This post was 3,000 words long. They all felt overly complicated and heavy and weird. I clicked delete. Then I just typed what we’re really feeling, complete with things we’ve never said out loud and even a few things we’ve never fully admitted to ourselves before.
The truth is that we love you guys. Like for real. Even for the tough love. We know you say it because you care (or hopefully you did at some point), and we want you to know we care right back. We want to do a good job. We want to do this with joy and excitement. We want to inspire you. We know this is an incredible way to have made a living and we are full of gratitude for the experience to have shared the last seven years of our lives with you guys online.
We would NEVER be here without you, and not a day goes by that we don’t know that. It’s why we asked for your feedback last week and read every last comment. We appreciate the honesty and the passion you guys have on the topic of making this blog great. And we agree with a lot of what was being said. We have been feeling off for a while – like we have lost our rhythm and we’re somehow missing the mark for ourselves and for you guys. We too miss the good old days when we did this for the love and were full of such obvious joy and spontaneity. This felt like a place we all hung out and it just doesn’t have that vibe anymore.
Over the years many amazing opportunities popped up for us. Things we never dreamed of doing in a million years, and things we’re incredibly grateful to have had the chance to experience. A book deal, curating paint picks with Benjamin Moore, a line sold at Target, a showhouse, etc. But in hindsight those things also made this feel a lot more like a business than a personal blog to many of you, and to us as well. We have actually ramped those down behind the scenes in an attempt to get back to our roots (we no longer do the BM color collection, the second book is mostly written, our products at Target have completed their run, and we finished the showhouse) but we never really made a big announcement about that – so it’s completely understandable that some of you might think we’ve moved on to those greener pastures and left the blog in the dust, so to speak. The reality is that our site propels the success of any outside project like a product or book, so we could never turn our backs on the blog and expect those items to continue to sell as well.
Not only have we felt this shift from “John and Sherry” to “Young House Love: The Brand”, but the blogosphere as a whole has become increasingly sponsored/corporate lately. We can see from the outside prospective as a reader, or even a fellow blogger, that it’s hard to read a blog post without suspecting some ulterior motive or money-making system behind it. Last week a few of you mentioned that we might need to keep giveaways around because they pay us well, which surprised us since they’re never something we accept payment for (we like to pass free things along to you as a thank you for reading).
Along with the whole business/brand thing that’s going on, and the side gigs that felt like they muddied the water for some of you, there are certainly other things we wish we had handled differently in hindsight. Just to name a few, there’s: being too defensive, over-explaining, letting things get in our heads and change our lighthearted approach, and the internal struggle between being transparent and oversharing personal details like a vacant new house without an alarm system (looking back we wish we’d handled our third house announcement differently). We know many of you felt insulted that we didn’t share more freely about that house, and we truly apologize.
Anyway, back to that whole “we’re sexy stumbling and you know it” thing. It’s endlessly frustrating to do a job that you love poorly, especially when it’s a blog baby that you’ve birthed yourself and nurtured for seven years. And especially when it’s such an amazing job that we once felt so inspired and joyful to wake up and do each day. What’s wrong with us? We know this is a dream job. We acknowledge it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. We know most people who have built something like this would be more inspired than ever. It’s not that we lost the gratitude, I think it’s that we feel like we’ve fallen out of our groove. We feel like we’re letting you guys down repeatedly. It got to the point that every time we pressed “publish” we braced ourselves.
So in an attempt to stop stumbling around and feeling like we just can’t get it back, we’re taking a break. We don’t know exactly how long we’ll be stepping away, but our guess would be at least a month. We will certainly be exploring other options for supporting our family (something we mentioned we were considering back in April). We had that fiery blog-spark back when we had day jobs and did this as a hobby, so we think it could be a good change. We’ll also be taking a break on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, but the blog will stay public so you guys can access the archives whenever you’d like.
