... I need to think about this."

I was actually a little pissed at this point. I'm glad that she didn't kiss him or anything, but I was a little frustrated with her for all the long embraces and making him wait as she went inside to contemplate what to do. Seriously?! At this point, you gotta know.

Luckily, Chris Harrison came along to knock some sense into her. "How am I supposed to make a decision?" she asked. Chris said, "It's still up to you. If you're in love with Ed, then you can stand by your convictions, but are you in love with Reid?" "How is someone supposed to make a decision like this?" she asked again. Chris replied, "Because you know ...Are you excited about the prospect of Ed showing up, getting down on one knee, and proposing to you today?" " YES!" "You're in love with this guy?" "Yes!" "You want him to be your husband deep down in your heart?" " YES!" "Then there is no question about what you need to do."

Jillian goes back outside to explain to Reid that they did have a connection and it was hard to let him go, but that didn't mean that she didn't have that same connection with someone else. She explained that she had fallen in love with someone and she just couldn't let that person go.

Reid's departure was certainly more emotional than the one we saw with Kiptyn. A little shockingly so, but she did eventually walk him out. He too hung his head and dragged his feet. He even grabbed her hand, lifted it to his lips, and kissed her.

As he drove away, he said "I don't have any regrets...flying back here and giving this one last chance to get Jillian...although I'm not happy with the outcome. I felt like we had such a deep connection that it would just work out. It just doesn't make sense. I just guess it was a little too late. It's a shame. ..It just wasn't right."

Watching Reid drive away was absolutely heartbreaking, but walking back to that podium, knowing that Ed was right around the corner, she knew 110% that Ed was the right guy for her. With her hands on her hips, shaking her head with a slight grin on her face, Jillian said, "Ed better not F@*king disappoint me!" I like that girl...Jillian.

After a long commercial break and an up close shot of the final rose, Jillian stood on the podium waiting for the third time to be the charm.

Ed arrived, nervous and scared but ready to take the plunge. His final speech went like this:

"Jillian"

"Yes Ed."

"You may not know how much you have impacted me. How you've changed me as a man and helped me reprioritize my life. You're everything that I could ever ask for in a woman. You're beautiful, you're intelligent, you're funny, you're confident and you make me smile when I look into your eyes. I know that I love you, but before we go any further I need to know that you love me."

Jillian smiles and pauses for a moment before saying with a grin, "There is no doubt in my mind that I am madly in love with you. I love you so much....I've been waiting to tell you I love you for so long."

He whispers, "There's one last thing"...he gets down on one knee and pops open his box to reveal a rather huge ring inside and says, "I want to be with you forever. I want a family with you. I want you to give me a hard time when we are 80 years old. Jillian, will you marry me?"

"Absolutely!" She jumps up and wraps her legs around him. "Do you have any idea how much fun we are going to have!"

The show ends with a Jillian and Ed montage that no season finale can be complete without, followed by Jillian offering Ed the final rose. They shared a big kiss and a piggy back ride across the bridge finish off the sequence. They finish with a little one on one interview with the couple, where Ed reveals that he was pretty confident but a little nervous until he saw her and he said, "I could tell when I looked at her that she wanted me to be there for her." He was practically petting her...almost too sweet. Ahhh Ed.... you complete me....I mean my blog.

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The Men Tell All special helped to clarify the MAN CODE, which according to David is the unspoken list of rules that men follow, but don't have to talk about....that is actually the definition of unspoken David, but thank you for clarifying.

The number one rule...according to David...is that everyone has a girl back home...which is usually an old girlfriend that you still have feelings for...and as a rule, none of your friends are allowed to sleep with her. This was apparently David's explanation for Wes' girl back home and the reason he was so upset at Jake and Tanner for dogging him out. I was glad to hear Chris Harrison stick up for Jillian when he said, "If the man code is looking out for the guys....where does looking out for Jillian come into play?" Most of the guys did not support Tanner and Jake tattling on Wes. They felt like she was a smart girl with a good head on her shoulders and she would have figured it out eventually. But there were others, like Robbie, who wished they had just told her who it was from the start, because he missed out on a lot of time with Jillian thanks to that fiasco.

The second rule...or at least that's what I'm calling it, is never pull a "Mesnick", which is the full on boo hoo crying over the balcony or railing. As the other Tanner put it, if Jason was a 10 on the Mesnick scale, Jake was right up there with him. David, not surprisingly, had to chime in on this subject too, because of course he thinks it is against the man code to cry. I personally find it very unattractive to see that kind of a display over someone they barely know. But in a normal, healthy relationship lasting longer than say 6 months or so, a little emotion is typically needed for someone to believe you are genuine. Do you need to fall all over yourself in a gut aching display of agony and tears...NO, but some red eyes or tightening of the throat at least shows us you care...more than Wes, who couldn't wait to get home and have some sex.

Number three..Don't be fake. Don't pretend like you are one of the boys, when you're not and don't pretend like you like to drink and take shots when you don't. It is apparently important that you announce that at the beginning to everyone and be straight forward about your unwillingness to rush the little fraternity of alcoholic farters. Had Juan known the rules, maybe they wouldn't have hated him so much. Maybe David wouldn't have asked him to go drown himself...which is apparently another rule in and of itself.

Number four...when a guy says that they want you to go drown yourself or that they want to punch you in the face...they don't really mean that they want you to die or cause you bodily harm, they just don't like you and they want you gone.

Number five...after a month of psuedo dating a girl, it is perfectly acceptable to tell her that she has a nice ass, try to adjust her shirt because you think her boob is falling out and lean in to kiss her without any signal from the girl at all...oh wait...David said that Jillian was giving him signals...she just pulled them back at the last second. I actually don't mind it when someone tells me that I have a nice ass, but apparently the crowd disagreed. The consensus was that you should never tell a girl that she has a nice ass or act inappropriate and drunk. I do agree with the latter.

Number six...don't be perfect, act perfect or tell people you're perfect...it's just not the manly thing to do.

Mark (the pizza guy) decided to take it upon himself to give Jake some advice:

A. No one in America thinks that someone is a black sheep, if they are an airline pilot and the rest of their family is doctors.

B. The next time someone tells you to untuck your shirt at a rose ceremony, don't make it take three hours for them to convince you.

C. Go watch a Rated R movie and come onto the same level as the rest of us.

Once you've done all that, you'll be less "perfect" and more manly and illiterate like the rest of them.

The women, however, seem to love Jake. One of the audience members even asked him if he'd consider being the next bachelor...which he said he thought would be "an honor". It kind of reminded me of last season's Tell All when they mentioned it to Jillian. The producers may actually be testing the waters with Jake to see if he would be interested.

