As we mentioned yesterday, it’s Blogiversary Week, baby (still can’t believe it’s been four whole years). And since we shared a day in the life during our last annual celebration (and about a year before that too) it’s time for this year’s breakdown (similarities: no day is ever the same, differences: now we have a toddler running around and a 260+ page book we’re writing on the side). This year we had fun recording a full day 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:
7:30 am – 8:00 am
JOHN: Clara’s awake early enough (7:30) and the weather’s good enough (and I have enough energy) to take Clara on a run in the ol’ jogging stroller around the neighborhood. After changing her diaper, filling up her milk, and grabbing some goldfish for her to snack on we hit the road. I manage to squeeze in four miles and return home within about 40 minutes.
SHERRY: I wake up around 7:45 and the house is too quiet so I know John and Clara are on 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. I’m not ready to make major decisions like which t-shirt I’ll wear today or what I’ll have for breakfast, so I check blog comments and answer a few questions instead. I also 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 stuff that’s due, deadlines for our BabyCenter & Do It Yourself magazine columns, etc). I check what’s going on for the day and notice that I have a call with USA Today at 2pm for a furniture painting article they’re writing (they just want a quick quote) so I set my phone alarm to go off at 1:58 so I don’t forget.
8:00 am – 9:00 am
JOHN: After returning from my run around 8:30 I take a quick shower and make breakfast for everyone (yogurt for Clara, two scrambled eggs for Sherry, and a bowl of cereal for me).
SHERRY: I continue answering comments and Facebook questions until John gets home from his run with Clara and I get to smooch that face. Well, both faces actually. I play with Clara a little bit while John takes a shower and makes breakfast (we read books and do some highly coordinated dancing). Yes, this is a picture of me in my pjs answering comments. Gotta keep it real. I’m still not dressed.
9:00 am – 10:00 am
JOHN: I watch Clara while Sherry does blog stuff. We read books, play with a ball and a car, and she helps me put in a load of laundry. She loves laundry.
SHERRY: This whole hour feels like it’s a minute. I spend it proofing the morning’s post which usually goes up between 9:30 and 10:00. On this specific morning it goes up right at ten because I need the whole hour to proof read. 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 “somebody punch me” when I mean “somebody pinch me”). I also add links to things that I reference and additional info if I think something needs more explaining. 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.
10:00 am- 11:00 am
JOHN: I continue to hang out with Clara while Sherry does more blog stuff (we do more reading, play outside with a ball, and read even more books). Most mornings involve the me-with-Clara ritual since Sherry usually answers comment questions, which roll in furiously in the morning (she has better recall for the “where did you get X” and the “how much did that cost” queries). Although sometimes we switch. Every day really is different (so I might have more Clara time or more project time one day and Sherry may have more of it the next day).
SHERRY: I’m on comment duty the whole hour. Over two hundred of them roll in over the course of an hour, so I furiously try to keep up and answer every single question we get (and delete the occasional spam message that sneaks in there). Here’s a screen grab that I snapped when I got it down to 30 pending comments, which is usually when I can breathe again.
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
JOHN: I start measuring and planning for our next project, which is to add trim/molding to the bottom of our wall to wall desk to make it look more built-in. After taking measurements, pow-wowing with Sherry about ideas, and drawing a quick sketch to keep things straight, I head off to Lowe’s to grab the trim that I need. (NOTE: This is what happens after Sherry says I don’t look “dynamic enough” taking trim out of the car).
SHERRY: Eleven o’ clock means it’s time for Clara’s morning nap, so I take a break from the computer to change her diaper and “tuck her in” (which really just involves turning off the light, closing her blinds, turning on her sound machine, and saying “sweet dreams”). While John is measuring and running his errand I toss on real clothes (jeans and a black t-shirt) and hop back on comment duty since around 80 more have rolled in before noon.
I also glance at my email but it’s too overwhelming so I just skim the page and delete the junk mail so the number in my inbox gets slightly less intimidating…because seeing 76 new emails at 11am (!!!) when there were none the night before can make ya crazy. A lot of it is sponsor and giveaway stuff that we have to manage along with book stuff or column stuff for DIY mag/Babycenter. Mixed in there are sweet reader letters that we love. I star those and read them out loud to John a few evenings a week so he can share the warm fuzzies with me.
