New Favorite Snack!!!

I just had to share my new favorite breakfast that I've been enjoying as a late night snack as well... I got the recipe from the Biggest Loser cookbook (my new favorite book).

It's a Peanut Butter Banana Split!!

1 medium-sized ripe banana; sliced lengthwise
1 TBSP of reduced fat peanut butter
1/2 cup low fat yogurt (any flavor... I like Vanilla, KeyLime, and/or Peach
2 TBSP crunchy, high fiber, low sugar granola

Place the banana halves in a banana split dish or shallow bowl. (I even like to split it again in half and make a banana layer in my cereal bowl).
Spread the Peanut Butter evenly over the open banana pieces.
Spoon the yogurt in the middle, over the top of the bananas
Top with the granola cereal.
Eat immediately while the granola is still crunchy.

***As an extra "treat", I sliced up 2 strawberries and put them on the yogurt before the granola. ***

This is so good!!! I'm addicted!!!!! I'll get a picture up tomorrow, since I'm halfway through the one I've made tonight. :-)

LDS Women Blog.... Great New Site!

I want to recommend a blog that I am a contributing author on. It's a great site for LDS women... and I've become an author to add the perspective of single sister in the church.

http://mormongirlclub.blogspot.com/

Come join the party. I'm sure they could use more authors who actually post, they have a lot of authors.. but none are the "avid blogger's" we'd like to see.

What the Singles in the Ward Want You to Know!

As a young, never-married, lifetime member of the church, this article especially hit home for me, and I feel that it should be something handed out to EVERY member of the church!!! I think it's so important for married members of the church understand how important these things are to the single members around them, and how they can help those singles to feel more apart of the family ward.

"What the Singles in the Ward Want the Rest of Us to Know"
by Debra Sansing Woods
From: LDS Living Magazine

We may think we know the singles in our ward or branch – who they are, what makes them tick, what they want out of life, and how best to meet their needs as members of our wards and branches, but how often do we stop and ask them – our single friends and acquaintances-- to speak for themselves, to tell us in their own words what they’d like the rest of us to know about them?

With these thoughts in mind, I recently took some time to talk with a dozen or so singles and former singles (namely, those who spent some real time being single past the age of 21), and invited them to tell the rest of us what they’d like us to know about their experience of being single in the church. Not surprisingly, I found the conversations eye-opening and enlightening and while I cannot include all of my findings in this one article, here are some of the themes and opinions that came up again and again.

1. No Two Singles are Alike. Generally speaking, we singles share in common the fact that we’re single and LDS. But beyond those two characteristics, we are each very much individuals with our own histories related to marriage (some never-married, some married and divorced, and some widowed) and other aspects of our lives (some college-educated, some not; some lifetime LDS, some adult converts; some with children, others without); our own strengths and weaknesses; talents and interests; challenges and triumphs. We’re good at finding common ground with each other, but don’t assume that just because we’re single and LDS we are alike. We thrive on being valued as the individuals we truly are.

2. Most of Us Want to Marry (for the first time or again), but We’re Not Desperate To Marry. In other words, please don’t ask us (at least not very often) if/when we are going to get married; If we had found the right one, we would be married by now. Sometimes, we really do appreciate your efforts to find us a match, but keep in mind that even if you know a single man or woman who has a pulse and is an active member of the church, these facts alone do not necessarily make him or her a good marriage prospect for us. Even so, if you feel prompted to introduce us to someone you think may be a fun date or a good match, go ahead and introduce us, but don’t pressure us to go out with them. We’re more likely to marry successfully if we’re given a little time and space to seek inspiration for ourselves.