There were some classic lines on the show and I prefer to list them out of order and out of context, since that's kind of how the show's producers do it anyway...

Ed's description of Wes - There's a country singing turd on the roof

Michael's description of Robbie - What up I'm drunk!

Everyone's description of Jake - He is a little strange...awkward...straight laced...clean cut... All American guy. He has probably never stepped on an ant. He's probably had the same haircut since he was six.

Tanner - J-Lo's Butt equals Jillian's feet

Jillian - Wes was the country singer with tattoos who wants a family and wants to sit by the fire and drink a beer...that's exactly what I'm looking for. Yes, I fell for his song. I always thought I would marry a honky tonk cowboy.

Jason Mesnick of his relationship with Molly and break up with Melissa - If people have to point the finger at me and it caused happiness in the end...I'll take the blame.

Ed drunk trying to speak to Jillian - There are so many words you are throwing at me right now.

Globetrotter Special K's advice to Jillian - Kiptyn is not the one for you...He cheated at basketball, he'll cheat in real life. Pizza boy was not a good team player...a marriage is a team. Michael has great hair...see if he's willing to cut it for you. Juan is a good guy, but this is a competition to get guys out of the house and he just invited all of us over to the house.

And finally Jillian of Tanner - If the worst thing I ever had to deal with is a guy sucking on my toes...I'd be happy.

Tune in next week to see which guy will propose...Kiptyn, Ed...or Reid! The preview shows all three men holding rings and a very emotional Jillian wishing she had a GIRL CODE to tell her what to do.

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When I think of my dream vacation in Maui, it doesn't exactly include climbing telephone poles, but that's how Jillian began this week's adventure as she attempted to decide which two guys would make it to the Finale.

Kiptyn had the unfortunate luck of drawing the adventure card or at least that's what I like to call it. Every season on the Bachelor/Bachelorette, one of the finalists gets stuck with the adventure date, where they have to climb something or zipline or do something really physical and the others get to swim and relax or go on some romantic cruise. Kiptyn, on the other hand, had to climb telephone poles and walk across high wires to prove he was willing to take "a leap of faith" with Jillian. I think she was actually more afraid than he was. I can't say that I saw a lot of romance on their date, but she certainly learned to take directions from Kiptyn and I think she kind of liked being told what to do.

After a long day of walking the tight rope, Kiptyn and Jillian finally got some time to relax over a nice dinner and intimate conversation. It doesn't take long for Jillian to whip out the fantasy suite card and this time, she's not going to miss out on her second opportunity to spend a night alone with Kiptyn. From day one she's wanted to see him naked...I mean get to know him better in an intimate setting. We didn't really get to see what went on in the bedroom, just that they had a ton of candles burning. I hope the romance didn't go up in flames.

After a long night and hopefully a shower, Jillian set out to meet up with Reid for her second dream date. This time, she brings a prop. Nothing says I love you like a beach ball and kissing under the palm trees. The entire sequence was a little strange. They were just standing out in a field next to some trailers. Then, out of nowhere, a helicopter arrives to whisk them away. As Reid said, "it was like being in heaven". The best part was the pilot's plug for his aerial weddings. Apparently he's an ordained pastor/pilot and can legally conduct weddings in the air. I think Reid was a little frightened by how willing Jillian was to go for it. He was ready to get his feet back on the ground.

They landed at the Hana-Maui Resort for a little picnic by the beach. Reid tried really hard to express to Jillian how he was feeling. He said he felt like a four year old. He stretched his arms out to his sides and said, "I like you this much!" It was actually very sweet and honest...but I don't think it was enough for Jillian. I think that she really wanted to hear that he loved her and could see himself proposing at the end of this adventure. He simply wasn't ready to go there. The best he could do was tell her that he really didn't like seeing her with other guys. Maybe he should have passed her a note that said, "Do you want to be with me? Check Yes or No."

Their romantic dinner on the beach didn't seem to answer her questions either. "It was giggly and fun"...but Reid still had a hard time expressing his feelings. Nothing brings out the seriousness in a conversation like drinking alcohol out of a pineapple with umbrellas in it, but none the less they tried. Reid's number one question was...where are we going to live? As much as Jillian loves Canada, she admitted that she would be willing to move to Philadelphia for Reid, if he wanted to pursue a relationship with her, but she just could not stop grilling him about the proposal issue. Not satisfied with the answers she was getting, she pulled out the fantasy suite card. Maybe she thought that by luring him with the possibility of sex, he would take down those walls he'd built around his heart and take a chance on love and a proposal. Reid was visibly nervous. As he put it, he got denied the last time. Now he's scared. Jillian was actually the first to chime in with, "I think we should take Chris' offer". Like Chris Harrison is a genie in a bottle, who only grants wishes for fantasy suites with rose pedals leading to the bed and/or the bath tub.

Apparently, she was ready to get it on. As soon as they made it into the suite and sat down on the couch, she was unbuttoning his shirt. She was trying so hard to get him to say the "L" word. Jillian decided to reward him for almost opening up with a little skinny dip in the tub. I wrote a little song about it. It may sound vaguely familiar..."Up in da tub tub...Reid spoke up...sayin all the wrong things. Decided to dip dip...now he's gonna trip trip...cause two other brother's are making out with me. If ya like it then you need to put a ring on it!". Okay admittedly lame...but still kind of funny.

Ed gets the boat date and a chance to show off his hot girlie man shorts and tank top. Nobody really wants their man to wear shorts so short that you can see their thighs, especially when they have surprisingly have less hair on them than his chest. However, Ed manages to distract her by letting Jillian know that he has flown both of his parents to Hawaii to meet her. All tasteless fashion statements, now forgotten. Now come here and let me stick your face in my hairy chest...Jillian was so excited, she didn't even notice. He has shown that he listens to her and is willing to prove that he is the right guy for her.

Their alone time was cut short in order to make time for Jillian to meet Ed's parents. While Jillian spoke to Ed's mother, Ed's father asked, "What the hell are we doing here?" Ed quickly explained to his father that he was able to salvage his job and now it was important for him to try to salvage his relationship with Jillian. As he said, " I swear that I would get engaged if she picked me". His dad seemed really touched. He took Jillian aside, to let her know that he really wanted to get to know her and he really hoped that she and Ed could make each other happy.

After getting to know Ed's parents, Jillian decided it was time to get know Ed a little better in the fantasy suite. She was looking for some "intimate, cozy, sexy time". Unfortunately, all she got was some cozy sleepy time. After slipping into a sexy little shirt and rubbing each other down with massage oil, Ed decided he was more interested in taking a nap. This of course sends Jillian into a panic, wondering if there is enough passion in their relationship for the long haul...not taking into consideration the fact that they had an incredibly emotionally and physically draining day. Let's face it, we're not all 22 anymore. Sometimes you need a nap before sexy time.