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
JOHN: Clara’s still napping (she usually gives us about an hour to an hour and a half) so Sherry and I meet up to chat about what we think about a few trim options/methods for the base of our new desk and I go down to the basement to make some cuts to see how trim looks around one cabinet before cutting the rest of it. I also quickly check email and coordinate the next week’s giveaway and send a few sponsor renewal notices.
Sherry – I have a little meeting with John about the trim, answer more blog comments, get through a few emails and am just about to begin writing a post for the next day when Clara wakes up at 12:30. So I change her diaper and hang out with her while John finishes the rest of his trim project. The bean waits for no one.
1:00 – 2:00 pm
JOHN: Trim project is finished, so I turn my attention to lunch. Usually it’s sandwiches, but today we’ve got quiche leftover from last night’s dinner along with some other random leftovers (some spaghetti, corn, and beans). With everything reheated and Clara in her seat, we finally have a moment for all three of us to spend some time together (Burger is still sleeping). But about fifteen minutes later we’re done and I take Clara to go play and read some more. Note: ignore the crazy furniture placement in the kitchen- we are perpetually moving things around and it makes no sense.
SHERRY: I try to proofread as much of the afternoon post as I can (which usually goes up between 2 and 3:30) before lunch is ready, but I don’t make it all of the way through. I finish up after lunch by adding some links, catching some more typos, fixing a few unclear parts and it’s finally ready for posting at two.
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
JOHN: Clara and I hang out while Sherry tends the afternoon post. She “helps” me fold laundry and we play ball with Burger outside (who is finally out of bed- yes he moseys out of bed around 2pm).
SHERRY: I have a quick call with USA Today (they want that speedy quote for an article they’re writing about painting a chair). It takes fifteen minutes tops (maybe twelve if I’m being exact?). Then I answer comment questions for the rest of the hour.
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
JOHN: Time to trade with Sherry (she takes Clara, I head back to the computer). I do a bunch of emails involving more giveaway and sponsor stuff along with exchanging a few messages with some guys at our blog hosting place (they’re doing some back-up server work and we want to make sure the site doesn’t crash). I also catch up on Twitter messages that I need to reply to.
SHERRY: I hang out with the bean. We put things on our heads, sing songs, chase the dog, and Clara looks tired again around 3:45 so I change her diaper and put her down for an afternoon nap. Sometimes we get one and sometimes we don’t, but she actually falls asleep right away today. Sweet girl.
4:00 – 5:00 pm
JOHN: I edit and size photos that we’ve already taken and begin writing a post for tomorrow afternoon. I also set up the tripod and shoot the wall-to-wall desk trim project that I did this morning for a future post about that (the thing about sharing 8 in a 5 day period means you always have to be working on future ones while proofing/publishing/answering questions on the ones that are already written).
SHERRY: I had big plans to spray prime the office chairs (the first step in painting/reupholstering them) but it’s already four and I haven’t written the next morning’s post (a project that we already shot, but I still have to write it and edit the pics). So that takes priority. Those chairs and my can of primer might have to wait until tomorrow. By 4:30 Clara is awake, so I don’t get to finish my photo editing/post writing, but at least it’s a start.
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
JOHN: The bean is restless so we decide we should go for our evening walk now because it’s supposed to rain a little later. Burger’s psyched and ready to go.
SHERRY: We walk around the neighborhood for about an hour and brainstorm post ideas for the following week. We also briefly talk about the kitchen floor plan and toss out a few more potential layout ideas. Who the heck knows where we’ll end up with that- we just believe in talking things to death until we land on something we both can’t wait to do.
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
JOHN: I cook a recipe that I tore out of Everyday with Rachel Ray (chicken with apples, raisins, and olives). It takes about 25 minutes to make, so Clara plays on the floor of the kitchen while I cook and we chat whenever I’m not furiously trying to make sure nothing burns.
SHERRY: I’m back doing blog comments, finishing up that post I started for the next morning, and editing some photos. Dinner is on the table around 6:45. And it’s awesome. John even gave me extra olives. I’m a lucky lady.
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
JOHN: Time to clock some quality family time together before Clara’s conked out for the night. We three, er, four (Burger decides to join us) hang out, read more books, and generally try to tire Clara out.
