As we mentioned yesterday, it’s Blogiversary Week, baby (still can’t believe that we have been at this for half a decade). So we had some fun recording an average day in the life from both of our perspectives, so you can see what each of us – and even Clara and Burger – may be doing at any given time. Woop, here it is:
6:00 am – 7:30 am
JOHN: The whole house is sleeping, so I duck out for a 5-mile run down by the river. I’m home by 7:30 and no one even knows I’m gone.
7:30 am – 8:00 am
SHERRY: I wake up around 7:45 and the house is too quiet so I know Clara is still sleeping but John’s not next to me so he probably went for a run. Burger stays in bed, but I drag my butt up and walk straight to the office and sit down in front of the computer where I see John sitting at his desk squeezing in a few minutes of work between his shower and Clara waking up.
SHERRY: I check blog comments and answer a few questions and then glance at my planner which always looks like this. I know it’s crazy, but it makes sense to me (I use it to write notes about post ideas, appointments/calls we have, book promo stuff that we have to do, deadlines for articles, etc). I check what’s going on for the day and notice that I owe a little blurb to a magazine by 2pm today (wish I could tell you which one!) for an article they’re writing, so I just dive in and get it done so I don’t forget or feel rushed later.
8:00 am – 9:00 am
JOHN: I hear Clara starting to stir, so I go say good morning, change her diaper, and sit her down for some breakfast. While she’s chowing down on some yogurt, I try to get organized for the day – which includes writing out a few things I have to do and grabbing the coupons that Sherry has cut out for a trip to the grocery store later.
SHERRY: I continue answering comments and Facebook questions and then play with Clara for a little bit (since once the post goes up around 10am I usually don’t get to spend much time with her for a while). She’s great at playing independently, but we like to connect with her a few times a day and really get in there and interact. Besides, I might like her play kitchen even more than she does…
SHERRY: Once I get Clara dressed for the day, John and I hop back on our computers while Clara plays on her own – taunting Burger with her snack.
9:00 am – 10:00 am
JOHN: I make some scrambled eggs for me and Sherry to wolf down before having to get Clara off to today’s activity: music class. It’s just one day a week for thirty minutes at a local church (the program is called Musikgarten), but she loves it.
SHERRY: I proof-read the post that’s going to go up at ten. Proofing usually involves previewing what we wrote to make sure photos are centered and reading it through at least two times (sometimes three times if it’s a detailed tutorial- just to make sure things make sense and are in order and I haven’t written “I love panting” instead of “I love painting”). I also add links to things that I reference. We still average about two typos a post so I can’t imagine how bad it would be if I didn’t read things through beforehand.
JOHN: Clara and I give mommy a kiss (Burger’s too hard to catch) and we hurry off in the car for music class.
SHERRY: Sadly I have to miss Clara’s music class since it runs from 10:00 to 10:30 (which is right when the post goes up and I usually have 100+ comments that I have to approve/respond to). I used to get to go when her class was later in the day, but after it got moved up I tried going to a 10am class and just letting comments build up and answering them after class but it was too crazy (lots of the same question and confusion over something that could have easily been explained if I had been “on”) so it just works better for one of us to work and for one of us to go to class with Clara – at least for now. Here’s hoping her next semester will be a later class again, so we can both sneak out to spend that hour a week singing songs with her and dancing in a circle (I promise it’s just as awkward and hilarious as it sounds).
10:00am – 11:00 am
SHERRY: I get the morning post up and squat comments for the next hour while John and Clara music class it up. I can’t wait for them to come home so I can hear what I missed from Clara, like “the little boy was dancing so nice – I think it was wonderful.” One of her favorite things to gaze at while she’s at the church for her music class is a little diorama of Noah’s Ark. She’s in love with it. So there’s always some time accounted to staring at that before and after class. Meanwhile, over two hundred comments roll in over the course of the hour, so I’m at home furiously trying to keep up with them and answer every last question that comes in.
11:00 am- 12:00 am
JOHN: Since we’re already out and about, Clara and I head out to the grocery store to reload on some essentials.
SHERRY: I take a break from comments and glance at my email but it’s crazy so I just skim the page and delete the junk mail so the number in my inbox goes down a smidge. Because seeing 84 new emails at 11am when there were none the night before can make your head spin. A lot of it is sponsor & giveaway stuff along with book stuff (tour scheduling, press blurbs or fact checking things they need, etc). Mixed in there are sweet reader letters that we love. I save those and read them out loud to John a few evenings a week so we can permasmile at my laptop together.