Confused and probably exhausted from her three overnight dates, Jillian had to face a tough decision...who created the best video message.

Kiptyn...What an amazing ride this has been. I'm excited because as we come to the end of this, it feels like it could be the beginning of an amazing relationship. Every day you continue to impress me. You are the kind of person that I could see myself spending a lifetime with and it's no surprise that I can see myself falling in love with you. You know me and I think that now you know what it would be like to be with me and if that's something that you want to pursue...let's do this. Let's light this world on fire.

Reid...Spending the night with you in the fantasy was definitely one of the best nights of my life. It's definitely given me some real insight into my emotions and feelings for you. I know you have been asking me some tough questions about our relationship and where it's headed. I've either avoided the questions unfairly or reversed the questions back on you. It's not because I don't know how I feel, it's that my feelings have grown so strong so quickly. It's a bit scary... although exciting at the same time. I remember the first night at the mansion, when our eyes met and you smiled, I knew we had something then. I really hope you keep your honey bear around so we can see where our relationship is headed and how far we can take it.

Ed...This experience has been unlike anything I've ever imagined. The time I have spent with you and the time I spent away from you has truly made me change my perspective on life and made me want to be a better man. I know we've had some bumps in the road and you've had some concerns about me, but I think we have found a way to get through those and I would love the opportunity to show you that I'm ready to take our relationship to the next level. You're beautiful, you're intelligent and funny...sometimes inappropriate and I love all those things about you. I would love an opportunity to spend the rest of my life with you and propose to you...I love you.

When Jillian walks up to the rose ceremony, she asks herself...why is Ed dressed like Jerry Lewis? No, that's actually what I was asking myself. Actually, she explains that she is falling in love with all of them and decides to ask Ed if she can have a moment to talk to him.

As she and Ed walk away, Reid and Kiptyn stand there awkwardly looking at one another. It must be difficult to make small talk. They must be thinking...so did you guys do it? But instead Kiptyn just says something like...it must be really tough...I can only imagine what it must be like to be in her shoes.

Once out of sight, Jillian asks Ed about their lack of chemistry the other night. "I feel like our last date was incredible and there was a lot of pressure and it didn't feel like we expected it to feel." Ed returns with, "I'm absolutely attached to you, but there are too many other factors affecting how I've been behaving, but just trust me that you have nothing to be worried about. I am absolutely crazy about you and you shouldn't have any doubts." Confident that she got the answers she needed, they walk back to the rose ceremony hand in hand. Kiptyn and Reid must have know that was not good for one of them.

The first rose went to Kiptyn and the second rose went to Ed. Reid dropped his head as Chris Harrison told him to "take a moment to say your goodbyes". He walks away with Jillian and questioned her about whether she made the right decision. She simply told him that she wasn't sure, but she didn't feel like they were at the same place in their lives and she was afraid of taking chances. In the limo he admitted that he should have opened up sooner. He didn't give her all of the signs that she needed to have. He wondered if it would have changed anything. He said, "Oh man...I wish I had told her. I can definitely say that I was falling in love with her...I don't think she even knows that. I really think the whole thing was my fault. It's tough...really tough." Too little....too late I'm afraid.

As Reid drove away...Jillian sat on the bench and cried for several minutes before Ed arrived to console her and thank her for making the decision that she did. She returned to Kiptyn and Ed to let them know that they would be leaving Maui for the Big Island of Hawaii. May she and Ed find the passion that they were missing in Maui and may someone please burn those mankini shorts.

Comments (1)

Laurel swears that she's not Wes' girlfriend.

For those of you who would like to read more, click on the link below:

http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2009/07/laurel-kagay-wes-hayden-ex-girlfriend/

Special thanks to my blog fan, Bubba, for forwarding the link.

I think this is just her way of getting some publicity for herself. They may not be together, but no guy talks about a girl that much if they don't have feelings for them that go beyond friendship. Most guys don't even talk that much about their wives and girlfriends even when they are in a relationship.

Frankly, I don't care if he has a girlfriend or not, he's still a jerk and I don't care how much you "edit" what he said, he still said everything we saw, whether it was taken out of context or not. Good luck to him and his career. He's going to need it.

Comments (3)

Barcelona, once home to the 1992 Summer Games, now home of the D-Bag Olympics. Please congratulate Gold Medal Winner Wes for being the biggest douche on the planet. I'm sorry it took me so long to post my blog, but I was ordering a Massengill t-shirt on the internet for Wes. I was also looking for a trophy to send Laurel to congratulate her on spending six years with biggest ass I know.

It's hard for me to even talk about anything else, but I feel like I owe the other guys at least a paragraph or two, before going over Wes and Jillian's "date".

Jillian's first date was actually with Kiptyn in Madrid, Spain. Jillian needed Kiptyn to open up and show her that he cared, but instead, Kiptyn opened up by letting her know that he thinks that a proposal is "far off". He doesn't think that it is realistic to expect a proposal this soon.

Pointers for Kiptyn...Don't start by telling the girl that there is no hope for a proposal. If you don't think it's realistic to get engaged in such a short amount of time, I think that is fine, I think most people would agree with you, but you probably don't need to tell her that just yet. Wait until it's down to the final two. Then take a look at the free diamond rings and then ask yourself, "Do I want to keep dating this girl for another year and pay for the ring out of my pocket or take one of these rocks for free?" You can always have a long engagement...and let's face it, no one's ever going to top your TV proposal story. You may even get the wedding paid for! I'm not really that shallow, but then again, I would never go on a show like this anyway, but if I did publically embarrass myself, you can bet I'd get me a Tacori diamond out of it!

Pointer number two...Don't wear the tight pants and go Flamenco dancing if A...you suck...and B...you don't have a nice package...because neither the pants or the dancing are going to win you any bonus points. "Don't hurt the boys" as Jillian put it.

Pointer number three...Don't wreck your scooter with your date on the back, even with your protective head gear.

Pointer number four...Don't eat snails on your date. Slugs and romance don't really go together.

Their date was a little strange, but I did like one of the questions she asked him, "If I asked three of your ex-girlfriends one thing that they would have changed about you, what would that be?" Kiptyn's answer...They'd want me to have a twin brother...smooth! Jillian asked if he was too much of a "softy"...like any guy is going to admit that. She also said something along the lines of...you remind me of my dad...and my mom wears the pants in the family and I don't want someone who lets me walk all over them. It was kind of a mild insult in my opinion. Why would a guy want to be with a girl who thinks he's a pansy? He tried to pretend like he was disappointed that she didn't want to spend the night in the fantasy suite, but I honestly didn't see too much passion between them. Maybe he should have taken off his shirt. The abs alone would have been enough for me to forgo my separate room.