SHERRY: Burger is full of energy, so he’s zooming around the room and Clara finds it hilarious. But 7:45 is here before we know it and its time to put that baby to bed. After brushing her teeth and saying goodnight to her grandparents (well, a photo of them) she’s out like a light.
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm
JOHN: Now that Clara’s in bed for the night we can do most of our work. It’s normal for us to both have laptops going until midnight or later, but we try to sit in front of the television and occasionally chat so it feels more casual. Some nights we do major DIY stuff together instead of sofa-computer stuff (since during the day it’s hard to get anything other than very small projects done with a one year old around), but not tonight.
SHERRY: We sit in front of the TV (Project Runway’s on) and I finally finish the post for the next day that I’ve been writing on and off. It’s normal for a post to take us around 2-3 hours to write since we have to edit/size/upload photos along with writing detailed steps (that doesn’t include the time it actually 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).
9:00 pm – 10:00 pm
JOHN: Then I realize that we need to record our Q & A video since that will take me a few days to edit so I’d like the weekend to work on it. I set up the tripod & Flip cam in the office and quickly organize the 80-ish questions that people submitted on Facebook (removing any duplicates so we can just read the rest off as we go on camera).
SHERRY: I get ready for the video, including a very important outfit change from a t-shirt to a sweater (I’m a wild woman, what can I say). It’s finally time to sit down, turn on the camera, and answer things in a one-shot-only-no-do-overs way (we hate feeling scripted, so having the one-take rule is nice because it keeps it real). Hopefully we can knock it out in about 30 minutes.
10:00 pm – 11:00 pm
JOHN: General weirdness and chattiness ensues as we film our answers to a variety of questions. Gosh we’re dorks. And boy is this taking longer than we thought.
SHERRY: What he said. The thirty minute goal of completion is shot, but we’re having fun talking to no one (aka: the Flip cam).
11:00 pm – 12:00 am
JOHN: We’re finally done with the video and I get the uploading process started while I respond to a few more tweets and emails. Then I turn my attention to Google Sketch-Up, which I’m teaching myself to use so we can render a few kitchen layout ideas in 3D. There’s a bit of a learning curve here, but not the kind that prevents me from eating some ice cream (with whipped cream) in the process.
SHERRY: I begin writing another post, but realize I haven’t updated our House Tour page with new photos since sharing some bedroom and office updates, so I add the “progress” label to those pics and update those. Five minutes later I realize that I need to update them in the Paint Colors and Where We Got It pages too, so I do that. Then it’s back to comments and emails.
12:00 am – 1:00 am
John – We talk about going to bed, but I pull a “give me ten more minutes” so I can try to finish my Google Sketch-Up rendering. But it’s nearly a half hour ’til it’s done (we like it, but not enough to make any decisions or anything – we’ll keep ya posted whenever we decide to stop flip-flopping). I go around the house and turn off lights, turn the alarm to our “night” setting, and do one last check on Clara, our sweet little sleeper.
Sherry – While waiting “ten more minutes” for John I start writing a BabyCenter post. Don’t quite finish it though. Still need to add pics. But for now I just want to get my contacts out and myself into bed. Can’t believe it’s nearly 1 am already.
1:00 am – 1:30ish?
JOHN & SHERRY: All three of us are finally snuggled in bed (the third “person” being Burger). We recap some of the highlights / issues of the day and do a quick run-through of any important plans for tomorrow (gotta write ten book intro chapters, spray prime those chairs, proof and publish the two almost-finished posts from yesterday, try to get our inboxes back down, etc). It doesn’t take long for our conversation to turn into sleep. But not before making an out-loud wish that Clara miraculously sleeps until at least 8am. (Spoiler alert: she made it to about 7:45).
Kathy says
Whoa! Let me take a breath– haha! Your wild planner notes reflect your creativity–love that! Now when I’m in a meeting and everyone else takes out their Blackberries and other electronic devices to record important dates, I will think of you and not be so embarrassed by my paper planner.
Sarah Ressler Wright says
So I love that you guys
!. Use cloth diapers-we LOVE our BumGenius diapers and our son Hux is 3 1/2 and still uses one a night -they never wear out!
2. Have an Angelcare baby monitor-it’s the baby gift that keeps on giving (peace of mind for all parents!).
3. Use reusable bags-I stash 3-4 in my purse -so much prettier to use -and I am sure you’ve mentioned the 5cents off per bag that Target gives you for using them (why anyone uses plastic bags anymore I don’t know!!).