3. We Sisters Would Like Your Help to Find a Few More Good Men. Or make that a few thousand more good men. One single sister from Oklahoma City had this to say about being a single sister in the church: “The singles’ conference I just got back from had 700 women and 200 men attending. Ridiculous! Where are all the men? Inactive, I believe. We need Elders’ Quorums and High Priest Groups to get out there and do their jobs contacting these guys. There is no way they can be righteous priesthood holders when they are inactive with NO friends at church. All of us single sisters would just rather stay single than end up with a man who does not have a strong testimony and is not a valiant priesthood holder. We sisters cannot activate these guys alone. We need our priesthood’s help to make this happen.”

4. We Value Your Friendship. We share some terrific friendships with other singles, but we share some wonderful friendships with our married friends as well. While we may not have our marital status, or, rather, lack of marital status in common with our married friends, we often share many other things in common with them. In some cases, we share a love of music, everything from Broadway musicals to participating in the ward choir. In other cases, we may share an interest in the outdoors, including camping and hiking. And oftentimes, we simply share a similar outlook on life, perhaps, a deep and abiding belief in our responsibility to make a positive difference in the world around us through consistent and compassionate acts of service.

When it comes to our friendships with our married friends, truth be told, most of us love spending time in their homes because their homes are so full of the energy and bustle of family life, a nice contrast to our quieter dwellings. So, thanks for inviting us over for dinner and for sharing your family home evenings with us. Your friendships enrich our lives tremendously.

5. We Appreciate Your Sensitivity to our Unmarried and Possibly Childless Circumstances When You Deliver Your Sacrament Meeting Talks and Share Your Sunday Lessons. We love the fact that the church is family-centered and so we understand that many talks and lessons are necessarily written and prepared with families in mind. Even so, we appreciate it when teachers and speakers take into account that not all of us live in homes where there is the ideal of a mother, father and children. We do not expect or want to be pitied for our lack of such a family situation, but we are positively impacted when teachers and speakers make an effort to tailor their lessons, in part, to speak to our particular circumstances.

Those of us who are single women without children have been especially touched on Mother’s Day when the speakers have honored the difference we try to make in the lives of children not our own, whether those children are our nieces and nephews, the children we teach in primary, or our neighbors’ and friends’ kids. We feel loved and wanted when ward members make an extra effort to help us feel a full part of this wonderful and vibrant family church.

6. We Need Diligent Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers. A good number of us have not experienced the blessing of having faithful home teachers and visiting teachers. Those of us who have know the tremendous difference such a blessing can make in our lives. A single mother of two has this to say about her faithful home teachers: “I am so very thankful for the presence of the priesthood in my home on a monthly basis. I make it a point to thank their wives for allowing them to spend time bringing a message to us as well as teaching me to do things like how to caulk the cracks in my windows.” Please know that whether we have family nearby or not, we benefit immensely from having diligent home teachers and visiting teachers.

7. We Love to Serve in Church Callings and in Other Church-Related Volunteer Capacities, but We Often Have Less Free Time than Others Might Think. For those of us who do not have children, we find that our married friends sometimes assume we have fewer responsibilities and far more free time than we actually have. In reality, many of us work hard to keep our heads above water with demanding jobs, the sole responsibility for the care and upkeep of our homes, and the needs of friends and/or family, sometimes including our aging parents. Additionally, some of us actively volunteer in the community, striving to make a difference in the lives of our fellow citizens. Please know that we very much desire to serve in the church and are committed to doing so as we seek to prayerfully balance our church service with the demands and needs in our personal lives.

8. We Enjoy Serving in a Variety of Church Callings. We are happy to serve in the nursery and in the singles’ group but, overall, we enjoy serving in a wide range of callings, everything from Primary Teacher and Youth Sunday School Instructor to Relief Society Counselor and Ward Missionary. Wherever we are asked to serve, we seek to use the special skills and knowledge we have gained from our work and professional lives to magnify our church callings. One of the biggest reasons we want and even need to serve in a variety of callings is so that we can learn and grow in ways that we would never otherwise have the opportunity to learn and grow in. Also, perhaps more than anything else, we want to serve in a variety of capacities because we desire to make a positive difference in the lives of as many of our fellow church members as we can.