When she met up with Reid in Sevilla, Spain she had an instant "perma-grin". She said she was crazy about him, but needed to know more. I think they are really cute together, walking through the market, trying to find something to eat for their picnic. You know it's love when a guy makes you want to "pee" yourself, not because he got you so drunk you couldn't hold it, but because he made you laugh so hard. While enjoying their picnic in the park, Reid let Jillian know how much his family loved her and how worried he was about the other hometown dates. I think his actions definitely told her that he was falling for her, but Jillian was trying really hard to light a fire under his butt to hurry him down the "I love you" tunnel. I think the best she got was, "You smell good"...what all women want to hear. I'm kind of shocked that the guys don't seem to know about the fantasy suite card. Do they really not know? Have they never watched the show? Or are they just faking it, so they seem like gentleman. The one thing that is for sure is that their faces all drop when she says that she doesn't want to use it, because she's not ready yet. Instead, Reid gives her a piggy back ride and tells the camera crew in Spanish, "she has my heart". Now why couldn't you just say that to her?!

Starting over with Ed in Sevilla, Spain was pretty hard. He already broke her heart a little bit, so not only did he have to catch up to the other guys, he also had to fix the damage he'd already done. I actually think they kind of look alike and would be perfect together. Ed admitted that he's not the kind of guy who would push all the other guys out of the way to get her, but when he went back home for two weeks, he could not get her out of his head and he knew that he needed to find a way to come back and try to do whatever it would take to win his way back into her heart. I think he did a really good job of "putting it all out there". I think that he felt like he had to, but I also think that he was sincere. He kind of said everything that every girl wants to hear...I mean who doesn't like to have someone say, "I could not get you off my mind" ? She grilled him a little bit about what their hometown date would have been like, but more than anything, she just wanted to make out with him. In the restaurant, on the sidewalk, on the stairs, in the fountain...it was a makeout montage! Everyone needs a montage right?! I don't know if she learned anything more about him that afternoon, but she now knows how he tastes!

Their evening together was very special. He was the only one who really talked in depth about their future together...even kids! "Who wouldn't want another me?" he said jokingly. They even seem to be on the same timeline. They always say that relationships are all about timing. I think Ed and Jillian would be good together and I think Jillian knows it, which is why she kind of caved on the fantasy suite card. I think she knew that she needed the extra time with Ed and I think she wanted to make out with him a little more. Ed definitely worked the sympathy card. He made it clear that he is a commitment person and if she gave him a shot, she would see that he was worth it. He totally won me over though, when he said, "You're my favorite part of Spain". My heart melted a little. I like that Ed guy. They may have agreed to sleep in their clothes...but I'm pretty sure there was some dry humping going on that night.

Now that we have covered the three Amigos, let's move on to "numero uno" Wes, more like a pile of numero deuce.

He's fired up to be in Barcelona, Spain because he "feels at home living around Spanish people"...somehow I doubt they feel the same. He couldn't help himself, he had to give his music another plug, by letting everyone know...again...that he had a number one record in Chihuahua, Mexico....which is just like Barcelona, Spain...in Wes' world. You could hear my eyes rolling when he started talking.

Wes' date with Jillian began with a series of mild insults and self-absorbed comments....

Jillian says, "I missed you!"

Wes says, "Yeah whatever, you say that to all the boys."

Jillian says, "I thought we could go on a bike ride."

Wes says, "I hope your bike riding skills are better than your cross country skiing."

Jillian says, "You look cute on a bike."

Wes says, "Yeah I know. Tell me how sexy I look baby...feed my ego."

All the while, he never complimented her in any way, shape or form. It's no wonder that Jillian was worried about Wes' lack of affection. He tried to tell her that he missed not getting to hang out with her a lot and that he thought she was perfect, but he sat so far away from her, I doubt she could even hear him.

I wished we had all missed his theory on relationships... "Relationships are all about bending. Nothing's going to break if it can bend." Apparently he only expects one person to bend and that's the person he's in the relationship with. He makes it pretty clear to Jillian that he has no intention of leaving Austin. When she tries to push farther he makes it blatantly obvious that he has checked out of the conversation when he answers her question by saying, "That bird has no foot...God what's wrong with me?" and spills his drink on himself. Jillian goes from trying to light a fire under Reid's ass to having to wipe up the mess under Wes'. Jillian decides to save the rest of her questions for later and take time to reflect and ask herself why Wes is always having to defend himself...Answer... because he's always guilty!

Wes shows up for dinner in his best Western shirt, which seems to be all the man owns. The "gentleman" pulls out the chair for her and their date starts something like this...

WES - Today was a blast! I would like to clear the table...I mean clear the air...whatever.

JILLIAN - You are that bad boy that I'm always attracted to. There have been a lot of red flags and I have to bring it up again even though I know you don't like talking about it. I have to know everything so I can defend myself.

WES - I honestly haven't told any of those guys that I have a girlfriend.

JILLIAN - You didn't even kiss me all day.

WES - When you tell me I'm the one then I'll show you. I mean I'm not here to hurt you, but I'm going to be true to myself, because "numero uno" is most important here.

JILLIAN - I think that this person Laurel is very important to you and I want to know why.

WES - I spent six years with that person and she's one of my best friends.

JILLIAN - What broke you up?

WES - Our differences broke us up.

JILLIAN - What did you tell Jake?

WES - My girlfriend... I mean ex-girlfriend....

And there it was...you could see it on Jillian's face, she knew he was hiding something. He didn't even finish. The craziest part is that when the date card arrived, Wes actually read it out loud...looked at Jillian...and said, "I think we should...actually?" Even Jillian had to be thinking...Seriously? You haven't even kissed me all day and you think I want to go back to the fantasy suite and hook up with you now? She told him she thought they should "skip it". FINAL ANSWER! Thank God!

It really wasn't a dramatic rose ceremony. All the guys were looking sharp in their suits...all but Wes, who stood there in his jeans and his blazer talking about how it was going to be for him going home and letting them know that he'd be having lots of sex! What a jerk! The guys looked visibly uncomfortable with his comment. He looked like an ass, he acted like an ass, and she should have hit him in the ass with the limo door on his way out. She picked Ed, then Reid, then Kiptyn. It was more exciting for Wes to say goodbye to the guys. He waved all sweetly as he drove away, then grabbed a beer to congratulate himself for "being the first guy to make it to the top four with a girlfriend". And sat there with that stupid grin on his face, joking about how long it would take him to get back on his feet after being shot down...as if to say...not long! Then he rambled on making himself look like an even bigger jerk..."My acting days are over...I have done everything I needed to do. I'm going back home...got my dog waiting and my band. We're pushing a new single right now. I've got a radio tour I've got to do ASAP. And tonight I'm going out! I'm cutting off the chains. How did I lose to Reid? You gotta be kidding me...those three boys wouldn't even get so much as a nibble back in Texas. It's on like a pot of neck bones. I'm in Spain...everybody's gonna know my name!" I actually threw up a little. The limo driver should have jumped out and let him ride off a cliff.