So now, perhaps you could try going vegetarian to be just like our family (we do so for ethical, environmental and health reasons). :) :)
Nevertheless, thanks for being my absolute favorite blog to read every day-and feel free to relax and give yourself a week vacation for awhile-all your adoring readers will understand (you just have to reference this post before taking a hiatus!).
YoungHouseLove says
We’re actually meat free about five nights a week! It definitely keeps the costs down and there are so many delicious meals without it (we do veggie burgers or veggie dumplings, homemade or frozen pizza, pasta with pesto or marinara sauce, fully loaded meatless nachos, rice and bean burritos, etc).
xo,
s
Amy says
as a mom of a 5 month old and a wannabe blogger, it was fun to read how you guys manage it all! You are all adorable…love this fun little spot on the web :)
kelsey says
I thought my days were full. I need a nap after reading about yours! I love your tag team Clara time, so cool. I don’t understand how you have time to get any projects done – so my promise to you as a loyal YHL blog reader: I promise to never need a comment answered, unless of course it is an amazing question ;-) Love seeing your days, you guys are such a neat family!!
Angela says
This was really neat! I read the archives of “a day in the life,” too. I think it is cool you share.
I think, in your honor, I’ll take a little nap for you. :) (I knew you were busy, but I had no idea!)
Kathy says
Sorry for the 2nd comment, but I also wanted to say that your blog inspires readers in so many ways: Yes, the DIY projects are amazing and motivate us to do our own, but you also inspire us to think outside the box when it comes to marriage relationships, gender roles, parenting, healthy lifestyle, and career choice… so, as touch-feely as it sounds, THANK YOU for that…and Happy 4th Blogiversary! :-)
Vanessa says
Wow- you guys are busy and it makes me appreciate getting to read your blog and enjoy what you guys work so hard to priovide to us your readers! You make it seem so effortless and easy. Thank you for sharing some behind the scenes with us, you all need a vacation!!!!! :)
Julie B. says
Is it weird that the thing about this post that surprises me the most is that you (Sherry) sit on THAT side of the desk in your office?! All this time, I totally had you pictured on the (facing the desk) right side. Weird. At least, to me it was:)
YoungHouseLove says
I actually used to sit on the other side! But when we built the new desk we switched. I don’t remember why. Maybe so I could be two steps closer to the kitchen since I drink so much water all day? Haha.
xo,
s
Katie says
Oddly enough, I always pictured the same thing!
Brandi says
How funny! I actually thought the same thing for some reason. Not sure why.
Charmaine says
Sketchup is great! Good luck teaching it to yourself, I took a course to learn it, but it is pretty simple once you get the basics down.
Lee @ Grace Filled House says
Wowee! So busy! It’s great that you two love what you do! My question is probably super random, but I was wondering about Burger sleeping in your bed: has he always done that or did you let him join you at a certain age? My puppy is 9 months old (we’ve had her since she was 3 months old) and she just started making noise in her crate at night, wanting to be with us. What’s your advice??? Thank you so much!
YoungHouseLove says
He slept in his crate in the beginning just while we were crate training him and potty training him, but probably around 8 months old or so we started slacking and let him snuggle into our beds since he was reliably potty trained and still liked his crate for when we left the house (we didn’t want it to turn him into someone who hated his crate, but he still goes in there happily before we leave (and sometimes hangs out in there while we’re home, haha). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ashley says
WOWZA! You guys get busier and busier and the blog life crazier and crazier every year! I’m tired just ready about your day! I’m WAY impressed, though! You guys are pros! Do you ever think about hiring someone to help with comments and emails? If you do, you know how to call (and for clarification, that would be me)
ALSO, are you out-of-your-mind-can’t-barely-stand-it excited about Modern Family this week. I can’t even sit still thinking about it! I need some Phil Dunphy in my life again.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! So excited for Modern Family!! Also, we think about hiring someone to proof comments and field comments and emails but we love DIYing that stuff and think it might feel a little “answering service-ish” if we hired someone else to do it, so for now we’re happy to work it in! We love hearing from folks, so it keeps us going!
xo,
s
ruthie says
I think the solution is “intern”!? Anyone with me? A DIY-Blogger intern. Now that’s something our grandparents would scratch their heads at!
