
Doug Malm’s wife, Jill, was having a bad day when he walked into his kitchen and attempted to comfort her, quietly approaching, wrapping his arms around her and nibbling on her neck.

The sweet gesture backfired once Doug realized that it wasn’t his wife he was kissing at all. Despite the fact they’d been married several years, he was accidentally affectionately cuddling his sister-in-law – Jill’s twin sister Jena.

Not only does Jena live in the same house as the couple but she is also married to Doug’s twin brother Phil.

For the past 24 years twins Doug and Phil Malm have lived in a four-bedroom home with their wives Jill and Jena and their children in Moscow, Idaho.

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Seeing double: For the past 24 years twins Phil (left) and Doug (right) Malm have lived in a four bedroom home with their wives Jena (center left) and Jill (center right) and their respective children in Moscow, Idaho

Love at first sight and then a double take: The couples first met at the Twin Days festival in Twinsburg, Ohio in 1991 and got married two years later at the same event. There are only 250 married twin couples in the world

Phil and Jena are the two oldest siblings with the brothers born five minutes apart and the sisters four minutes apart

Phil (blue shirt) and Doug (black shirt) sometimes can't tell Jill (white shirt) and Jena (black shirt) apart. ‘Unfortunately, there are times when I cannot tell them apart so I do things like say Jena and see which one perks up. We never approach too quickly,’ Phil said

Their unorthodox living situation adds to the already unconventional twin relationship with only 250 twin couples said to exist across the world.

Twin telepathy! The Malms constantly talk over each other and finish each other’s sentences knowing just what their sibling or in-law was going to say. Before they were engaged, the couples went on a cruise of the Caribbean

Twins are known for having a special connection often in their own world and the Malm foursome are inseparable too – always eating dinner together, going on family trips, sporting similar haircuts, working the same jobs and even color coordinating their outfits – but they still get confused with who they are married to.

‘From the back you are never supposed to make that decision, that’s not a good thing,’ said Doug with a laugh.

‘Now Jill on the other hand, she’d never let Phil get that far along.’

Phil and Doug will occasionally switch the way they sit when at home, causing more uncertainty when their wives leave for work. They both have the same jobs – one as cleaners and another as after school supervisors.

Jill and Jena even go so far as to dress similarly. They have jackets in their favorite colors of blue and red jackets which makes Phil have devise ways to distinguish between the two.

‘Unfortunately, there are times when I cannot tell them apart so I do things like say Jena and see which one perks up. We never approach too quickly,’ he said.

Even with the confusion, the clan manages to live peacefully in their home. In addition to the four, Doug and Jill have a daughter Rylie, 19, while Phil and Jena have a son Tim, 18.

Six is definitely a crowd! In addition to the four, Doug and Jill have a daughter Rylie, 19, while Phil and Jena have a son Tim, 18. They also have a dog named Nemo and three cats - Dash and Siamese kittens Sansa and Aria

Happy Anniversary times TWO! The families celebrated their first few anniversaries at the Twin Days Festival and are the only couples to have ever been married there

The six currently share one bathroom because Doug is remodeling the bathroom making things rather crowded at times.

Jena says: 'We go in shifts, if they are in the bathroom I will find something else to do…’ Phil cuts in with a typical quip: ‘You just squeeze and go: "Hurry!"'

The Malms constantly talk over each other and finish each other’s sentences knowing just what their sibling or in-law was going to say.

Doug and Phil even did that when they proposed to the sisters at the largest twin gathering in the country - the Twin Days Festival - in 1992.

Busy bathroom! The family currently shares one bathroom because Doug is remodeling the bathroom which makes things really hectic when multiple people need to use it

128 teeth to clean: Jena says: 'We go in shifts, if they are in the bathroom I will find something else to do…’ Phil cuts in with a typical quip: ‘You just squeeze and go: "Hurry!"'

On the day that they proposed Doug said with a laugh that they may have actually said ‘Will you marry us?’ instead of ‘Will you marry me?’

The couples first met at the Twin Days Festival in 1991 and immediately connected.

The sisters - then Lassen - had traveled to the event with their mother from their home in Battlecreek, Michigan, and had broken their camera while enjoying the festivities - but no one would help them out.

‘We finally came to these guys and we were like “Do you know anything about this red light on this camera?” and they were like “No but we can help you and see what we can do,”’ said Jena, who is 50.