Jillian walked back to the final three to let them know that she knew she needed to do that...HELL you needed to do that a long damn time ago!

Now they are off to the Hawaii...will they finally see the inside of the fantasy suite? Will Jillian give them a nibble after all? One thing is for sure...Wes ain't coming back and no one gives a crap what his name is!

Comments (6)

If it is possible for a girl to be thinking with the wrong "thing", I think Jillian is doing just that. How else can you explain her extremely poor sense of judgment when it comes to Wes?

I have to personally thank ABC for single handedly finding the biggest piece of work in the entire city and putting him on this show. For years, our fine city has been ranked as one of the best cities in the Country for singles. Now everyone is going to think that the reason we have so many singles is because the city is full of jerks like Wes. Where are all the good men? Maybe they are in Philly!

Reid's hometown date in Philadelphia was a hit with Jillian. As she said, "He has a warmth about him". I definitely don't see him as the type of guy to deceive her. His family was very welcoming and seemed really surprised to see Reid so happy and affectionate. When he told his father that Jillian was definitely a girl he could fall in love with, Reid's dad told him to go into it "head over heels...that's the only way good things will happen." I think I've actually heard that advice before on previous episodes of The Bachelor/Bachelorette. Maybe our generation is becoming too conscious. Maybe that's why everyone is taking so much longer to settle down and this is their parent's way of trying to speed things up. They looked good together when they kissed. It was very believable. You can almost see the butterflies in Reid's stomach when she's around. I definitely think he'll be around for a while.

Michael was the next to introduce Jillian to his family and his identical twin brother. Thank God his brother wasn't nearly as annoying as Michael. I don't think the world could handle two of them. He even tried to pull the old switch-a-roo on her. Thankfully, she caught on immediately. He gets so excited. He's like a little pop tart jumping up and down all the time. If I made my list of "negotiables and non-negotiables" ... Not acting like a chimpanzee on crack would be at the top of the list. But apparently, Jillian's only non-negotiable is finding someone who makes her laugh...at him, not with him. I do have to admit though, he seemed very sincere when he talked about her...it was pretty sweet. I think Jillian may have a hard time watching this show later on and seeing how much he truly cared about her.

Kiptyn and Jillian met up on the beach. He is "that guy" that she's always dreamed of. Me too! Going up to Kiptyn's house was a bit overwhelming for her...she was feeling that she might not fit in with his family, but she relaxed the minute his family pointed out the caution tape surrounding the hot tub. I think she knew once they started poking fun at her and her infamous hot tub scene, that these people were okay. Nothing to be afraid of....except maybe his mother. I think she's nice, but the way she was lurking by the door, creeped me out a bit. But I don't think his mom or that caution tape is going to keep Jillian from getting her hands on Kiptyn.

Don't call it a comeback! But to everyone's surprise, Ed came back to ask Jillian for another shot at love. As he explained to her, he couldn't stop thinking about her after he left the show and decided that he had made a huge mistake. He wanted her to know that he felt like they were perfect for each other. I think they are perfect for each other too. I even think they look alike. I heart Ed. I'm going to call him the comeback kid. I'm so happy he's back. I had him pegged in my top three from the beginning. I was so sure of it. My gut is never wrong!

Come ride with me...come ride with me on my tractor. That's pretty much Jesse's idea of the ultimate in romantic dates. Don't get me wrong...the dude is hot and owns a winery...I'd ride a donkey with him if he wanted me to. You should always keep the guy that has alcohol readily available. His brother, Jacob, looked a lot like Jesse...just add hair...a lot of it. Jacob seemed really skeptical about this entire process, but I think Jesse really won him over when he expressed his true feelings toward Jillian. He almost won me over too until they broke out into that family jam session. This ain't the Partridge Family people! The Firestone's don't play the drums.

Leave the musical stylings to Wes. He wants all the attention anyway, which was apparent on his hometown date in the good old city of Austin, that he seems desperate to give a bad name. Instead of taking Jillian to meet his family right away, he takes her to meet his band and give himself one more chance to sing that stupid song. But Jillian just stands there in her big red boots with a big grin on her face. She's totally clueless when it comes to Wes. He even said, "I've gotten myself so far into this that I feel like I'm stuck". Yeah that's what I have always wanted to hear a guy say to me. But he quickly covers his tracks, by saying that he wouldn't be here if he didn't want to be and that she shouldn't doubt his true intentions. "I'm not a very good liar", he said. No...you're a great one!

Well Jake wasn't going to stand by and let Jillian get her heart broken. So he decided to fly to Austin and tell Jillian that Wes has a girlfriend and he's knows this because Wes told him about her (Laurel) not once, not twice, but three times! Come on Jillian. Guys don't talk about girls that much unless they still have feelings for them. Even if they broke up a year ago and they are just "really good friends" who sleep together occasionally and make out in public (I made that up), it doesn't mean that she's his "girlfriend". She's just a girl, that's a friend, who he talks about...a lot...to Jake...and Tanner. You have nothing to be concerned about. WAKE UP! Stop giving him roses you stupid girl!

At the rose ceremony, Jillian knows she has a tough decision to make. She asked Ed to stay for the rose ceremony, so now she knows that she has to send two guys home instead of just one, because she can only take four guys on her hometown dates. I wish Chris Harrison would have just played her some tapes of Wes being a jerk, but no. The producers just want to leave that poor girl in the dark.

Jillian stands in front of her boys, nervously holding the first rose. She calls Reid's name first, then Kiptyn. Deep breath... Ed gets the third...Yes! Yes! Then she does exactly what we all knew she would...she chooses Wes....you IDIOT!

I have to give some props to Jesse. He walks up to Jillian and gives her a big hug, then walks out, doesn't even say anything, doesn't even turn around. I think Jillian was a little shocked, but I think she deserved it. He was right...Ed stole his rose and Wes was there for the wrong reasons. It may sting now...but he's better off.

Poor sweet Michael...as much as he annoys the crap out of me...I was really touched by his speech. He said that he could not say a bad thing about that girl. He straight up loved her. He said that if he could see her again, he would tell her three things...You're beautiful, I'm going to miss you, and be happy. I was heartbroken for him.

Next week, Jillian is going to take the Final Four to Spain for some more exciting adventures. I hope Jillian figures out that the only tour Wes is going to take her on is his TOUR DE PANTS.