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
JOHN: I get home with Clara and spend some time unloading groceries while Clara runs off to play with her trains. Then Sherry and I chat a little about a new project we want to tackle next week and start planning what we’ll need to do first, what we might need to pick up at the store, etc. I also send out a few sponsor emails and coordinate next week’s giveaway along with making sure I have the right image for the one that will go up this week.
SHERRY – After John and I chat about that new project together for a while, I answer more blog comments, get through a few emails, and I’m just about to begin writing a post for the next day when Clara comes in and asks for lunch. She had been playing at her desk with her crayons and messing around with her dollhouse, but it’s officially lunch time, so momma needs to get on that.
SHERRY: We all take a break and meet at the dining table for some grub. We usually just eat some soup, homemade deli sandwiches, or hummus and flatbread but John actually picked up sushi for us while he was at the grocery store, so we chow down on that while Clara has some tomatoes, grapes, hummus, and crackers (and takes a nibble of california roll).
1:00 – 2:00 pm
JOHN: Lunch is done, so it’s back to the computer to finish up my emails. Meanwhile Clara’s running in and out of the room playing with some books and small plastic animals. Occasionally she calls us for some help, but most of the time she’s psyched to do her own thing. Speaking of doing their own thing, I let Burger out to do some early afternoon acorn hunting. He takes his job very seriously.
SHERRY: I proof-read as much of the afternoon post as I can (it usually goes up between 2 and 2:30) and then I finish up by adding some links, catching some more typos, fixing a few unclear parts, and it’s finally ready for me to publish it right before two o clock rolls around. Then since I have five minutes left in the hour I squeeze in some train-board time with Clara, and Burger ambles over to see what’s going on.
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
SHERRY: Two o’ clock means it’s time for Clara’s nap (she just takes one a day, usually from around 2-4) so I change her diaper and tuck her in. Our routine is super fast (sound machine on, curtains closed, lights off, kiss, door closed) and then it’s back to answering comment questions for the rest of the hour.
JOHN: We’re sharing a video in a few days (our annual Q&A one), so since we already recorded the footage yesterday, I get to work on editing the video. I have to find music, edit the clips down since a bunch of them are super long, and just generally clean it up and add transitions and type so it all makes sense. It usually takes me about three hours each year since it’s our longest video and it has tons of questions and answers (and I’m married to a talker!), so by the end of the hour, I’ve made a small dent in the assignment.
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
JOHN: I’m itching to keep plugging away on the video since I’m in the zone and Clara’s sleeping, but we have a book call at three to talk about the still-not-finalized tour schedule (we’ll share all the dates with you guys as soon as they’re pinned down!), hammer out what we’ll be speaking about at each location, and do some other book-launch planning stuff. It’s funny how we thought that once we sent in the manuscript it would be nice and quiet, but planning all of those events, scheduling things, and doing little press interviews just picked up where writing and shooting left off. It’s exciting though, so we’re not complaining. At this point the book is like our third kid (behind Clara and Burger of course).
SHERRY: Our call lasts the whole hour but we’ve hammered out a lot of stuff so it feels good. I hop back on comments with big plans to write a post as soon as I’m done with a few quick comment answers.
4:00 – 5:00 pm
JOHN: I get back into video editing and then take about 15 minutes at the end of the hour to edit and size photos for a post that we’ve already written for tomorrow afternoon (the thing about sharing 8 posts in a 5 day period is that we’re always working on finishing some that are already written, writing new ones, and answering questions for the ones that are already up). Thank goodness Sherry is a list-maker or we’d never stay organized.
SHERRY: Before starting that post that I planned to write, I click back over to my email and see a few urgent things I have to respond to for our publisher and our accountant (he’s running some numbers for our next quarterly tax payment, so he has a few quick questions). I finally get to start that post, but about ten minutes into it Clara wakes up, so I go get her and hang out in her room for a little while with her at her request. I’ll admit that for some of the time I’m anxious to finish that post hanging over my head, but it’s nice to just chill with Clara in her room for a little while (John and I attached to our laptops all night long, so little slivers of time away from it during the day keep us sane).
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
SHERRY: I’m back in the office trying to write a little more of that post while Clara plays with a box of spare ribbon on the floor behind me (she has loved doing that since before she even turned one – it’s pretty cute).
JOHN: About half-way through the hour, the ribbon-playing has lost its magic and the bean is restless and ready to get out of the house, but I have one last phone call to take care of. We’re coordinating a really complicated giveaway so it takes a little bit of planning with that vendor. Stay tuned for it in a couple of weeks!