9. We Hope You’ll Celebrate the Good in Our Lives with Us. While we may feel down at times about not being married and, as the case may be, not having any children, we find there is still much good to celebrate in our lives. It means a great deal to us when our friends at church share in our excitement about a job promotion or in our enthusiasm for a talent we are striving to develop. We work hard to create happy lives no matter what our circumstances and, truth be told, our happiness naturally doubles when shared with others.

10. Know that You Make a Powerful and Positive Difference in Our Lives. If you ever wonder whether you make a difference in our lives, be assured that you do. We can recall numerous times when your friendship and caring have made an important difference for each of us.

One formerly single mom in our midst can remember a period of time, in particular, when some married members of her ward made a big difference in her and her daughter’s life. She had just come through a difficult divorce and found herself unexpectedly the sole parent and provider for her toddler. This young mother’s heart ached as she thought about her daughter growing up without the benefit of a dad to help raise her.

Thankfully though, two couples in her ward, sensitive to her and daughter’s situation, invited them into their homes to share dinners and family gatherings. The young mother found enormous comfort in knowing that, although she couldn’t, at that time, give her daughter a dad, members in her ward had thoughtfully and lovingly filled in some of the gaps. They had filled in those gaps by the simple act of welcoming a single mother and her child into their homes – homes where the dads were present and loving to their wives and children and where everyone living there had enough room in their hearts to show love and concern for a single mother and an essentially fatherless little girl.

The mother went on to marry again and her husband became a wonderful dad to her daughter. Even so, that formerly single mother will never forget the kindness and generosity of her fellow ward members – ward members who, like so many of you, have loving hearts and a tender spot for the singles in their ward.

One

One Word

Stolen from Orange Peanut -- Not as easy as you'd think!!!

You.
Can.
Only.
Type.
One.
Word.

Change the answers to suit you and then pass it on.Remember: one word answers.

1. Where is your mobile phone? table
2. Your significant other? preparing
3. Your hair? ponytail
4. Your mother? heaven
5. Your father? waterbed
6. Your favorite thing? naps
7. Your dream last night? forgotten
8. Your favorite drink? water
9. Your dream/goal? family
10. The room you're in? living
11. Your ex? none
12. Your fear? alone
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? motherhood
14. Where were you last night? bedroom
15. What you're not? uneducated
16. Muffins? blueberry
17. One of your wish list items? graduation
18. Where you grew up? Antioch
19. The last thing you did? email
20. What are you wearing? sweats
21. Your TV? fuzzy
22. Your pets? Callie
23. Your computer? macbook
24. Your life? busy
25. Your mood? tired
26. Missing someone? Yes
27. Your car? sold
28. Something you're not wearing? jewelry
29. Favorite Store? Kohls
30. Your summer? graduate
31. Like someone? lots
32. Your favorite color? green
33. When is the last time you laughed? saturday
34. Last time you cried? Saturday
35. Who will/would re-post this? dunno

Jennifer needs AND Jennifer wants...

This was funny! My friend did this on her blog and I thought I'd try it out. Just go to google and type your name and then needs. I typed "Jennifer needs" and this is what I came up with. Then I did "Jennifer wants" to see what came up. I only chose the G-PG rated ones!!!


1. Jennifer needs some friends. (who doesn't?)
2. Jennifer needs help. (Anyone want to help me finish my laundry and clean my apartment?)
3. Jennifer needs some more time (This... I do not and would really use lots of)
4. Jennifer needs your support (definitely!)
5. Jennifer needs to lose some weight (you have NO idea!!!!!!!)
6. Jennifer needs your prayers (everyone can use more prayers)
7. Jennifer needs to grow up and get over it (good advice!)
8. Jennifer needs to keep on improving (always!)
9. Jennifer needs to take a small break (OH YEAH!)
10. Jennifer needs a makeover. (Seriously... sign me up!)