YoungHouseLove says
Believe it or not people actually email us to ask to be interns! It’s amazing. But we really don’t know what they could do for us since we like to answer our own comments and write our own posts and do our own projects. I think the hardest thing about being such diehard DIYers is that we want to do it all ourselves. Haha.
xo,
s
ruthie says
Okay, maybe the answer is maid (cook, laundry and clean-up after projects), lol :-)But, yes DIY=Self-Sufficient!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I think John actually likes cooking now. He’s always finding new recipes to keep it fun. Cleaning isn’t always fun, but it’s not too bad. We’re used to it, so it’s just part of life. Haha.
xo,
s
Bboss says
Whoa! That is some day.
I do Google Sketch up at work. It is maddening at first. Management of layers and components is key. Once I figured that out, it was a lot better. Can’t wait to see the results!
Melissa says
Great post! Is there any way you guys can share the recipe to that dinner?? It looks very yummy right now (lunch time!).
YoungHouseLove says
Someone linked to it somewhere in the comments over on rachel ray’s site. It’s delicious!
xo,
s
alex says
Can I just say that I think its pretty freaking awesome you dont let TV be the babysitter…and you engage and READ with your baby. And that she has toys that allow freedom to play with instead of just making noise and light up. Seriously, I think that might be my favorite parenting trait other than not giving your kid junkfood.
KLL says
here’s a random question for you, who took the photo of you guys walking? Was that a clever tripod move?
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, yes. That was all tripod (+ timer).
xo,
s
Daria says
I almost hate myself for needing to comment on your post and giving you more work to go though my comment. But I just want to tell you that I’ve never realized how much work you put into the blog. It makes me appreciate it even more! I mean, I knew you worked hard on it, but then again, I didn’t think that you live on 6 hours of sleep per night! Thank you for all this effort, and passion, and for inspiring us every day.
Angie says
Never commented before, but I just can’t help myself this time. What a fun post!
The hour-by-hour recap was fun, but what I loved most was the photos. You post so many photos of your home in pristine, magazine-like condition (which is awesome…don’t stop) or in mid-project (also great) but it’s not as often that we get to see you guys actually occupying/living in/enjoying your home — having family dinner in your fabulous kitchen, reading Clara stories in her wicked fabulous bedroom and lounging on the couch in your mondo fabulous family room. Makes it feel more real, like you actual live there and it’s not just some staged fake house somewhere ready for the next photoshoot.
Loved it. Keep it up. Oh, and happy anniversary!
Sarah @ Redhead in Ruffled Flats says
I’m so glad you posted this! I thought you had no time to yourselves (which some people still think after reading this), but to me it seems like you get a good balance of spending time with Clara and one another and then focusing on work in between. The way I see it, so many people go to work for 8+ hours a day, then come home to spend time with their family but are also doing work at home, so really I think you two have found a great balance. I’d love to know what weekends are like, too – do you do a lot of catching up then or do you like to focus on your family more?
YoungHouseLove says
Weekends can really go either way. There’s always at least 5-6 hours of work since Monday and Tuesday are our busiest days and we have to prep for those, but since comments aren’t rolling in as much we can get projects done and also get some family time in there. And sometimes we end up working as much as if it’s a normal week day, but that’s usually just to prep for something big like this week or a big reveal like our desk or our patio, etc.
xo,
s
Kim says
Wow, you guys have such a busy day! My friend and I were convinced there was a “machine” behind YHL like some other blogs out there (we would have loved you just the same). Its even more impressive that you’re totally DIY with the blog itself. Kudos to you!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Nah, no machine. Just two weirdos in Virginia juggling hammers and a chihuahua and a baby. Haha.
xo,
s
Devon @ Green House, Good Life says
You should NEVER juggle hammers and a chihuahua and a baby. That’s begging to end up at the hospital, then the vet, then the Child Protective Services office. Which would take WAY too much time out of your busy blogging schedule.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, it’s true. We don’t have time for that!
xo,
s
Amanda says
Hi – Great post today! This may seem a little random but something I noticed is that you guys don’t really have a great ergonomic setup for your workspace. Sherry you might want to consider a chair that lifts you up a bit (sorry :) ) so your forearms are parallel to the work surface when you type… and both of you could use a monitor that brings the view to eye level…Both changes will save your back from a lot of strain! Just something to consider :)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tips! It’s funny how comfy the chairs are (we initially wanted to use them in the sunroom but love them so much for how cozy they make us feel- even on long days). As for monitors, we’re such laptop lovers it’s crazy. Maybe someday we’ll get monitors for the desk and just use our laptops on the couch.