‘Later on that evening, Jill and I were in our hotel room and we were like we have to find these gentleman because they were neat and something was biting us and we needed to see them.’

The next day, the sisters tracked down Doug and Phil eventually jumping in front of them in a line and spending the majority of the day with their new friends.

Phil was immediately smitten with Jena, eventually leaving his brother in the company of Jill who was already in a relationship at the time.

And as the festival drew to a close, the 34-year-old brothers exchanged addresses with their 24-year-old counterparts and Phil was adamant on connecting with them again.

The Malms are celebrities of the Twins Day festival going back regularly and creating button from each time they go. The two sets of twins had both gone to the 1990 festival but they wouldn't meet until a year later

Twin Royalty: At their first Twin Days Festival in 1990 Doug (left) and Phil (right) were crowned the Twin Days King. The festival is the largest gathering of twins in the United States

From left to right: Phil, Jena, the brothers' mom, Jill and Doug all at the Twin Days Festival the year they met in 1991. The girls were having trouble with their camera and asked the brothers for help

Phil was immediately smitten with Jena, eventually leaving his brother in the company of Jill who was already in a relationship at the time. ‘I told Doug, “You find them, I’ll marry them,”’ said the now 60-year-old who, with the help of his brother, located the girls’ phone number beginning a 2,000 mile long-distance courtship. In 1993 they would get married at the festival

‘I told Doug, “You find them, I’ll marry them,”’ said the now 60-year-old who, with the help of his brother, located the girls’ phone number beginning a 2,000 mile long-distance courtship.

The first calls were awkward between the couples because not only did the brothers have to attribute for the three hour time difference, they also had to woo their eventual in-laws.

‘The first was the driest conversation and we didn’t know if they would last,’ said Jill.

Over the next few months, Doug and Phil would continue to talk to the girls unaware of which one they were actually developing feelings for knowing just their twin’s name.

Things began looking up the next year, however, when Doug purchased the last lottery ticket from a local store in Idaho and won a cruise to the Caribbean.

They wanted to invite another set of twins and the brothers knew just who to ask. Luckily the girls were on spring break from school so they had the time. It was only a matter of getting permission from their mother who was hesitant.

‘Eventually our parents were like “You are 25 years old you can make your own decision” and so we looked at each other and said “We are going on the cruise,”’ said Jill with Jena in unison.

And when they finally reunited in a hotel before they departed, the quadruplets quickly addressed their identity matchup crisis.

‘So not knowing which was Jena and not sure which I was talking to, we got to their hotel door and looked them straight in the face and told them “pick one and don’t be changing,”’ said Phil with a cackle.

Bon Voyage! Initial convos were awkward for the couple as they had to talk over the phone the first few months of their relationship. Things began looking up the next year, however, when Doug (right with Jill) purchased the last lottery ticket from a local store in Idaho and won a cruise to the Caribbean

Jena (center left) and Jill (center right) were having a hard time convincing their parents to go on the cruise at first. ‘Eventually our parents were like “You are 25 years old you can make your own decision” and so we looked at each other and said “We are going on the cruise,”’ said Jill with Jena in unison

Eeny, meeny, Phil and Doug! Since they had only talked on the phone, the two couples weren't sure who they had actually been interested in. ‘So not knowing which was Jena and not sure which I was talking to, we got to their hotel door and looked them straight in the face and told them “pick one and don’t be changing,”’ said Phil with a cackle

After the cruise, Phil (left) and Doug (right) would start the process or organizing their proposal. They met their future in-laws in July to ask to marry Jill and Jena before going to the Twin Days coordinators to set up the actual moment

Apparently they chose well – because the brothers proposed just a few months later.

Jena and Jill were competing in a twin look-a-like competition and won but got their real prize when right after Doug and Phil got on stage and made their proclamation of love.

Phil said: ‘After we proposed at the festival (the coordinators) asked us if we wanted to have our wedding there, and so we waited and then we said sure because the girls weren’t finished at school.

‘And we waited to marry them until they got their college degree for their lives and didn’t want them to wonder why they never finished that.’

The crowd lost its minds at the news. As the newly-engaged couples exited the stage they were greeted by hugs and kisses from strangers.

‘It was pandemonium,’ said Phil.

Doug and Jill and Phil and Jena married on August 7, 1993. The brothers wore matching tuxedos and, after trying on 53 different white gowns, the sisters found matching dresses that called for identical alterations.