Comments (5)

Jillian changes things up this week by taking the elite eight for a train ride on the Rocky Mountaineer! Things get going pretty quickly on this episode, as Robby is selected for the first one on one date. Robby joked, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....get that rose". They had a lovely dinner in the caboose. Though that doesn't necessarily sound appetizing, it was Robby's last chance to make a good impression on Jillian. Jillian said that she wanted someone who was not so serious to cheer her up, so I guess that's why she selected the guy who knew his way around a bar. It's always good to start a "do or die" date with a strong cocktail. It takes the sting off the impending dumpage. Jillian said that Robby made her feel 5 or 10 years younger, but when Robby started talking about his family's curse of not getting married, I think Jillian aged a few years. She immediately stated in on the tough questions. Basically, Robby revealed that he's 25, with no job, and no real idea of where he is going. The number one sign that your date is going badly...the train slows down...literally...and your luggage is dumped on the side of the tracks. Needless to say, Robby did not get that rose and was forced to deboard the love train.

As the train pulled away and the other guys waved their goodbyes through the window, the boys began to realize that Jillian was as serious as a train wreck about finding love. Michael even started to cry. I think he was even more upset than Jillian about Robby's departure, but then again, she had Wes to console her. Leave it to Wes to swoop in and cheer her up. As he said, he's always going to have her wrapped around his little finger. He went as far as to say that he could taste the fame he was going to get from this show. He was so shameless about his not so hidden agenda that he spoke about it openly, not realizing that by making himself out to be an insincere jerk, he was single handedly making himself infamous not famous.

I have to give some props to our Texas boys for making up 50% of the final eight. Wes, Robby, Tanner and Jake all hale from the Lone Star State. Not Bad! However, only 5 get to take Jillian on a hometown date and Robby has already been given the boot!
The remaining seven bachelors continued on their journey through the Rockies nervously awaiting the next date card. The train stopped off at Emerald Lake for the group date with everyone, but Reid, who would receive the final one on one date....she's saving the "best for last" as he put it.

The rest of the crew got to go snow shoeing around the lake, which was very exciting for Tanner, because he got another chance to touch her feet as he helped her get strapped in. It's hard to look sexy in snow shoes, but Jillian somehow managed to have a good time playing hide and seek and snuggling in the show with "Mr. Perfect", Jake.

After their day in the snow, they spent some time at a local cabin, getting to know each other better. Jake got the first crack at some alone time, where he convinced Jillian what a great idea it would be for her to go back to his hometown and give his parents a chance to embarrass him. Just as the conversation was getting "electric" as he put it, the other guys came down to break things up.

Kiptyn stole her away for some touchy feely time. This intimate setting gave Jillian a chance to showcase her big red boots again. Apparently it was a big turn on for Kiptyn, because they didn't talk for long before they started making out. I don't think she really cares what Kiptyn says. She just stares at his mouth and nods her head up and down. Physical attraction... CHECK! Hopefully, she gets a chance to learn more about him on his hometown date other than the fact that he's a good kisser.

The other four boys decide that it's time for some answers to the really important questions like..."What do you wear when you sleep?" I'm guessing Michael wears his favorite striped hoody, since he wears it every week on this show, but he tried to convince us that he prefers to be naked. Jillian on the other hand, ops for underwear and a tank top or if she's been drinking, just the underwear. TMI! Tanner decides to show her and everyone else what he wears to bed. He decides that the best way to win a hometown date is to drop trow in front of everyone. Jillian was not ready to see "the package", even though she admitted that it was HUGE. Maybe he should have put it in a box.

She was at least impressed enough to give him some one on one time...with her feet. Tanner and Jillian sat down on some kind of animal skin rug in front of the fire and Tanner busted out some lotion and started rubbing down her feet. It was love at first sight. "Now that I know how soft her feet are...I want her to meet my family". Really?! Is that gonna make your momma proud Tanner? The only thing that matters when looking for your future mate is high arches, mango toe nail polish, and no funny shaped toes? Well at least we know his priorities are in order....whatever freak!

Jesse opens up to Jillian and lets her know that fighting for time with her is a bit of a struggle for him. He prefers to have one on one time and knows that his family would love her if she would just come home with him. She admires his ability to communicate about his feelings. It was the spark she needed to put him on her YES list.

Michael, on the other hand, was still kind of teetering on the NO list. Though he makes her laugh and she has a great time with him, she just can't seem to get over his age or find the physical connection that she's looking for.

Back in the cabin, the other boys start talking about what's going on and Tanner finally comes clean about the fact that he was the one that told Jillian about the whole girlfriend situation. AND...Wes finally lets his secret out of the box...he's a prick! He can't stand a tattle tale, but he doesn't mind being liar and a jerk. "I've already made it six shows, you know what I mean...I got to serenade her with my song...I've gotten out of this what I needed to get out of it." Like Tanner said...he is an awful human.

Later...in the hot tub...Jillian hands out her group date rose to Kiptyn and tells him how excited she is to meet his family, leaving the other five to sweat it out until the official rose ceremony.

Back on the train the next morning, Jake puts his heart on his sleeve and tells her what she already knew, that he is super sweet and super into her, unfortunately, I'm not so sure that she feels the same.

Reid's one on one date entailed a full day of snowboarding and falling on his butt. Apparently, Jillian likes a guy to fall for her. She was impressed by his ability to embarrass himself and get back up again. They got to relax in the "ice sculpture lounge" after their long day on the slopes above Lake Louise and Reid got to explain to Jillian his theory on why your ears get red when it's cold. He said it means that you either have high blood pressure or you're horny. Thankfully, they just had high blood pressure, but Jillian decided that she needed to take Reid back to the hotel to make sure that's all it was.

Once they settled in at the hotel, Reid showed Jillian his neurotic side and his fear of fondue. The funny thing about Jillian is that she likes the guys with imperfections. She somehow finds all the germaphobes and foot fetishes charming. Maybe she thinks that if she finds a guy with flaws, they'll be more likely to look past hers. I think she gave him the rose, because he seemed a little more mature than the others and at the very least she's willing to go out on a limb and try to figure things out with him now that she knows that Reid is willing to take the risk.

The train comes to an end at some fabulous resort in the mountains, where Chris Harrison whisks Jillian away to ponder her next decision. At the rose ceremony, Jillian still had some unanswered questions. She pulls Michael out into the hallway to make sure that he knows that she thinks 25 is too young for her and that she's not sure that he's really ready. I don't know if she did that because she didn't want him to be blindsided when she dumped him or if she was really confused about his sincerity. I think the only thing she accomplished was confusing the poor kid even more and probably herself.