xo,
s
John@Our Home From Scratch says
I noticed the Angel Care monitor on your bedside table. Does that little thing not rock? I can’t live without it. I would totally put one under our bed to make sure Lisa (my wife) was breathing too! Looking forward to all the posts this week. Particularly interested in learning whether or not this blog life can work as an income supplement vice the full-time gig you guys do so well.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- yes, that monitor is the best!
xo,
s
Sarah Ramirez says
Sherry….I have a favor to ask…lets trade husbands!! My husband is named John too so it will be an even trade….he is a construction worker by trade and can do and outside project you can think of….BUT HE NEVER EVER COOKS…especially a dinner that looked as good as the one your John made…and I don’t even think he knows where our laundry room is in our house!!….Ok, so maybe not a permanent trade, maybe just a swap right around dinner time??
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, deal. Maybe just one dinnertime swap a week.
xo,
s
Pixie says
I agree with Sarah, I want to trade. I would love it if he would not only cook but also pull recipes from Racheal Ray magazine. My hubby is good with computers (he’s a programmer)so he could help with some blog stuff.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, I totally admit that I am one lucky lady. I honestly don’t know how I snagged him, but don’t tell John that. Haha.
xo,
s
Trish says
There is nothing better than being home with your kids! All the work you put into it is well worth some of the sacrifices…and look at all the fun you have doing it…Good for you!!!!
Amanda says
I think this post is my favorite one you guys do for your blogiversary – it’s fun to read how your typical day has changed!
My husband is our resident cook and main DIY man – I’m a lucky girl, and it sounds like you are, too, Sherry! (This weekend, hubs made an awesome sausage/kale/lentil soup AND did the majority of the work tiling/grouting our kitchen!! I was support staff, running to Home Depot, getting groceries, handing him supplies, etc.)
Tara says
Did yu guys switch sides of the desk? For some reason I always picture Sherry on the right and John on the left… I think that’s where you were in a photo from the old place. Just an observation from a “visual” reader :-)
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, we did switch after we made the wall to wall desk. Don’t even remember why. Maybe because I drink a ton of water and always walk to the kitchen and that side is closer?
xo,
s
Debbie says
Wow, what a busy day. As a newbie I can now see how much time blogging is needed. But hey at least you get to start working in your jammies, right? :)
I love your blog. Been following for quite some time now.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! Jammies are a good start to any day. Hah.
xo,
s
Lesley says
It’s so funny that anytime I tell someone that right now my “job” ( quotations b/c I’m not making any money at it–yet ) is writing a blog that I can virtually see the thought bubble above their head that says “so she doesn’t actually work”. So untrue! Blog writing, when done well, is very hard work, as you’ve shown by your 15+ hour day.
Loved hearing all about how you organize your time.
PS– I have a very similar looking crazy-girl calendar! Hubby thinks it’s a sure sign of insanity.
Beth says
Just a word of encouragement on the topic of Clara dropping a nap. Our son switched from 2 – 90 min naps to one BIG LONG nap about that time. It was actually nice because it’s easier to get projects done in one 3 hour time slot than two short ones! So hopefully that will actually end up being easier for work in the long run! Good luck!
YoungHouseLove says
Wow, three hours. I think I would faint.
xo,
s
Blair says
I’m surprised to see a non-smart phone! I would think that with you guys constantly responding to comments/tweets/emails/etc you’d have been one of the first to switch.
YoungHouseLove says
I actually have an iPhone (I think it would be impossible to leave the house or go on road trips or beach trips without it)! John just has his old little flip phone that he loves to complain about (haha, he wants an iphone too).
xo,
s
Lani @ Diapers and Divas says
I love this post! You guys are so open and welcoming that many of us readers already feel like we know you! What a fun little glimpse! And John…that’s the most dynamic picture I’ve seen in a long time. Good job! Haha!
YoungHouseLove says
Sweet. I’ll take it!
-John
Corien says
Great post! Just wonder (I am Dutch) – do American babies sleep without blankets? Or is the weather so hot over there!? Can’t imagine one of my triplets or older son sleeping without a sheet (when in Indonesia) or blanket (back in Holland). Just curious!!