Our internal struggle and the state of this blog is entirely of our making, and we completely own that. Please don’t get mad at anyone for being honest with their feedback last week or accuse them of sending us packing. We have been struggling with that “something is off” feeling for a while now, and after way too much denial and “we’ll turn it around” pep talks, we finally asked for your feedback because we truly wanted to hear what you were thinking. It was cathartic and helpful for us. It has allowed us to very clearly see that if we have any respect for this blog and our love of it, and for you guys and what you’d like to see, we need to take a break if we ever want any hope of getting back to that fun/real/spontaneous place it used to be when this was something we did for the love instead of the high stakes game of supporting a family.
In summary: we love you, we thank you, and we hope you understand.
Kathleen says
I have remodeled a condo and 2 houses so far with 2 small children. With this 2nd house my husband both looked at each other and said “why are we doing this?” It’s great extra income every few years but it’s also tough. I get it. Manual labor gets old. You are both very talented and you’ll do great with or without a blog. Good luck!
Lauren says
I will greatly miss my morning coffee and younghouselove blog ritual. I look forward to your return, if it’s in the cards. It is an amazing world we live in these days that you can be so invested in the lives of complete strangers, yet feel as though they are great friends. Thank you for sharing your lives with us these past 7 years.
XOXO
Jess Z. says
Totally understandable. It felt like the blog was being “forced”, and I know that’s not what you were planning. You are well-deserving of a break!
Deborah says
Chiming in from company-provided housing in Saudi Arabia to say that I’ve loved reading you blog, even though half of it isn’t applicable to us. Y’all have consistently produced top-notch content and interacted extensively with readers and I’m sure that it has been exhausting. Being self-employed is a different animal, but most folks get to work fewer hours, take more days off, and take paternity and maternity leaves when they have babies. Hope your time away is refreshing and provides clarity.
Katherine says
I think sabbatical is the perfect word for what I hope this is–a much needed, very well deserved break. I miss you guys already! The only thing I disagree with is that you said you have been blogging poorly. What?! No way. Definitely not poorly. A little differently but nowhere near poorly. Please come back when you’re ready. We love you guys! Oh and I guess there was one other thing and that was that you should have handled your third house announcement differently. I don’t think that’s necessarily the case. If you really think so, fine, but I thought the way you explained it made complete sense. You were busy posting about the show house at that point I think and when you did make the announcement you were so honest about your third house when you could have just acted like you’d just bought it. But you didn’t. You told the whole story, just a few months after the fact. You guys are thoughtful and respectful toward your readers and we are the ones who probably don’t tell you thank you engough, not the other way around.
Jenny says
I am seriously glad you guys are taking time for yourselves–but do it for your own sanity, not for the sake of the blog. I really hope you guys cut yourselves some slack about the blog. Seriously, you just had a(nother) baby! It sounded like you worked around the clock until Teddy was born and you hardly took any time off once he arrived. And now you are trying to figure out how to juggle full-time work and taking care TWO tiny humans that require lots of love and attention. I’m exhausted just typing that! So for the people who are asking where is your mojo? I dunno, maybe somewhere in the land where people get a solid stretch of full nights’ sleep? Maybe it’s in a land where you can actually nap when your son and daughter are napping instead of having to remodel your house!
That you can even string together words to form reasonably coherent sentences these is awe-inspiring to me. When we had our first son a year ago, both my husband and I noticed a drop in our productivity and spark at work. It’s a by-product of exhaustion and adjustment to a new life. But, it’s temporary. You will get your “groove” back in time.
Anyone who doesn’t understand these things either doesn’t have young kids or doesn’t remember how hard it is. And for those who will say that they did all of this and better than you–well great for them! I hope they come to my house and help me wash the dishes or something with all of their excess perfection. :)
sarah says
wow—i am so sad that you are going away for a month. will miss you very much. your house brought me tons of ideas, hope, and inspiration for what we could make a fixer upper be someday. i hope you get lots of rest with clara and teddy. and just so you know, i loved your blog just how it was. hope you’ll decide to come back!
Heidi says
Will miss you so much. I too didn’t feel like things were off….I just missed Sherry, who I knew was super busy with baby. I hope you come back soon, and in the future maybe a yearly month long break would be a good thing. Everyone deserves some time off.