The first rose went to Jesse, the second to Wes, and the last to Michael. Why take perfection, when you can have a break dancer I always say?! Huh? I know Jake is a little stiff, but he's a good dude. I understand sending Tanner home, I mean finding a guy who wants to rub your feet is great, but a guy who would rather rub your feet than anything else...not so much. But Jake...she didn't even have an answer for him. Nice guys finish last...and a-holes get a rose. I have a feeling that Jake may get a few votes for the next Bachelor if he doesn't blow it next week by coming back as the ultimate tattle tale of them all. I'm sure Wes will write a song about it, if he's not too busy drinking in all his newly found fame.

Comments (1)

Last week was a rough week for Jillian, so she decided to whisk the boys off to Whistler for some fun in her favorite little Winter Wonderland.

Michael, the "funny one", received the first one on one date. He didn't necessarily pack appropriately for the trip, which was obvious by his thin leather jacket, but thankfully he packed his favorite striped hoodie to keep him warm.

Jillian said that he very well could have been one of the guys that she could have sent home last week, but she didn't. She thinks he's goofy and extremely funny, but needs to know if they have a romantic connection. She decided that the only possible way to find out if he was ready to commit was to dangle him upside down over a ravine and force him to take a ride on a zip line to get across. Of course, Michael is all for it. He looked somewhat like a baboon swinging through the trees of the forest. Sooo romantic. As Jillian put it, she definitely feels like she's a kid when she's with Michael. "He makes me feel like I'm 19 again and that's how I want to feel for the rest of my life....He's very much like a puppy. He doesn't hold back. If he wants to touch you....or share his feelings, he just does it." I felt like every time she said something he just repeated it loudly and added YES! YES! More like a small child than a puppy, but whatever. As Michael would say, "Am I nuts?"... or is Michael SUPER AWESOME...and mildly challenged? YES! YES!

There's a reason why they gave Jillian the saber at dinner and not Michael. I don't think they felt that he was mature enough to handle a weapon of that magnitude. Jillian showed us how to gently remove the cork from the champagne with one clean stroke of her saber. I have a feeling that many viewers are now attempting to do this at home with large bread knives. They should have added a disclaimer. Who needs a cork screw when you have Cutco...right?!

We also learned some valuable advice:
Burgundy makes you think of silly thoughts
Bordeaux makes you talk about them
Champagne makes you do silly things
And Michael is just plain silly.

Jillian starts in on Michael with some pretty tough questions like...Is this what you were expecting? Could you see yourself falling in love? Why did you sign up for the show? Michael decides to cut the crap for a moment and show his vulnerable side, admitting that he had a break up 8 months ago and hasn't been on a date since. He acknowledged that he has a tendency to make a fool out of himself and tells her that he's one of those "cheesy asses who falls in love if a girl kisses him on the mouth kind of guys". Jillian's not quite sure what that means or that he's ready for a "serious" relationship, but she's willing to spend some more time with him trying to figure it out. He gets a rose.

I also love how ABC shows a sneak peek of what's to come before every break as if to say, "If you're bored now...just wait. There's something way more exciting coming up!" Like the group date.

This week's group date gave Jillian a chance to find out what the boys are hiding. She is not letting that whole girlfriend thing go. She decides to take them all snowmobiling! Of course, Wes wants to know who's riding double. Go figure the two-timer doesn't want to double up. She chooses Robbie to hang on in the bitch seat, while she takes him for a ride and a private interrogation session. Robbie openly admitted that he got angry and emotional at the rose ceremony, because he didn't have a rose and he wanted to make sure that she knew that he did not have a girlfriend and that he was there for the right reasons.

Next, she pulled Tanner aside as if to say...Come on dude. Give it up already. You started this mess. Just tell me who it is! But Tanner wasn't budging. He just told her that he wasn't there to throw anyone under the bus...just put enough doubt in her mind to make her crazy!

She must have known something, because she went right to Wes after talking to Tanner. His opening line was, "What's up baby?" Come on Jillian. Please take off the blinders. But no...she just asked him sweetly, "Were you worried that they thought you were here for the wrong reasons?" Wes replied, "Everybody knows that I have a CD coming out... You know my little sister signed me up, so obviously I'm not doing this for publicity." Then he added, "I'm totally having feelings that I didn't think I was going to have....so I don't think I need to talk about this anymore." And she just caved! I can tell that we have a connection and that I'm only going to hear what I want to hear because I think you're a bad ass and soooo sweet...DO YOU HEAR YOURSELF JILLIAN!? Those two things don't go together. Her relationship with Wes is a perfect example of how stupid women get around pretty boys. He didn't even answer her questions. She totally lost my respect on that one.

She reserved a cabin for the evening to finish her quest for the truth. She took some time out with Kiptyn to let him touch her butt, as if she could tell by the feel of his hands on her bum that he wasn't lying to her either. So they just made out and all was better.

Reid gets grilled, but basically makes her feel like the whole thing is just silly and helps her realize that she needs to move on from this obsession with girlfriend gate.

Jesse gets the second one of one date with Jillian and thank goodness he left the hat at home...it would have really screwed up his snow angels on the glacier. I don't know how sitting in the snow on top of a glacier...doing nothing...qualifies as the "best day" and "best date" of anyone's life, but they were having a great time. Maybe the lack of oxygen up there made them loopy. At least they had a chance to warm up at dinner. But Jillian's fireside chat went right back to the subject of ex-girlfriends. I think she thought she had him up until the point that he told her that he and his ex don't even speak to one another anymore. The only person he wanted to speak to was Jillian. Apparently her self-proclaimed "nails on a chalk board/drinking whisky since I was born" voice is "arousing" to Jesse. She may have found her perfect match. If you can find a guy who loves you for you and your most annoying quality...snag that sucker! Don't let him go.

Ed gets a conference call from his boss and he is forced to make a choice between having a job or having a relationship with Jillian. JOB...Jillian....JOB...Jillian. Well as Jake put it, this isn't exactly the time to risk your career. The economy claims another victim as Ed has to tell Jillian that he's choosing his job over the one in ten chance she is offering him. I felt like she was a little hard on him. I don't think that he went into this knowing that his boss was going to give him an ultimatum. I'm actually glad that they finally got someone on the show with a real job and real responsibilities. That's real life. Not everyone can take months off work and fly around the world without a care. I feel bad for her that she got her heart broken...he was one of my top three picks as well...but at the end of the day, this is a television show. Of course, we all want a man who is willing to risk it all for love, but don't we really want someone who is grounded as well. It's hard to find both.