YoungHouseLove says
We keep the house at a temp that doesn’t call for a blankey since it’s the summer and it’s nice and warm here. Thankfully she sleeps really well without one! Oh but her stuffed giraffe (Gee) is the man when it comes to being her “comfort item.” In the winter we generally use a sleep sack instead of a blanket so it stays on when she rolls around. Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Lauren says
You guys are the best. Loved reading this entry. Happy Blogiversary! (and I have an old flip phone too! I have become this luddite when it comes to phones. I’m nervous for the day when they don’t sell plain ol’ normal ones anymore.)
Jaclyn says
Wow!I really enjoyed this post!I work from home and have a 3yo, it was nice to see how other people make it work. Thanks for all you guys hard work, reading your blog is one of the highlights of my day!
Maria says
Hey guys!
You’re awesome!
One question, do you ever get a chance to hang out with friends? Go out on the town without Clara? Have any hobbies other than the blog? Your life is so full, just wondered if you ever got a chance to do anything non work/blog related.
YoungHouseLove says
On weekends we try to work in at least two friend/family things (ex: grabbing brunch with friends on Sat, going to a family party on Sunday afternoon). We have to be better about that because it’s the first thing to go when we get busy at work, but it’s so important to our sanity!
xo,
s
blake says
It’s fun to see you guys actually using your space, such as a laundry room, kitchen, office, sofa, etc.
With the growth of the blog, do you think you’ll reach the point of adding a helper for a lot of the behind-the-scenes/administrative stuff?
Even with how busy you are, it’s great to see how much time you get together as a family.
YoungHouseLove says
We’ve thought a lot about that and we’re happy to keep it just us instead of turning into one of those behind-the-scenes-staffed-machine things. It might mean that our growth will hit a cap, but we’re ok with that. We just love the whole DIY aspect of it all, so it feels weird to outsource stuff that we do. We like to keep it real!
xo,
s
Janae says
Wow – most of us can just go home in the evening and “turn the work off”. You guys can’t do that being full time bloggers! But at least you love what you do and we love reading it! Keep up the good work!!
PS – I feel kinda bad I just added another comment for you guys to review!! Sorry for the extra work – :o)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, no way. We love every last comment!
xo,
s
Laura says
Oh my goodness, reading this completely stressed me out. You guys work too hard! I’ll officially stop pouting that you don’t post on the weekend. :)
Kai says
This post could not have come at a better time for me. I’m getting ready to launch a blog of my own and, of course, have the same ‘hope it turns into a full time gig like YHL’ thought as everyone else. Even though these posts help us see how busy you guys are, I still think it would make me the happiest person in the world to stay home with my twin boys and not have to work 9-5 for ‘the man’! Thanks for the great peek into your day!
(p.s.) I noticed in most shots you were careful to conceal the desk trim, but you slipped and I caught a glimpse in the Flip cam set up pic!! Oops and now everyone’s going to go back and look too haha :)
Kai says
Oh and I should say that it looks fantastic ;) Have you thought of adding trim to the bottom of the Effectiv (sp?) to give it the same built in look?
Thanks again for all your oversharing!
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh that could be fun! Although the Effectiv already goes to the ground (no little legs going on). We’ll have to see!
xo,
s
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Busy busy days for you and the family. Glad you guys rock it all the time :)
Kelly says
Happy Blogiversary! I’m in such awe of everything you guys do in a day!
I’m also impressed with how well Clara will sit still for books. Once my 14 month old became mobile, he was no longer interested in sitting still for them, except at nap/bedtime. He’ll climb out of your lap, crawl away, or speed through flipping the pages.
For independent play, you might want to google “treasure baskets.” It’s basically putting an assortment of random textures/shapes/objects in a box then letting the child explore. Ours is just a shoebox wrapped in shiny paper with big shells, mardi gras beads, toliet paper rolls, tissue paper, and old sunglasses among other things. My guy will actually sit and look through the stuff, put the beads through the toliet paper rolls, rip the paper,etc for 15-20 minutes, which is an eternity for him. Since there are some possible choking hazards, I’m close by, but he is on his own playing.