1. Jennifer wants to meet Mr. Right. (more than anything)
2. Jennifer wants to have a baby (more than one... but have a few steps to hit first... see above)
3. Jennifer wants to connect with her family and friends (always!!!)
4. Jennifer wants a career (I wouldn't be in school if that wasn't the case)
5. Jennifer wants to do the best in everything she does (Absolutely!!!)
6. Jennifer wants to do 37 things (only 37.... must be a slow day)
7. Jennifer wants to hear her grandmother's voice one more time (Grandma's and Mom's.... more than anything!!!)
8. Jennifer wants to play (seriously... have you seen a 7 year old on the playground.. I want THAT energy!)
9. Jennifer wants the Hallmark moments. (as often as I can get them)
10. Jennifer wants to journey around the world (yep... hopefully I'll go in 18 months!)


Go to google and find your own needs.

Tonight's Revelation

I'm babysitting for my friend's daughter tonight. She's asleep, so I'm left with some time to think. This morning I got another wedding announcement... this time for my adopted parents oldest son. He's a year, or so, older than I am... and this is his second marriage (and his second girlfriend... lifetime count). I know that the first marriage wasn't a good match, and I'm very happy for him and wish hiim all the luck/happiness in the world.

So, how did this cause me to need "thinking time" tonight?

Well, some of you know about the date I had last month. We met on LDS Singles Online, and talked (via phone) for about 3-4 weeks before we planned a face-2-face date. We were both very excited about our first F2F date because we had a lot in common and our conversations tended to flow really smoothly and comfortably. We had even made the remark that if the chemistry was there, and we got along as well in person as we did on the phone... we may as well set a date for the temple... cause it was such a good match. So, he picked me up for dinner... and we sat talking for 2 hours before they practically kicked us out. This was where the date had planned to end.... and he asked if I was interested in going to the bowling alley/arcade for a few hours. I thought it was a great idea since we were getting along so well. 2 hours at the bowling alley... and we were having a great time! On the way home, we talked about future dates (restaurants, dinners, sightseeing, etc). We both had upcoming finals, so we thought we'd just talk over the phone for a week or so (til finals were over), and then we'd celebrate my birthday and the end of finals with a great date.

Over the next few days, we swapped text messages, and (he) planned a lunch date for the weekend before finals. Well... he never called to tell me a place/time for our lunch. He stopped texting me, and he never returned any text's I sent him. I finally sent him a final text asking him if I should assume he wasn't interested in another date... and I never got a reply.... so I guess I got my answer!

Well, I was approached online about a week ago from another seemingly nice guy from LDSSO. After an innocent IM conversation (no attempt to flirt, or anyting... just talk), he sent me an email saying he enjoyed our conversation, thought I was intriguing, and wanted to know if he could take me out to dinner. I emailed him with my phone number, and he called me the following morning. We talked "briefly" and set up a time that evening where we could talk at length. Well... after a 30 minute talk (that I thought went alright).... I never heard back from him.

So, my question is... what am I doing that is making guys run for the hills, or disappear into thin air after meeting me, or talking with me for only a half hour?

I asked my friend's husband this very question tonight... cause I knew that he would be honest and that he would tell it to me straight. Not just that... but he is LDS, and around the same age as these guys.... so he might have an idea. W told me that I am a very strong, independant, and intelligent person... and that my strong personality may scare or intimidate these guys. He felt that, maybe I should tone it down a bit for the date... and then slowly become more like "me".

Now, I pose these questions:
#1: Should I really have to change who I am in order to "hook" a guy... and then change back into who I really am?
#2: Why are guys scared of smart women? Do I really need to "dumb down" to get a guy to look twice at me?
#3: How do I meet a nice LDS guy who is interested in a strong, intelligent woman and won't be intimidated?
#4: Does anyone out there have any single LDS guy friends that they want to set me up with?
#5: Am I destined to be single forever because I'm independant and educated?
#6: Am I really that difficult to connect to... and am I really so odd that I've unconsciously become un-marriable?