Jack & Jill Put Up A Blog

This week’s Date Night Idea: 

Every year we pick out a Christmas ornament that represents a memory, meaning or a place together. We then write on a small card that we attach to the string of the ornament with details on why we picked out the ornament for that year. 

For the night, we get in our pajamas, put on Christmas movies, drink Egg Nog spiked with Brandy and put up our Christmas decorations. We have a lot of fun looking back at our ornaments and reminiscing. Of course, it wouldn’t be a night with putting up lights without a freak out cussing session followed by about 10 minutes of silence when something goes wrong like putting up about 10 stings of lights, plug them in only to find out…you know the rest. Good times. 

I know this is specific to the Christmas holiday. If you are celebrating an upcoming holiday, maybe you can find a way to incorporate the idea. 

Date Night Idea: 

Collect Ornament(s) that represent years in your life together and attach a note card with a little reminder to help you remember why you picked out the ornament. 

Date Night Needs List: 

• Ornament(s) (catch up or make it your first year) 
• Egg Nog (Brandy – if you are crazy like us)  
• Christmas Movies – Jill’s favorite:  ”White Christmas. Jack’s Favorite: “It’s A Wonderful Life”
• Christmas/Holiday Decoration
• String, hole punch, note card, scissors for your memory note card that you attach to your ornament. 

To get an idea and to inspire your ornament tradition, here are our ornaments and the story that goes with each one. 

 

 Leaf

We picked up this ornament in Estes Park, CO, before we were married at this cute mountain town Christmas store. We were up there around Christmas time because Jack wanted to give me a couch for a weekend for Christmas so we stayed at The Wildwood Inn. We were living in a studio at the time with no couch, so it was a fantastic gift. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snow Flake 

Jack took me back to the Wildwood Inn the next year to ask me to marry him. He asked me on a hike in the mountains and it started to snow. We were amazed at the intricacy of the snowflakes natural designs. Later in the day, we found this snowflake ornament at the same Christmas store where we picked up the Leaf the previous year. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Star

We returned to Estes Park, CO to the same Christmas Store again to pick up our ornament. The star was just pretty, the special part was the tradition of picking out the ornament at the same store. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How did this get in here? Spot found the Snow Man that Jack’s Mom gave us years ago. He has now claimed it and is giving it love. I think he is the only labrador retriever that will not destroy stuffed animals to pieces. He’s a lover not a fighter.

And yes, he is in a t-shirt. It’s hilarious how much he loves wearing clothes. I’ll hold open the neck hole of a shirt and he wags his tail and sticks his head through himself. 

 

 

I heart NY

We picked up this magnet and made it into an ornament to represent the year we moved to New York City. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Door 

This ornament represents the year we bought our first home in Denver, CO. Nuff Said

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Labrador

I bet you can’t guess what this one is about. Yes, it is the year we adopted our Spot. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pickle

We found this I think at Target. A little different from the first three ornaments, but we just loved the story so much and wanted to play. It has to have some kind of purpose because why the heck would you ever get a pickle for your tree? On our card for this one we have that it was our first ‘real’ tree purchase. Prior years involved mini trees that you could use as a center piece for your kitchen table. 

 

 

 

The story of the pickle goes: 

“Miniature Gurken. Long Ago when parents decorated the Christmas tree, they hung the pickle ornament last, hiding it in the green boughs. When the children were allowed to view the tree, they would begin searching for the pickle ornament because they knew they would receive an extra gift for being the most observant.” 

 

The Pig

The glass pig we picked up in Sherman Oaks, CA at the cutest store called Handmade Galleries. The reason we connected with a pig…get ready for you veggies out there…you all are going to think we are total HICKS…we had a pig roast at our rehearsal dinner. Hold on now! Hold up! Listen! Pig roasts were something we both grew up with and it spoke to both of our childhoods. My uncle roasted the pig in the driveway just like he did every summer growing up.  

 

 

Acorn

Years ago, we had this brilliant idea to make ornaments out of acorns. We gathered acorns and made a business plan. We were so original and on our way to millions. Then we did a little research and discovered we were far from original. Thus, our dreams were shattered.

Recently, we were shopping for our ornament for this year and came across this very well done acorn ornament. We were so impressed…and pissed. Jerks. 