JOHN: My call takes around twenty minutes and then we’re ready to pile into the car. We’re off to Home Depot (one of Clara’s favorite places, believe it or not – she even recognizes the logo and squeals “Yay! Home Depot!” when she hears a commercial for it on the radio). We need to grab some materials for a little bathroom project that we’re planning, so after I make a sketch of what we need and Sherry and I tape things off to be sure we like where it’s headed, we all pile into the car (Burger included).
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
SHERRY: At Home Depot we pick up what we need while Burger and Clara get their kicks in the car-shaped cart.
SHERRY: Then since we’re out we decide to stop to grab dinner at Chipotle, which is at a walking mall near our house. That way after we eat we can all walk around for a while and soak up the fresh air and the nice fall evening. We usually eat out sparingly (and try to choose places like Chipotle or Jason’s Deli so the food is nice and fresh) and otherwise we’ll eat at home, where the average meal can be anything from spaghetti or perogies to veggie chilli, bean burritos, rotisserie chicken, or veggie burgers.
JOHN: Walking around this particular mall after getting to eat there is especially nice because Clara loves it and it’s even dog friendly (so Burger’s allowed into the stores with us too).
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
JOHN: We’re back at home and have unloaded our Home Depot materials from the car, so this is sort of family hour in our house before Clara goes off to bed at eight. We do our best to log some good reading-time with her and also end up scribbling with crayons, and talking about our day.
SHERRY: Burger is usually full of energy around this time of the day, so he’s bounding around the sofa and Clara’s laughing and chasing after him. But 8 o’ clock is here before we know it and it’s time to put that baby to bed. After brushing her teeth and slipping her into some pjs, we just do the same nap routine for nighttime (sound machine on, curtains closed, lights off, kiss, door closed) and she’s snuggled up under the quilt I made her and pretty close to drifting off by the time I shut the door.
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
JOHN: Once Clara’s in bed, we usually get most of our work done. Tonight it’s more video editing for me along with some other post writing and picture sizing.
SHERRY: I’m finishing up some other posts, trying to get a head start by proof-reading the post for the morning, answering some emails, and looking at a bunch of Reader Redesign submissions (all of which get me so inspired that I want to hop off the sofa and paint/upholster/rearrange something, haha).
10:00 pm – 12:00 pm
JOHN: It’s pretty normal for us to have both of our laptops fired up until around midnight, but we try to get cozy and sit on Karl with the TV on in the background so it feels more casual. Some nights we do major DIY stuff together between 8-12 (like building/painting/demo/etc) instead of sofa-computer stuff since during the day it’s hard to get anything other than very small projects done with the bulk of our comments rolling in and a toddler running around, but not tonight.
SHERRY: We sit in front of the TV (The Voice is on, and then it’s Parks & Rec time) and I finally finish the post that I’ve been writing on and off all day. It’s normal for a post to take us around 2-3 hours total (usually not all at once) since we have to edit/size/upload photos along with writing things up (that doesn’t include the time it takes to buy materials and do the project). Unless it’s fast like a giveaway – those only take around 30 minutes to write, but probably take an hour or two to coordinate via email beforehand. Around midnight we finally decide it’s time to put the laptops away and get ready for bed. We’re zonked.
12:30
SHERRY: Burger, John, and I climb into bed and we lay there recapping some of the highlights & challenges of the day and then do a quick run-through of any important tasks that we have to knock out tomorrow (gotta finish building/painting something, write two posts, proof two posts, and hop on two more calls). Before we know it, we’re out cold, with Burger and Bearger beside us. Zzzzzz.
Psst- You can check out how things have changed over the years by peeping this rundown from last year, this one from the year before, and this one from the year before that.
Update – Some of the most frequent requests that we get are for info about professionally blogging (how we made our site, how we grew our following, how we make money, etc) so we shared all of the details about how we started a blog, grew our traffic, and turned it into a full time job.
Erin says
Good lord, people! You make me exhausted just reading this! LOL.
Just one suggestion – you guys do such an awesome job with your writing and I love to read it (obviously!) Just be careful with “it’s/its.” (If it’s a possessive, no apostrophe – ex. “set it on its side”, “I loved its color.”) I feel picky mentioning it, but I’m a proofreader by day so I can’t help it! Keep up the great work!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, those sometimes squeak by. Thanks for the heads up!
xo
s
Paula says
I know you have mentioned before that neither of you are coffee drinkers, but there is no way I would survive that schedule without “drink half a pot of coffee” in big bold letters early in the morning – no exceptions =)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! Sometimes I wish I drank coffee! It’s a chilly day here and I’m craving a warm cup to hold. Haha.
xo
s
susan says
There was a time in my life when I was going to grad school full time, working full time, and raising twins that were 11…on my own. I walked/ran every night for an hour, wrote a monthly column for the Dallas Morning News OPED page, and had an online romance with a man in Australia ( whom I eventually married).