Diana says
I’m sure going to miss reading this every morning (especially as I head into 6 weeks on the couch from foot surgery) but applaud you for taking a step back. I hope you find your groove again and return to blogging but if not, wishing you all the best.
Whitney says
This brought a little tear to my eye… but ya know what??? EVERYONE else out there gets a vacation from time to time at their 9 to 5 jobs. I think you deserve a vacation from you 24/7/365! Really, I think you have taken one real vacation (Hawai’i) in recent years and as fun as they are weekend trips don’t always recharge the batteries. You deserve it- if you put all the hours you spent (since we know that it’s not all in front of a screen) you probably would have accumulated a lot more than a month! Enjoy your time away, we will miss you!
Izzy c says
Upsetting that I only found your blog last year and it’s being discontinued :( I find it a little hard to understand but I blame that on the fact that I’m probably your youngest reader (just started highschool) but I’m happy I got to be apart of the journey while it lasted!! I anticipate your return and am so happy with what I have learned from you guys! Enjoy your break
Debra says
So.much.love for you guys! Unbelievably, I only discovered you last summer when I stayed at a friend’s house and they had your book. I spent the entire weekend poring through it and my DIY and design life was changed forever. I’m not exaggerating. My house has Petersik fingerprints all over it! (In the least creepy way possible!) You guys are one of a kind. And you have been incredibly generous with your lives. As many have said, you’ve handled the internet spotlight with an incredible (and RARE) kindness and maturity. It’s so refreshing for so many of us.
I hope your time away from the blog is everything you need it to be and you can find clarity about what’s next. But in the meantime, just know that if and when you guys do decide to come back to blogging, I am only one of thousands whose homes and lives have been touched by you guys, and all of us will be right here, stupidly excited about whatever you do decide to share.
Just know that those of us who love you and are loyal to you – we don’t need you to be perfect or have your blogging “groove” figured out in order to enjoy your posts. We are perfectly willing to bear with you as you figure it out. Just like any other DIY project, it will take some time and some mess. But it is so worth it!
Blessings!
Jamie says
Good for you! I’ve loved reading your blog everyday and you will be missed. I just want to say that you don’t owe anyone anything, you’ve blessed those of us who’ve been following you with your knowledge and experiences. Thank you so much for even taking the time to share you’re lives up to this point. That’s a really big deal. What ever you’ve accomplished and been blessed to have experienced along the way, is just that, a blessing and take it and enjoy the heck out of it. I hope any “negative nellies” out there will leave their comments to themselves. You have a life to live and littles to take care of. Hopefully I’ll get to see you on the otherside of this but if not, I wish all the best for you guys. You’re seriously great! :-)
Lisa in Seattle says
I too have typed and erased and typed and erased. You have been the gold standard for what a DIY/shelter blog could be. It has been a great delight and privilege to watch you both grow over the last several years, along with your skills and lovely family. Wishing you the very best now and always.
I sincerely hope that this break (assuming it is just a break) will flush away all the haters, griefers, EBs and concern trolls who have made the comments section here feel like the comments on YouTube lately. Although you have said they are not (completely) to blame, I hope they are all just so pleased and happy with this outcome.
Danielle says
You know.. When you know, you know. And you know! Haha.. Anyway, taking a break is good for the soul.
Thank you for keeping the blog active. You all have inspired me and my husband to not be scared of DIY! We followed your first bathroom renovation as well as we could to fix our leaking tile surround. I feel like I’m best friends with you guys, in a “Julie and Julia” type of way.. With or without “Bon Appetite!”..
Good luck and I hope to see you guys and the kids soon!
Darlene Griffin says
Dearest John and Sherry, I am sending you a virtual hug. I have loved your blog since I started reading a few years ago. and have been very inspired by your home, your creativity and your family. I read some of the comments posted over the last few days and have had a very heavy heart for you guys know you were being slammed with so many opinions all at once. I don’t normal leave comments but I wanted you to know that I am praying that you have restful break and look forward to seeing what your next steps will be!