 

 

 

 

 

For some reason, I am really craving a pickle right now. Happy Holidays! 

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He Said Well as I recall, and I’m certainly not known for my recollection, we were in ‘hers’ apartment, late. Her sister (my roommate) and her boyfriend were out of town for the weekend. The four of us at that time were pretty much inseparable, so for the first time we were left alone to our own devices. Uh oh. The details of this have always been in debate as ’she’ and I were sitting on the floor facing each other and yet when we discuss it… "I was facing the dresser." "No, I was facing the dresser." Well we were both sitting on the floor with the bed, the dresser and the desk around us. Fact. I was smitten. Fact. After loads and loads of talking ’she’ initiated the kiss. Fact. I was facing the dresser. eh *shrug*? I got the girl. Fact. - Jack

She Said I remember it vividly. We were on the floor of my apartment in St. Paul, MN. I was facing the dresser. Jack was facing the desk. -Jill

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We are huge Monster’s Inc, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles fans. I thought Ratatouille was okay. We have no kids yet, but own them all and frequently watch them. For our 5 year wedding anniversary last month, we took a picture with Sully at Disneyland. Disneyland rocks! But that is a different post.

I love Ratatouille for a different reason – a date night theme night we did awhile back.

It has stuck in my mind as such a FUN date night. The food sucked and the movie was ‘eh,’ BUT what a memorable night! I am really selling huh?

I pretty much spilled the beans here, but we MADE Ratatouille and then watched Ratatouille. We are big on staying in and saving money, but the fun factor shouldn’t suffer. You need to make date night special…somehow. Not only making great food (or trying) and drinks, but also creating your atmosphere.

We always make sure the house is clean. We light candles. Pick a movie, activity or just eat dinner at the table. We listen to records or a new album. Recently, we purchased some French music.

Back to Rataouille, the food. It is a peasant’s dish and making the traditional recipe is just not very good. I won’t say anything about the movie, but there are modified recipes to try.

It was so fun just cooking the Ratatouille, eating the Ratatouille and then watch the movie where they are cooking and eating Ratatouille. We drank wine and listened to French music, and learned about another culture’s dish. So fun!

I have heard of cats and dogs getting along before but this is just silliness to me. This should be on cuteoverload.com. This middle of the day cat and dog cuddling was a regular occurrence, so you can imagine the massive amounts of pictures I snapped of these two.

Let me start out by saying we miss the kitty. We moved to Los Angeles from Denver and the Kitty went to live with my Dad in North Dakota. It was a tough decision, but we did what was best for her. We move around a lot, and my Dad….Well, let me give you his words…”When I die you would have to pry the television remote from my hands so you might as well just let me bring it with me.”

The cat needs lots of attention. So much that she will take it from a dog. My Dad will be there for her, multi-tasking, watching his FOX News.

There are definitive factors in a good and oh so bad snuggle. First, I asked Jack what he thought about snuggling…

Jack Says:
You have to have similar heights
And…you have to WANT to snuggle

Jill Says:
BS on the height – size doesn’t matter (at least not here)
And yes, you both have to WANT to snuggle, but isn’t that like saying “You have to WANT to be in a relationship?” Come on.

Here is the quick breakdown of our snuggling. Skip to the next paragraph if you think you might feel a barfing sensation coming on. But, if you are adventurous and want to try out our formation, here you go. For fun, describe your snuggle – it is harder than you think!

Full length body spooning snuggle: His bottom arm under her neck sticking straight out and holding hands with her bottom hand, his top arm over her body under her top arm holding hands (yes, double hand holding here), both sets of legs a bit apart with her upper leg through his legs and cupping his bottom foot (top of her foot against the bottom of his bottom foot.) If I don’t get this kind of action…I can’t fall asleep! What has become of me?

I remember when I couldn’t sleep in the same bed with him. When we first started dating, in the middle of the night, I would sneak off to the couch. I just couldn’t sleep. Couldn’t do it. New relationship snuggling is so tough, you are worrying about way too much to be able to enjoy it. Over 10 years into the relationship, who cares if someone lets our a snore or…something else…

If pets could talk, I feel this is what they would be saying about this picture.

Spot Says:
“Whatever. At least my ass is warm.”

Cat Says:
“What?… What do you mean?… What snuggling?… What dog?”