I think action begets action.
Congrats on five years! Your daughter reminds me of my own; when she was three I had to teach her to sign her name-in cursive-because she used to watch me write checks for the monthly bills…she’s 26 now and still fiercely independent. It’s a great life skill :)
My hubby is a tri-guy, so he runs early as well. I’ll never be that person, LOL I am so much more a night owl.
Amanda says
WoW Susan! You sound like supermom! Your post gives me hope. I’m soon to be divorced, have my little boy, working full-time, taking online classes, can’t even think about romance yet! lol But you’ve shown me it’s possible to get back to normal one day. Thanks! Oh, and I also live in Dallas. :)
Chrissy Sparks (Brush Dance) says
Wow! I loved this post. Not only because of the photos (love love love photos!!), but because it makes me feel sane. I have two kids (6 and 4)… one is full time school, the other half-day. I remember loving their nap time when they were little.. it is so much easier to get things done! Now I love their school time! ;)
It’s great to know other parents have to stay up late to get things done also. My husband and I both work from home and find that late nights are a must! The house is calm & quiet..the kids AND pets are asleep…and we can focus!
Thanks for sharing your day!! I feel sane now! LOL
Brooks_25Years says
Dude, y’all are rockstars.
I knew that you guys must have so much work day-to-day but I had no idea. I’ve often wondered what your “work days” might look like.
How great is it that the two of you can do this together…my favorite time of the day is after dinner when Brian and I sit on the couch together with our laptops and he studies and I work on a blog post, sharing pictures or logos that I come up with with him, (and he explains some obscure law school thing to me while I stare at him blankly because it goes right over my head…)
You guys truly are an inspiration, as bloggers and spouses.
Nat says
You guys are awesome! I’m so glad I found your blog last winter. Young House Love inspired me to start my own blog. After 4 months, I’m still surprised I’m always coming up with new things to write about.
Thanks for Inspiring :)
Kim says
I LOVE you guys and love the site. It’s fun seeing what goes into your days. They are seriously jam-packed!
One question, though — as Clara gets older, have you given any thought to getting her involved in a preschool or playgroup? I ask because my daughter is about the same age, and when we switched nannies to someone who does more playgroup time (the nanny previously just hung out around our house with our daughter), she started blossoming in a way she didn’t when she was playing by herself a lot (I also work from home, so I check in throughout the day, too!). I’ll bet Clara loves being home with mom and dad, but maybe less playing alone would be good for her social development at this age? She’d love to hang out with kiddos her own age, I’ll bet!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, she’s actually in preschool two mornings a week! It’s just three hours but she loves it! She also has that music class that John takes her to and a play date with her cousin Emanuel and the grandparents once a week.
xo
s
Heidi says
you could have the assistant run errands for you (post office, grocery store) or mindless things that need to be done like mowing the grass or cleaning a bathroom. ok, so maybe i’m just thinking of a maid. lol just the things that aren’t as exciting or don’t need your personal touch…might help you gain some sanity and spend a few more precious hours with the bean. maybe a photoshop person to throw together the giveaways graphic would give you back an hour of your week. idk. i feel ya on the DIY aspect of every little thing though. i’m a control freak with my own house/errands too!
p.s. thanks for doing what you do. brightens my day everytime i read your blog. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! I think about that and then I’m like “ugh, I’m such a weirdo I’ll want to go to the store with them and show them which things we want” and I’ll be leaning out the window watching someone mow the yard and suggesting they do it another way. Seriously, it might be a DIY sickness, but we really do prefer to do that stuff ourselves! Haha. My mom is an attorney and she always says that hiring someone to do things just means one more person to manage, so sometimes it can be more work than just doing it yourself. I’m such an explainer that by the time I tell someone what I would like them to do I probably could have just done it, haha.
xo
s
LM says
Question about your planner… I am a planner kind of gal myself in that I like to jot things down ON PAPER instead of using the calendar and notes app on my iPhone. My boss at work is trying to make us all go more digital and it’s a struggle for me to let go of my planner. However, I don’t want to duplicate my efforts either (putting things down on paper and then doing the same on my phone/computer calendar to satisfy the boss). How have you managed to move forward with the mobile technology we have around us but still utilize the paper planner as well?