Peggy says
Love you guys. You will certainly be missed. I hope you find what is best for you and your family. You have been so inspirational!
Laura says
While I’m sad to see you guys go, I also feel a sense of relief for you. You guys work so hard and have accomplished so much in such a short amount of time. Really, 7 years is not that long when you consider all you have accomplished! I think it’s totally normal and expected to feel like you’ve lost your groove and maybe even a little burned out. Hopefully this break will help you recharge and get your groove back so you can continue to kick butt with whatever you decide to pursue afterwards, even if it’s not this blog. Although, I will totally be there with bells on if you do come back to blogging. :) xoxo
Avone says
Yes! Thank you for the honesty. While I was one of the commenters asking for more from you guys (since this is your job), I am also in full support of the break (not that it matters if I wasn’t..ha).
It’s refreshing to see you admit your struggles and to acknowledge that the blog has been “off.” Most of us can’t afford to take a month off while we figure it out/find our joy, but you guys seem to realize what a blessing it is that YOU can.
Whatever you guys decide (and I selfishly hope it’s to continue blogging), I hope it brings you as much joy as the blog used to.
Enjoy those babies and your “down time.” I’ll just be over here in the corner in the fetal position until you return.
Kimberly K says
I have followed your blog for almost 4 years now and checking up on YHL is part of my daily routine. I hope y’all can find the inspiration you’re looking for and come back to the blog-world full of new ideas and ready to share again! While I will miss seeing new projects/ideas/updates, I completely understand and think it is important for you to do what feels best! Hope to see you soon!!!!
Bobbie says
I wish you would blog unapologetically. I always say (too much actually) that your blog is like your house. Are you going to let someone come in and pee on the floor? no! It’s good to understand readers but there’s a point where you give them too much power and I think you’re there.
Find your groove, fall back in love with blogging and take a break. But when you come back – stop replying to every single comment and maybe even stop reading them all. Do it for you. Share your story, not the story that others want you to tell.
Working with BM and Target is huge and a big compliment to what you’ve created. You should never apologize for that. Take pride in it.
Now I have to find another blog to stalk. :)
Kelly says
YHL is still my favorite blog. I will miss you guys this month, and I hope you come back! I’ll keep reading whatever you post. Honestly, you really can’t go wrong in my book because you are great writers, great DIYers, and great people. Just stay true to yourselves, whatever that is at this point, and I can virtually guarantee that I am going to like it. Best wishes.
katie says
I know this is silly but I am bawling here. I have been interested in home design before I found your blog but you guys have been a huge inspiration to me. I am a 30 year old mom of three and tonight I am taking my first university course ever. It is introduction to residential interiors. You both have at least a small role in why I took the jump to do this. I have read you everyday day and will miss you terribly. I understand that you need a break and may never come back to this blog. I hope you find rest, peace, and joy in your future. Okay I need to go get a box of Kleenex now.
Elizabeth says
Thanks once again to both of you for being so honest not only with yourselves, but with your readers. You guys are my most favorite read of almost every day, and have constantly amazed me with how you do it all. Enjoy this time and know that if you choose to come back, there are so many people who truly get joy from you and your content. Hugs.
Beth says
Enjoy your well deserved time off!! I certainly hope you find your way back to the blog refreshed and renewed! We’ll all be here waiting for you! xo
Karen Q says
Very happy for you and totally agree with everyone- this is a well deserved break for you and your family! I remember coming across your blog about 4 years ago (wow time flies) and was and still am amazed at how honest and true to yourselves and the readers you are. Thank you for having us along this adventure! We will all be here when you decide to come back, whenever that may be. But in the meantime- enjoy some time off, recharge- you’ll get your grove back :)
Sara says
I totally get it, but I’m so sad! I second what other people have been saying: it’s totally and completely normal to take a sabbatical from your job every few years. Heck, if you were working at a big company, they practically mandate that you take a few months off every 5-7 years or so. So, I guess I’m trying to say that y’all shouldn’t feel at all guilty for needing a break or like you’re letting your readership down. Even the best job in the world is still a job and a little time out to refocus is absolutely warranted.