It seems like every week is filled with new drama. I guess that's why Jillian decided to avoid the cocktail party all together and just get right down to the rose ceremony. She picked all the usual suspects, but when it got down to just Wes and Mark, I actually thought for one moment that she was smarter than I thought.....not so much. She pinned the last rose on Wes and sent Mark, the pizza man, packing. I don't know why a guy, who's been cheated on 4 times, thinks that going on a show with 30 guys all competing for one girl, is going to help him break down his barriers. If anything, he's going home more wounded than before. Let's all say a prayer for the next poor girl who has to navigate through that mess to find the good guy underneath.

Tune in next week for something way more exciting and see who is unable to "perform" under the pressure. Lord I hope it's Wes.

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This week begins with a special trip to Jillian's hometown of Vancouver. She apparently doesn't want to wait until the end of the season like everyone else. She wants to see if they can handle the truth now. All thirteen guys get to see what Canada and Jillian are all about.

Once arriving in Vancouver, Jillian greets the guys at some fancy hotel and tells them that this is where they will be living. It was quite a step up from the bunk house that most of them were living in back in LA. Michael was so excited that he decided to show off his striped hoodie! You're killing me dude. Chris Harrison explained that this week, there would be a one on one date, a group date, and the dreaded two on one date, where one of the guys would definitely be going home.

Kiptyn wins the one on one date with Jillian. She decides to take him kayak racing on a freezing cold river, where he is forced to let her win in order to look like a gentleman, followed by a trip to the market. She decides to "cook up some love" in the kitchen...otherwise known as pasta salad. My favorite part was when Kiptyn goes for the old reach around in the kitchen. You could tell she got a little excited. Oh he's kissing my neck, how will I ever finish plating these dishes. Smooth Kiptyn...I'll give you some extra credit for that one.

After dinner, they take some time to relax on the couch, while Kiptyn explains how he talked himself into coming on the show, because he needed to learn how to chase girls. He's always been the guy who takes what comes to him. This time he decided that it was time for him to put himself out there. So he decided to come on a show with 30 guys all chasing after the same girl?! That's pretty ambitious for your first go around. Maybe you could have started out in a bar with less competition. He must have a lot of confidence if he thinks he's going to prevail over the other twenty-some guys hand selected for Jillian. I guess he did something right, because he won the rose. Jillian even did a little dance after walking him out. She's definitely smitten!

The next day, Jillian took the man group to enjoy one of Canada's most beloved sporting events. Hockey you ask....no...CURLING! It's like a combo of shuffle board and ice skating; only less exciting if that's possible. Basically they all fell down a bunch and looked really stupid sweeping the ice. Michael got to hug her a lot and Jesse was the only one who showed us that he knew what to do with his stones. He killed it! He hit the bullseye. I honestly have no idea what that means or why this stupid game exists.

Jesse's Red Team won the curling competition and a private dinner cruise with Jillian, while the others were sent back to the hotel. They had a little toast on deck before going downstairs for dinner. I'm not sure what else they were eating. All I remember is some guy walking in with a big pan and dumping a bunch of crab all over the table...DIG IN! Jillian stole Jake away for a little private tour of the ship. They hadn't had any real alone time since their country western one on one date. Jillian tells Jake that she thinks he's absolutely perfect! Which Jake basically takes as an insult...like too perfect is a bad thing. Apparently he gets that a lot right before he gets dumped. She told him that she just wanted him to be himself...scary thing was...Jake thought he was being himself.

Jesse also got some one on one time to show her that he looks good in a hat and that he's a pretty good kisser. Thank goodness he and his grandmother took those shuffle board lessons, I'm sure that's what really won him the rose. It certainly wasn't the hat.

David takes his alone time to tell Jillian that he's ass man and just an ass overall. He kept going on and on about how great her butt looked in spandex. Apparently he thought that was the way to get her into the mood, because he leaned in and tried to kiss her. She gave him the cheek. David was pretty surprised. He'd "never been turned down for a kiss". He wondered why everyone else was getting some lip and not him. He totally disrespected her. He was even messing with her top and talking about her boob almost falling out. It was so awkward and wrong. I'm sure she was praying for Juan to come and steal her away this time. No such luck.

The two on one date this week was with Mike and Mark. I have to say that half of the time, I don't even recognize Mark. When he's standing there in his underwear with his glasses on and a five o'clock shadow, he looks like a totally different person, but give him five minutes to change, put in some contacts, shave and comb his hair and voila...perfecto! I felt bad for Mark on the date though. Even with his cleanly shaven face and freshly ironed shirt, Mike ran all over him. Mike jumped in the middle on the helicopter, so he was the only person sitting next to Jillian. Then at dinner, he did the toast and most of the talking. Poor Mark just sat there and decided that he might prefer to buy a dog and move off to Alaska. As Mike explained, this date is like a one on one date only split in half...kind of the way he cuts Mark off mid-sentence when he speaks.

Jillian explained how tough it was for her to make a decision on this date. So she takes some time out to speak to each one of them individually. Mike seemed to be saying all the right things, but I don't know that Jillian was totally buying it. He seemed really scripted. He may have been sincere, but it was hard to tell through all that thick wavy hair.

I think Mark was more vulnerable. He dumped his past out on the floor. He started talking about his past relationships and getting hurt and cheated on. It was like Christmas for Jillian. She finally found her wounded soldier. Mike never stood a chance. She gave him the boot. Speaking of boots...How many pairs does Jillian have? She's got some kick ass boots on this show. I wonder if she gets to keep those. Sorry...fashion tangent.

The cocktail party starts out with a little conversation alone with Reid. It was pretty obvious that he wanted to tell her something about the other guys, but he also didn't want to take away from his time with her to nark on the other dudes. So they just chatted and cuddled and asked stupid questions. Then Wes took her away to sit on the roof and tell her how much he missed her. She told him how much she loved his song, which thank God he didn't sing again, and he tried to tell her that he had genuine feelings for her, while the other guys stared out the window and started talking trash about him.

When they came back inside, Tanner decided that he had to be the one to step up and tell her that there were guys in the house with girlfriends and guys who weren't there for the right reasons. However, he failed to tell her that the dude she should be afraid of was Wes! And Wes ain't talkin...the one time we need that bastard to sing...he fails to deliver.

Jillian cuts the cocktail party short to go back into her little room and cry, but with Chris Harrison's help, she decides to come back out and confront them all about who the mystery man with the girlfriend is. Wes just looks around and tries to look as puzzled as everyone else. NO ONE spoke up. No one told her the truth. So Jillian was forced to make the decision without really knowing.

She sent home the tragic duo of David and Juan! I think it's funny that in David's exit he was still complaining about Juan and wondering if he somehow threw him under the bus. That boy needs to go into counseling before he even thinks about trying to have a real relationship.

Three down...ten to go. Tune in next week to hear Wes' new song for Jillian - Bad boys, bad boys...whatcha gonna do...whatcha gonna do when they have girlfriends too.

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