Jena (left) and Jill (right) were competing in a twin look-a-like competition and won but got their real prize when right after Doug and Phil got on stage and made their proclamation of love

The crowd lost its minds at the news. As the newly-engaged couples (Phil is holding the mic next to Jena) exited the stage they were greeted by hugs and kisses from strangers. Doug said with a laugh that they may have actually said ‘Will you marry us?’ instead of ‘Will you marry me?’ ‘It was pandemonium,’ said Phil.

The Twin Days festival asked the engaged couples if they wanted to have their ceremony at the event. Doug and Phil said yes under the condition their fiances were able to finish their degrees first. They made keychains for the wedding, the only one to have happened at the festival in its entire history

We do! Doug and Jill (right) and Phil and Jena (left) married on August 7, 1993

The brothers wore matching tuxedos and, after trying on 53 different white gowns, the sisters found matching dresses that called for identical alterations. Phil and Jena (right) and Doug and Jill (right) pose with their families

Here come the brides! The Malms are happy with the ones they picked too, claiming that things would have gone differently had they chosen the other twin. Phil (left) and Doug (right) kiss their wives at the wedding

The Malms are happy with the ones they picked too, claiming that things would have gone differently had they chosen the other twin.

‘Personalities play a big part in the relationships between us,’ said Phil.

‘If Jena and Doug were the ones that got together and Phil and Jill, the marriages would have never happened.’

Jena added: ‘I think personality wise we are the same.

‘Like Phil and I are the more organized twins whereas Jill and Doug are the more laid back twins. We just work really well together.’

‘If Jena and Doug were the ones that got together and Phil and Jill, the marriages would have never happened,' said Phil. Jena (left) and Jill (right) pose with their husbands after they had received a makeover for a television show they were on

Jena added: ‘I think personality wise we are the same.' The Malms do just about everything together even going to the kitchen to grab food

‘Phil and I are the more organized twins whereas Jill (left) and Doug (right) are the more laid back twins. We just work really well together,’ said Jena

Prior to meeting their wives, the brothers didn’t spend every moment together.

‘When we grew up, we went to two separate places so friends didn’t know all the time that there was two of us,’ said Doug.

Jena and Jill were inseparable - sleeping in the same room, driving the same car, having the same bank account and even first pursuing business and accounting in school before receiving a Bachelors of Liberal Arts together from the University of Western Michigan.

‘A lot of people ask us “Are you twins?” or they go “you might be sisters,”’ said Jena, who go to work together.

With this in mind, the brothers decided that it was best not to separate the two sisters who had spent every moment together.

Phil said: ‘We can’t separate their twin relationship and we have never tried and we married them.’

Now, everyone in the family is a comedian and the Malms look for the fun in all they do.

Doug and Phil are now retired, having been carpenters, but spend a lot of their free time playing golf, watching TV and doing repairs around the house.

Due to a foot problem developed early on, Jena and Jill can’t fully play golf with their husbands but they have gone skiing and enjoy many other activities.

They don’t often play twin switch up pranks on each other, but do comment that they get naturally confused with each other.

Doug is the technically savvy one of the group but he’s also the go to when conflict arises.

Growing up: The twins lived two different lives prior to meeting each other. Phil (left) and Doug (right) didn't spend every moment together but Jill (left) and Jena (right) were practically 'raised as one child'

Phil said about his wife (left) and sister-in-law (right): ‘We can’t separate their twin relationship and we have never tried and we married them’

Doug (black shirt) and Phil (blue shirt) are now retired, having been carpenters, but spend a lot of their free time playing golf, watching TV and doing repairs around the house. Doug is the technically savvy one of the group but he’s also the go-to when conflict arises

‘We do have our ups and downs and we do get angry,’ said Jena.

‘But Doug is really good and he will sit us down. If we have the frustration with technology he’ll have the patience to sit through with us and tell us to calm down.’

Phil added that there is a time when no technology is allowed however – when the family is having dinner.

He said: ‘One thing about our family is that we always eat dinner together. No matter where we are at we have always sat down for dinner.

‘Everybody is rushing all day long and is separate and it gives you time to talk to each other without the distraction.’

