Official Website of JillandKate

**NO spoilers here…if you haven’t watched the show and are nervous we might give something away…have no worries…no spoilers here.**

Ugh. Downton Abbey. The television craze. First off I (kate) told myself I wouldn’t use my computer when I was trying to go to sleep. Yes, I’ve read the articles about ‘winding down’ and something about the lights on your computer exciting the neurons in your eyes that stimulate the brain that keep you from sleeping. Yes, I’ve read it and had been doing really well but I just watched an episode of Downton and felt I HAD TO WRITE ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW. Sorry neurons, we’re up.

So, why is everyone so drawn to Downton Abbey? What is it about that show? Yes, it has great writing. Yes, it has phenomenal actors. Yes, the character development makes you want to walk through fire for almost any character. But it’s left me thinking…why are so many people drawn to that show?

For me it has something to do with the way things are cherished. Things have such great value in the show and I’m not just speaking monetarily. Whether it’s stopping in on someone for a visit or the family name or your chastity…everything was so highly cherished. Maybe it’s cause it was a simpler time and there was less to do but I like that back then taking a walk with someone was an activity. Or a picnic. Or a drive. It was all intentional.

There is also something about how valued family is. Meals were eaten together as a family. Extended family was a priority. Honoring their parents and respecting them really meant something. Maybe we like watching that show cause it makes us miss our families less. Or for those of us whose family situation might not be the greatest…maybe you feel like you belong when you watch the show with their fierce family loyalty. Someone told me once that a psychological study was done on the popularity of the show Keep Up With The Kardashians…and it turns out that people watch the show because they like feeling like they are a part of a family unit. Each episode displays family drama but by the end they are always there for each other. Don’t we all want that feeling of knowing someone is gonna be there for us?

Whether it’s a Kardashian sister or Mr. Carson maybe that’s why we get so drawn in–we just want to be a part of something. Included. Looked out for.

So there you have it…there is just something in me that makes my heart swoon all googley eyed when I watch that show. Maybe it’s their adorable British accents. It has been known that after we watch the show we both try and talk in British accents and drinks lots of teeeeeeea.

-j&k-

Merry Christmas everyone!

We hope today was a wonderful day for each of you and that all of you felt loved! Here is a little story from Kate’s Christmas day:

So recently my dad has gotten really into playing ping pong aka table tennis. He is actually really good but I continually am poking fun at his intensity regarding his love for this game. So, as a fun little Christmas gift I got my dad this mini ping pong set. You are supposed to set it up on a table…looks something like this:

He thought it was hysterical! But one of the pieces was missing for the net so we couldn’t set it up…FAIL. But that didn’t stop us…my dad being the handy man he is found some wood and set it up across the table…creating a faux net if you will. So we played mini-ghetto-table tennis…and it was SO MUCH FUN. We laughed and laughed…the paddles we tiny and hard to control but it was good times for sure. Here are some pics…

My dad and the mini-ping-pong-paddle.

This is where I was talking to the ball asking it very nicely not to go off the table when I hit it And you have a nice view of the ghetto “net.”

Now you get it…tiny table, tiny paddles = me doubled over in laughter

I highly recommend this gift….super great memories were made.

Merry Christmas.

Love,

-jillandkate-

We recently had a mother and daughter weekend o’ fun We’ll call it a late mother’s day extravaganza. It was pretty shnazzy. We are all pretty classy ladies. Haha. Take the pics below as an example.



They are pretty awesome for being such good sports….and truthfully, they took us out on the town…they are great…if our moms are reading this…we love you!

it’s late where i’m at and i couldn’t sleep so i thought i’d write a quick blog. there’s nothing better than a nice bowl of cereal when you can’t sleep. so–while typing i’m shoveling cereal into my mouth like i haven’t eaten in weeks or something…haha.


i was hanging out with my little brother’s a few weeks ago and they have this awesome book that teaches you how to draw things. i generally cannot draw anything more than a stick figure to save my life, but in effort to spend quality bonding time with them i decided to put pencil to paper and draw with them. and this is what came out…





i was SUPER impressed with myself. i mean…honestly my 8 year old brothers did it just as well…but still…i was pretty excited about how my fish turned out. the book is AWESOME and i secretly wanted to steal it and take it home with me…but i didn’t.


and to wrap up my awesome and somewhat boring story about this fish it reminded me that when one of my brothers was just a wee little tot….he had the CUTEST lisp. we would try and get him to say fish. so we’d say, “fa, fa, fish.” he would repeat and say, “fa, fa, shish.” it wasn’t a “fishy,” it was a “shishy.”
so to sum it all up.
cereal = good. drawing = good. shishy = good.
night night.
-kate