YoungHouseLove says
We just use my planner when it comes to dates/appointments. Like you, we worried about duplicating or missing something if that data was in two places, and maybe I’m just old school but it’s so nice to look at my planner and see everything lined up for me – all in one glance.
xo
s
Kate says
I love these posts! It is so interesting to see how you guys actually make it all happen :) If possible, I heart you guys even more knowing you heart Ron Swanson (who, as we all know, hearts steak).
Random question – how are the pre-sales going for the book?!? Are tons and tons of people ordering? Are you happy with the numbers so far? It is definitely going to be my Secret Santa gift this year!
YoungHouseLove says
We don’t really get to learn much about that but it seems like sales are going really well from the small things we hear! We just heard yesterday from our publisher that it really helps the book sales if people coming to our signings buy at least one book at the event (I guess it could be a big loss of money for the publishers if they fly us to all of these events to try to sell books and everyone just brings books they already got online). So if anyone is going to see us on tour, waiting to buy a book at the event (even if you ordered one online, maybe give that one to someone for the holidays and keep the one we sign that you buy there?) seems to help the whole “sales number.” Apparently the point of the tour is to try to sell books at each stop. Who knew?! Haha!
xo
s
Emily says
Now I want chipotle and parks and rec. :) Wish my daughter would play by herself and take a nap! :)
braelin says
This is great! Wow- I always ‘knew’ that working from home was busy, but now I think that I have a better sense and really KNOW how busy you are. Thanks for sharing a glimpse of your lives with us.
Laura says
I love the fact that you have a special routine for nap and bed time with Clara. How did you get her to lay down (and stay down) when it was “sleepy” time?
YoungHouseLove says
We have just done it so long (literally since she was born) so I think she takes the cues from the routine. For example when she hears her sound machine, her thumb pops into her mouth and we put her in her crib and tuck the blanket around her. Seems to work since we have “conditioned” her with that routine for so long. Hope it helps!
xo
s
Emily E says
It’s so interesting to me that you guys do your biggest projects between 8-12. I work full-time, go to school, and have a 2 year-old. So, once the little one is in bed around 8, that’s when I get working on the home improvement projects. I was up until 1 am painting the new board and batten in the bathroom. This morning I’m at work with a little paint in my hair and fingernails. Nice to know someone else does it too!
YoungHouseLove says
Hah! We’re right there with you!
xo
s
cappy says
Great post-love it! I was tired at 2 pm just reading all you do before then! Do you ever have times when Clara refuses to nap, go to bed at 8 pm, or stay with the one parent while the other tries to work? We have a hard time with our 3 year old when it comes to DIY projects. She always insists that she is with me doing what I am doing or when we decide to get up early/stay up late to finish something, she seems to “know” and is awake. Just curious since it seems Clara is so independent and has a routine.
YoungHouseLove says
She definitely seems to want one person to tuck her in sometimes (say I’m taking her to bed, to stall she’ll say “no daddy take me to bed!”). If John’s super busy we say tough beans and I put her to bed, but if John can spare a second he’ll come in and tuck her in and it’ll be all good. You’re so right about them seeming to “know” when you’re so busy and somehow wanting you right at that moment, but we usually try to redirect her with something she loves (play dough, a special toy that we keep tucked away so it’s more of a novelty, etc) and sometimes that works…
xo
s
Alison @ L is for Latte says
I cannot even say how envious I am that Clara sleeps until 8 a.m. My older daughter regularly woke up at 5:45 a.m. and wanted to play. No going back to bed for her. Now she gets her little sister up with her at 6:30 a.m. I need a nap….
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, I can’t imagine!
xo
s
Mari Robinson says
Such a fun post. Oh and I really enjoy your blog! I love how it mixes DIY, raising the bean, and every day life! Random question, what kind of sound machine do you have for Clara? Thanks :)
YoungHouseLove says
I think it’s called an iDock? It’s just a dock for an ipod and we play a white noise album that we bought from iTunes on a loop (it was only a few bucks for the album- best money we ever spent!).
xo
s
Stacey says
Wow! I knew you guys had busy days, but I’m even more impressed now that I know the break-down. How lovely that you’ve managed to balance being home with the bean and the pup and working your buns off on the blog. Well done!
Maisy says
Hi! Your lives sound so full of work… I couldn’t imagine having to work that late, mind you, working from home must be different :) I saw you guys watched The Voice and I thought I’d ask if you’d mind checking out my Brother-in-Law, who was on the UK Voice this year :)
Anyway, it was really interesting to find out how you create this thing, I’ve been reading for a while wishing I was as handy as you guys are! Thank you :) xx
http://www.youtube.com/user/JohnJamesNewman?feature=g-u-u
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- he’s amazing!
xo
s
Emily E says
Also, my husband is usually up until midnight with me, then he’s out to go to work by 4:50-5 am. (He does the full-time work/student thing too), I have no idea how he does it on such little sleep! Way to go John!