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- that is an eternity! Love the idea!
xo,
s
Liz says
I LOVE this post! And I’m super excited to read the others you have lined up. My hubby and I talk about you guys sometimes and we’ve wondered what an average day-in-the-life must be like. (I voted exhausting while he voted “the dream” but I guess we’re both right.)
Caitlin @ Desert Domicile says
WOW!!! You guys are CRAZY busy!!! How do you manage to stay sane?!
Congrats on the blogiversary by the way!!! Here’s to another 4+ years :)
YoungHouseLove says
I just think loving what we do helps! Haha. We used to blog for free just as a hobby, so we’re so happy to do it as a job (even if it’s a little more complicated these days)!
xo,
s
Chari says
HAHA! the 7-8pm photo through the window of sherry is so funny. A LITTLE CREEPY! You guys work prettay haard! I do enjoy it…
YoungHouseLove says
Haha John is such a creeper. He wanted to go outside at dusk and take a picture looking in. I’m sure you can tell from my face how amused I was…
xo,
s
karen says
Happy Blogiversary!!
that was a really cool post..and i’m tired just reading it.
You two seem like you have a fantastic partnership!!
and Sherry..you ARE a lucky gal!! breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Love it..love you guys.
Oh…try not to wear yourselves out to thin..I enjoy your blog and want it to be around for a good while :)
Sara says
Wow, I don’t know how you guys did it when John was at his old job! John – cooking, laundry and getting in a run, not to mention the work you got done, I am so impressed! I am lucky to get that much done on a weekend day. Not to detract from what Sherry is doing – you guys are crazy devoted. But that’s why the site is so awesome.
Keep it coming! (But don’t burn out…) Haha, that simple, right?
Polina says
You guys are such hard workers! I have been following your blog for well over 3 years and was always amazed with how seriously your take this blog. Even when you had your full time jobs it never felt like a hobby, you always took time to engage with your readers and answer questions. I can honestly say that i have never encounter another blogger that dedicated and helpfull. I am so proud and excited for every sucess your experience, and cherish it as if it was my own.
I am very curious, how did you get Clara to fall alseep on her own? After she stopped nursing few months ago, was she happy with going to bed on her own? It takes us at least an hour of holding and carrying our daughter to get her to sleep before we can move her to the crib (she used to fall asleep while nursing). We are not comfortable with letting her cry, but very interessted in other methods or ‘tricks’ that worked for parents. Thank you!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Polina. That’s so sweet of you to say. As for getting Clara to fall asleep on her own, from about 4 months on we were able to put her into her crib awake and sometimes she’d fuss for a second but usually she’d just quite down and pop her thumb in her mouth and go to sleep on her own. We know how lucky we got with that though! I’m fully expecting our next baby to make us work harder when it comes to that. Haha. I just wonder if it’s a personality thing? She actually likes sleeping from what we can tell (especially at night when she’s so tired from a long day) so we have our little routine where we say goodnight to a picture of the grandparents and turn on her sound machine and close the blinds (at which point she says “buh-hye trees!”) and just put her in bed and say night-night. I do think any sort of reliable routine might help (perhaps some small things to signal that it’s bedtime every night like saying goodnight to the same picture, or turning on the same white-noise soundtrack, etc will help?).
xo,
s
karen says
Oh..btw…since you said sometimes Clara skips her afternoon nap…she may be ready for one longer nap… if you try to pushed her first nap to 12ish (lets say after lunch) and she may do a really good long one. My 15 month old is doing 2 1/2 to 3 hours now…imagine the all the diy-ing you could do! or if your like me…the napping!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we’re giving that a go right now actually. She went down at around 1 so we’ll have to see how she does with just one. So far so good!
xo
s
Pixie says
Thankfully someone else who still uses a planner that’s not their phone. I got rid of mine last year after much ribbing from my godson (who’s 13 and knows everything about everything) but have been seriously considering going back to one because somehow having things in my phone makes it too easy to miss. Burger has quite the life, I wish I could get up at 2 pm. I’m glad to hear it takes you several discussions to come to a conclusion about things. Sometimes we talk things to death before we can come to a conclusion. We are on month 2 of the “what color should we paint the outside of the house” discussion and the only thing we’ve decided on is yes we want to paint the door, ha-ha.
Jenny says
Here is the link to the chicken you made for dinner:
http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/chicken-with-apple–raisins-and-olives
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for sharing that for everyone! It was so good!
xo,
s