Your blog was actually the first blog I ever started following regularly back in the good ol’ Google Reader days. I have to say that even though I noticed that the blog has changed over time, I always felt like there was always one or two posts a week that really stayed true to the original spirit of YHL. And hey, I didn’t think the giveaways were too shabby either! I always looked forward to 10am when I knew you would be posting.
What I’ve always loved about your blog, and why I think you’ll always remain my favorite, is that you are just so authentic. Even if you are doing a sponsored post, your personalities shine through in your writing in a way that a lot of other bloggers just can’t replicate. Your posts read like emails from a friend rather than instruction manuals or marketing ploys. You guys are really, really good at what you do and you’ll continue to kick butt no matter what new adventures you get yourselves into.
Anyway, I really, really, really hope you come back to the blog some day! Even if it’s just to update us every once in a while on new projects and the crazy antics of the Petersik clan. Love you guys!
Kate says
Take a break but please don’t stop.
Laura says
I’ve never posted a comment on this blog or any other. I just wanted to share my feeling that I think the two of you are being too hard on yourselves.
I am writer, and as I read the comments in response to your original inquiry, I was struck by how many people commented on the voice in your writing — both of you — and how that’s what drives so many to read your blog.
I don’t own a house, am a renter, and consequently have no ability or interest in many of the specific projects you write about. Nonetheless, I read every post because your writing is enjoyable. And I love seeing the results.
I hope whatever time you take for yourself is not a permanent break from the blog. You are gifted communicators who make reading about just about anything a joy.
I miss the days of more content on the blog, too. But if my choice is no blog or one that’s less populated or a work-in-progress as you find your way back to joy, I’ll take less-than-perfect any day.
Whatever you both choose, you have given joy to many people with your work, and with the insights you’ve shared about your family. That’s not something many people can say.
P.S. Since I didn’t respond to the original inquiry, I’ll add: I loved the house-crashing or links to other design projects you liked because you are capable of deconstructing what works in a way that most of us can’t understand for ourselves.
Olivia says
I’ve been following your blog since I googled “backyard wedding” back in 2008 or 2009 when my husband and I were planning our own wedding on my parent’s farm. My husband makes fun of me all the time because I talk about “John and Sherry” like you’re our BFFs. You’re household names!
I’ve drawn so much inspiration from your website, and I was actually relieved when you guys decided to pull back on posting because I couldn’t keep up reading all your posts but didn’t want to miss anything. I think it’s unrealistic for the blog to have the same vibe now as it did five years ago, especially with two little ones. I love the technical posts because you guys have a way of explaining things that makes me feel like I can tackle the job myself someday. I agree with the comments about the giveaways. It’s a cool way to learn about new products, but I usually just skim past those posts. I have a 1-year-old daughter and we’ve copied so many projects from you guys: I did a yearly photo project the exact same way you did for Clara (down to the fonts! ha), my husband made a couple of latch boards, I printed out a picture of Clara’s nursery wall collage and measured the frames and used the ratios to replicate the arrangement because I stink at arranging wall art, we cloth diaper our baby thanks to you introducing us to BumGenius, we have a dog silhouette print on her wall… I could go on and on!
My husband is a Marine and so we haven’t been able to settle down long enough to buy yet, but I’m holding on to some amazing ideas from your blog for the years to come. I do wish there were more Clara conversations! I think something I’ve noticed change is that it seems like as the blog has grown, I see less “look at this amazing deal we found and how inexpensively we did this amazing thing!” and more “look at how much we deliberated over what *kind of* expensive thing we bought.” I still enjoy the posts, but I can imagine that might make some of the info less helpful to some readers. Shopping is less inspiring than DIYing, I guess is what I’m trying to say.
I think having a blog and a blogging audience is a bit like a marriage- there are highs and lows, rough spots, and you work through it all as best you can. I can’t believe how much your little family has taken on this past year. We have just one tiny one and I stay at home with her and don’t work and it’s enough to keep the house from exploding and have dinner made everyday at a reasonable hour. You guys are rock stars. Excellent to be open to constructive criticism, but I think the blog will ultimately be the best if you write about what YOU want to write about; about what you’re excited to share about. I suspect that if you’re feeling distressed about some of the feedback above, that it may be a sign that you are overwhelmed, so I’m glad to hear you’re taking a break.
