Interesting experiment Denise but I must agree with Jen's comments above. They really aren't meant to be the same thing. I like to think of it as a negative (RAW) and a print from your local photo processor.(JPEG) Your RAW files should look dingier and flat just like a negative strip looks a bit funny too!
Raw files can be nondestructively used in software like Light room which is simply something you cannot do with JPG.
I have read repeatedly that the best way to ensure that you do not lose quality overtime and that you ensure compatibility is to convert your RAW files to DNG files (digital negative).
It really comes down to what you want to spend your time on and how important longevity and ability to fine tune your images might be. I'm sticking with RAW