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- that’s amazing!
xo
s
Julia (PawleysIslandPosh) says
My little girl is just a little bit younger than Clara and we’re in Richmond too so it’s always fun to see what she’s in to. I noticed that she is still sleeping in a crib and also that you mentioned changing her diapers. So is mine! Do you have plans to share your plan of attack for potty training or switching to a big girl bed on here on the blog or just mention it after the fact. I feel like I’ll miss all the good advice as I’m sure mine will tackle these two things around the same time.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, we’re addressing that question tomorrow in our Q&A video! Stay tuned…
xo
s
Ellen says
Do you think things have gotten easier now that Clara is able to entertain herself a bit more? Or are you just as busy because you have more things going like the book?
YoungHouseLove says
We laugh that it seems to be a moot point since Clara is awesomely independent but we have more book stuff (and other stuff in general) on our plate, so we still somehow go to bed at the same time after working all evening. Haha.
xo
s
Sherri says
Happy Blogiversary! I had to skim this post because I’m taking short lunch breaks this week (ugh). I’ll go back and read the whole thing later…those last few pictures are exactly what I want to be doing right now. Those blankets look super snuggly! lol. Need. More. Coffee.
Jenny says
Ok so last week I jumped up and down and squealed to my husband because you answered the apartment painting question that I emailed you. (We are getting some Rockport Gray bedroom paint this weekend!) And now I am even more appreciative knowing that it was squeezed into your typical 17 hour work day. It really is no wonder that the two of you have had so much success with this blog; you are really talented you work so hard! AND you find Mommy and Daddy time with your munchkin!!! Major inspiration! Congrats on 5 years!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, you’re so sweet Jenny.
xo
s
Jenny says
:)
Oh, and BTW. I am a huge fan of planners. Target carries this one brand Blue Sky, and I am HUGE fan. Just figured I would make a recommendation.
Laura says
You guys keep busy! Sherry – I love seeing that quilt you made Clara! It looks so sweet in bed with her. I’m about to start on a pair of quilts for my kids’ christmas presents so it’s nice to see that *just maybe* they’ll actually use them!
YoungHouseLove says
I can’t believe she has slept with that thing for over a year! So cute.
xo
s
Jen says
I would totally act like I knew you guys personally if I ran into you on the street (or at a book signing) because of posts like these! It’s awesome that Clara loves Home Depot so you she’ll happily go along on work outings.
It looks like you have nice big screen laptops, but I can’t believe you don’t have big monitors on your desks to hook up to when you work there – My eyes would be killing me!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, you’re so sweet. We hope we run into you someday!
xo
s
Katie says
This is random but where did John get that striped zip-up sweatshirt (seen in the Home Depot and Chipotle picture)? I’d love to get it for my boyfriend! Also you guys rock and I love the blog.
YoungHouseLove says
Isn’t that cute? It’s from Old Navy a while back.
xo
s
jodi says
I am tired just from reading this! I wasn’t aware of all that goes into your blog. And I do have to say that I’m a little sad for Clara. She seems to be having to entertain herself a lot, which is even more sad considering both of her parents work from home. This post isn’t an attack, but just what I felt from reading your post. Perhaps there is a way to spend more quality time with her while maintaining your blog duties a little less. You know the saying, “they are only little once.”
YoungHouseLove says
I know what you mean about them only being little once! We definitely get more time with her than we would if we worked outside of the home, and whenever she requests us to help her or just play with her we come a-running! We used to be with her every moment since she was a lot more dependent (literally holding her up while she tried to walk, etc), but we’re so proud that she has gotten more independent and now says things like “I do it myself mommy!” – so we’re just following her lead. We love getting to do activities with her every day, like going on walks, to music class, to the playground, and even just running errands that she loves (like Home Depot). It works for our family, and we’re so grateful that she’s a happy, curious, brave, independent, and loving little girl :)
xo
s
emily says
I wanted to chime in here to back up Sherry’s comment. My parents are both doctors and worked full time and traveled a lot when we were little, so there was definitely no hanging out with them or seeing them during the day. I read this post and was envious of Clara for getting to spend all day with her parents! Sherry, I think it’s so cool that you and John are both “stay at home” parents who work full time. What better combination could there be?? Clara is obviously growing up to be an independent, wonderful little girl and you and John should be so proud of yourselves!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Emily! My dad is a teacher and mom is a lawyer so they both were gone all day too :)
xo,
s
Jennifer says
I was looking back at your other “Day in the Life” posts after reading this one, and I was thrilled to see that John took a picture in front of the “Genius” end of the Wright Brothers Memorial. My family and I went there in 2010 and I did the same thing, and they all thought I was nuts! But how can you pass up that opportunity?!