‘We do have our ups and downs and we do get angry,’ said Jena (black shirt). ‘But Doug is really good and he will sit us down. If we have the frustration with technology he’ll have the patience to sit through with us and tell us to calm down’

Phil said about the importance of family dinner: ‘One thing about our family is that we always eat dinner together. No matter where we are at we have always sat down for dinner. Everybody is rushing all day long and is separate and it gives you time to talk to each other without the distraction’

Look alikes! Phil, Jena, Jill and Doug Malm in front of their home in Moscow, Idaho. Phil and Doug are constantly making repairs on the house

While the families’ two kids are technically cousins, they’ve spent their whole lives as ‘siblings’ and consider themselves to have four parents. Rylie attends Idaho State and commutes from home while Tim is a senior in high school.

‘When they were younger, we were called ‘the two moms’ and ‘the two dads’ and they call themselves brother and sisters,’ said Jena.

Phil added: ‘Our kids were raised as we were the adults and they were the children.

‘We were all their parents so they couldn’t just play mom off dad. They had to check in with everyone at the house to make sure we were consistent.

‘As far as Doug’s daughter Rylie, I have never gotten the hugs that he has and, if I do, then it is rare. Tim is a typical male and just go this is mom and dad.’

The two cousins are inseparable themselves both working at the recreational center at the local college and share similar features often mistaken for twins themselves.

‘Someone thought we were dating once,’ said Tim.

Rylie added: ‘Yeah and people ask us if we are related and I go “Yeah we look alike and we have the same last name so obviously.”’

The cousins claim each other as brother and sister with Tim even going so far to say that genetically they are siblings.

Their differences lie in their interest – Rylie likes biology while Tim is more into drama and theater – and they also have their own sets of friends but the two make it a point to go on social outings together.

While the families’ two kids are technically cousins, they’ve spent their whole lives as ‘siblings’ and consider themselves to have four parents. Jena, Phil and Tim (left) walk with Jill, Doug and Rylie (right) all attend the Twin Days Festival

Phil said: ‘We were all their parents so they couldn’t just play mom off dad. They had to check in with everyone at the house to make sure we were consistent. ‘As far as Doug’s daughter Rylie, I have never gotten the hugs that he has and, if I do, then it is rare. Tim is a typical male and just go this is mom and dad’

The two cousins are inseparable themselves both working at the recreational center at the local college and share similar features often mistaken for twins themselves. ‘Someone thought we were dating once,’ said Tim (center) with his parents Phil (left) and Jena (right)

Rylie (center) poses with her parents Jill (left) and Doug (right). She's currently studies biology at the University of Idaho and commutes from home

Along with their children, the twin couples have a dog named Nemo and three cats – Dash and Siamese kittens Sansa and Aria.

The family has a variety of vehicles including Doug’s pickup, the sisters’ pickup and a currently under-repair Mercedes that Phil owns. The entire tribe uses a large van that they use of cross country trips – including a trip to Cleveland every couple of years and a trip to New York City to be a part of a world record attempt for the most twins to ride bikes in one place.

The tight-knit unit don’t worry about what people think of their arrangement, aware that it can be initially confusing for people unfamiliar.

Jill said: ‘It’s been so many years I don’t think we pay attention to what happens anymore.

‘Early on they go: “That’s cool” or “That’s odd” or “I couldn’t do that with my sister or brother”.’

‘People don’t know how to respond to older twins who are together,’ added her sister.

‘When you see children together it is like “That is so cute”, but as you get older people get intimidated by the two of you approaching.’

The Malms aren’t phased by other people’s curiosity surrounding their living arrangement.

Phil said: ‘Our relationship works and we don’t try to preach to other people. This is who we are. We are not going to change them or even try.’

But the twins recognize the value in each other and are extremely grateful to have met at the Twin Days festival.

Jena said: ‘The good thing about Phil and Doug is that they have had to be patient with us all throughout our lives together and our marriage and all the stuff that we have been through.

‘They are really wonderful guys.’

The family has a variety of vehicles including Doug’s (black shirt) pickup, the sisters’ pickup and a currently under-repair Mercedes that Phil (blue shirt) owns

The Malms aren't worried about what people think of their closeness. Jill said: ‘It’s been so many years I don’t think we pay attention to what happens anymore. ‘Early on they go: “That’s cool” or “That’s odd” or “I couldn’t do that with my sister or brother”’

About their husbands, Jena said: ‘The good thing about Phil (left) and Doug (right) is that they have had to be patient with us all throughout our lives together and our marriage and all the stuff that we have been through. They are really wonderful guys’