I love these kinds of posts. Thanks for sharing! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- so funny!
xo
s
audra says
Ok, so this is totally off topic, but have you looked on furnishly.com? They have 2 egg (-ish) chairs like you have at your house! One is for $40 and the other $75. They are under Richmond.
YoungHouseLove says
Woah- never looked. Thanks for the tip!
xo
s
Laura says
When will you start potty training the little one?
YoungHouseLove says
We’ll actually be addressing that in tomorrow’s Q&A video. Stay tuned…
xo
s
Alice says
Very interesting post!
I’m curious… are all those pretty, scenic routes during John’s run within jogging distance from your house or does John drive to these jogging spots? Each picture seems like a new venue/scene. If it is the former…wow!
YoungHouseLove says
He drives to some, and some are from around the neighborhood. He likes to go on different trails/places to keep things interesting.
xo
s
tjack says
That outdoor light in the carport is looking good! I couldn’t help but notice it in the nighttime shot.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks!
xo
s
Jamie@VTmamateurs says
Wow! I’m tired for you guys just reading this- but there is a reason for your success: dedication to your job!
Lindsay @ Me, Ed and Pea says
Man, kudos to John for running every morning. His river pic reminded me of an article in last month’s Outside magazine: The Best River Town in America: Richmond, VA! Apparently Richmond is a “river recreation mecca.” Who knew? :)
Also cute earrings Sherry!! Do you make a point to (this sounds stupid) get dressed everyday as opposed to schlepping around in sweats?
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! We were so pumped to win that! Yay Richmond! And as for getting dressed, yes I make myself do it! Otherwise that’s the day a neighbor will stop by or the UPS guy will see me in my PJs. It never fails! Haha.
xo
s
Rosy says
Wow! You guys are so inspiring! That’s a lot to do in a day…you work really hard-no wonder you are so successful! Thank you and congrats.
I also noticed that your baby sleeps in a different room but the dog gets to sleep with you? haha I’m not from the US so I’m guessing it’s a cultural thing?
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I think a lot of folks sleep with their dogs and their babies might sleep in their rooms when they’re much younger, but usually at around 6 months they’re in their own room in a crib. Clara definitely sleeps better without us coming in later and turning the lights on and chatting, so we’re happy she has her own space.
xo
s
Erin C. says
Interesting post! How does John manage on <6 hours of sleep?? Any less than 8, and I am slightly cranky :)
YoungHouseLove says
He’s crazy! I don’t know how he does it, but he says those morning runs clear his head and keep him sane.
xo
s
Ab says
Oh my gosh! I recognize that ark….since it’s right outside of my office! Seeing that picture just caused a happy dance among a few of us :) Next time you come, y’all should pop in and say hi!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, no way! If you see us there, definitely poke out!
xo
s
Leigh says
That ark is outside my office, too! I’d love to meet you all next time you’re here!
Happy blogiversary! I’ve been following your blog for nearly four years now–it’s the only one I make sure to check every day. Thank you for all your hard work and inspiring posts. Y’all are great!
YoungHouseLove says
No way! I love that!
xo,
s
Jenn says
I almost didn’t write this comment because I didn’t want to give you just one more comment that you’d have to approve!
I’m so tired just from reading about your day! I’m amazed at how much you get done with a little one and furbaby to take care of too! I work from home and have a never-ending, all-day, all-hours-of-the-night web design job, so I understand busy, but only have a (kitty) furbaby. My figurative hat off to you both!
Cara D says
I was excited to see Clara can play so much by herself. I’m looking forward to those days. My 10 month old girl takes all my time from the moment I get home from work. I can only do projects after she goes to bed which leaves very little time.
Congrats on 5 years! I can’t wait to get your book. Of course, then I’m sure I will have more projects to add to my list!
Sarah says
Congrats on 5 years! I love how you guys have successfully paved your own career paths and built a business you love–you’re such an inspiration to 20-somethings.
How much did John love Parks & Rec in DC this week? My bf and I were dying. “Am I living the dream? I don’t know, did I also just walk past a food truck and by myself a waffle Sunday? Yes.” Ahhhh I’m so glad it’s back on!
YoungHouseLove says
Me too! Although I’m nervous Ben won’t be on it as much now that he lives in DC. Fingers crossed he loses his job or something out there and has to head back to Pawnee.
-John
Karin K says
So when does Burger go the the bathroom? Not being creepy about your dog’s bathroom habits, but I am seriously interested! As I read this post and saw “Burger stays in bed…” I honestly started looking for when he was going to be let out. Apparently not until acorn time, haha. We just adopted a one year old chihuahua-dachshund mix and I am still trying to get used to her habits – the teeny bladder makes keeping to a schedule difficult. Plus, sometimes we’re not even sure if she goes out back or not, so we end up walking her so we know for sure. What’s Burger’s routine? Roaming the backyard, or organized walks? I noticed the gate on your new deck, so I figure he’s not allowed to roam all over. Our new pup flies right through the deck rails if she spots a squirrel, so we’re lucky we have a fence. Also – I never realized that mall (I think I know which one you’re talking about) was dog friendly!! Amazing! In fact, it was you guys who tipped me off about Home Depot. Thanks for all you do to keep this so much fun to read!
YoungHouseLove says
Burger used to be out like once an hour or something when he was little. It was crazy. But these days he can go 8 or 9 hours – even more if he’s sleeping. We didn’t document every bathroom break on this day, but typically he goes out once in the morning (sometime between 8 and noon), a couple of times in the afternoon and then a couple more at night. We try to make sure he goes at least an hour before we go to bed because that’ll help him sleep later and not wake us up at 6am for an emergency pee break.
-John
Rachael Watson says
It’s probably sad that the part that stuck out to me the most about this post was the fact that you watch Parks and Recreation. Loved the screenshot of Ron Swanson :-)
Michele says
I am new to your blog, and to blogs in general, and am really not sure what to call your blog .. it’s really not like a blog, is it? Young House Love seems more like a Reality Blog Show? Is there such a thing? Has a network approached you for a reality concept? Or at least, has anyone approached Burger to make a Burger-calendar? omgosh, those sweet eyes …
YoungHouseLove says
Haha oh yes, we’re not into doing the TV show thing, just because we’re happy to hide behind our computer screens. Burger could totally be an international superstar though. There’s no denying it!
xo
s
Jackie Jade says
Wow what a crazy busy day! I’m so impressed that you guys find the time to fit in all the blogging, book project, house projects and family time. Organization must be key!!
Katie says
I am so jealous of your little sleeper! My daughter is 2 and sleeps 9 pm to 6:30 am with a one hour nap between 2 and 3.
Sometimes all I want to do is sleep too!
Cassie says
John & Sherry, I totally just stalked your posts about your road trip to Texas (cute video!) and your pin map. Do you still have the map & update it? How’s it looking now? How do you decide where to pin on the map? My fiance and I are looking to do something similar but we’ve grown up in Ohio so we’ve been to almost all of the cities in central and southern Ohio together, and a lot of northern ones, so Ohio would look a little crazy!
YoungHouseLove says
Yep! We still update it. It’s looking a bit more filled out, but not crazy yet. Maybe once the book tour it will look a bit fuller! Oh, and for states that were in a lot we just do major cities. Like we have lots of friends in family in and around DC but we just have one pin in DC, rather than all of the random Virginia suburbs that we spend time in.
-John
Morgan says
John and Sherry – Thank you for sharing this post! I love how dedicated you are to your readers – what an exhausting day! I pre-ordered the book and am anxiously awaiting its delivery, but just wanted to drop you a note to say love your blog!
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! Thanks for preordering!
xo
s
Brooke says
Yeah. So. I just pre-ordered your book. I might have an unhealthy addiction to you kids. ;) I say “kids” since I’m a few months older ;) …Can’t wait to see all your hard work in print! (FYI – Would love to welcome you to Colorado!)
Hmmm…Blog idea: “Brooke & Burger: DIYing your way through Young House Love.”
Don’t steal it! I call dibs! hehehe Okay back to my spreadsheets. :(
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaah!
xo
s
Heather says
Wow. Maybe its time for an assistant to help with comments, emails, schedules, etc. Dont worry I’ll send you my resume :) I’m wonderess at that stuff. Congrats on 5 years. Cant wait to hear more about the book tour. What states have your strongest readership?
YoungHouseLove says
Interestingly enough – or maybe not very interestingly so – our readership follows population for the most part (with the exception of our hometown Richmond being higher on the list). So the states with the most people show up on our stats as having the most readers. I know – shocking, right? :)
-John