Can’t wait for your return. You definitely deserve a break!
Donna says
I haven’t read all the comments, so I’m probably repeating a lot of people.
I’m very surprised by this. I’ve been a reader since the first house and I’ve been happy what I was reading. I would rather you continued the way you were going than to take a month off with no sense of if you’ll return. I did miss some of the regular Reader ReDesign or smaller posts, and the things that you used to put on YoungHouseLife, but really, it was fine.
I think blogging is a great way to make a living, so I do hope you consider sticking with it. Grass is always greener on the other side, and honestly you wouldn’t get the same time with your kids if you went back to “normal” jobs.
Jessica F. says
Okie dokie! Love you, enjoy the break! :)
Maureen says
Will truly miss you guys, I started reading your blog a few months ago and devoured pretty much 7 years worth of content in that short time. It has been great watching how you transform your homes and seeing Clara and now Teddy grow up! I will definitely miss you guys while you are gone, but there has been so much support on this page that I’m sure you know how many fans you really have.
Trisha Purdon says
Don’t go!! No, I get get it, but seriously please come back! I’ve followed you for years, and it’s my daily happy place. I also wanted tort you know that even my husband loves you guys. We used your blog as inspiration and a tutorial on how to fix up our last home. Thanks to your tutorials, paint colors, design help, we were able to sell out home after only 7 days for $25,000 more than we paid for it only 2 years before, and in rural Kansas for that matter! Our real estate agent said she had never seen a house turn around so quickly in this area. We completely give you guys the credit. I feel like I’m loosing a best friend and guru.
I do however get the break, as we just had a little boy 3 weeks ago. I can’t imagine keeping up with home improvements, and a blog. I’m so impressed that you have been able to do this with a new baby. You two are like superheroes! We will miss you and will be anxiously waiting for your return. I hope it’s not toooo long!!! Sending you creepy internet hugs!
Paula M. says
Wow, a huge decision! We’ll miss you during your break, but we’ll hope it *is* just a break and that you’ll be back feeling fully recharged afterward.
Frankly, I never thought that Young House Love felt “off” at all, so it’s interesting to read your post saying that it felt so to you and John (as well as to some readers). I think all businesses go through growing pains, and, honestly, what’s *wrong* with the blog being acknowledged as a business? I don’t understand some folks’ criticism based on that point; I’m assuming neither of you is sitting on a mountain of gold or are in line for the throne of England, so you have to make your living somehow, and by golly, more power to both of you that you have taken what started out as a very personal, private expression and over the years grown it into a hugely popular, hugely helpful, hugely interesting endeavor that has, in turn, spawned so many other creative, exciting (and, I hope, lucrative) endeavors.
Beyond that, I think everyone has to keep in mind you both are juggling the blog and all its business details, plus the book, plus (I assume) other work (whether related to YHL or otherwise), plus 2 youngsters, one of whom is a newborn. Do you have advantages that some others don’t (ability to work from home and to, in a sense, be paid to fix up your home, a sort of dream scenario for us all)? Sure. But you’re still doing a lot, AND doing it very, very well, and I hope everyone (including you two yourselves) acknowledge that. Let’s put it this way: I’m on the computer at least 9 to 10 hours a day for work, plus more hours for my own interests, and of all that time, plus all the websites and blogs in the world, *yours* is the only DIY/lifestyle blog I read, and heck, I live in a condo in the Bay Area, I don’t have kids and I don’t do most of my own upgrades — so that just shows that YHL has *huge* appeal that extends far beyond the “typical” reader one might envision.
What I’m saying in long-winded fashion is: You two are great! You stretch yourselves, you’re both daring, unafraid to experiment and take risks (where does that come from? Upbringing plus the wisdom to take small steps and build up from there? A post on risk-taking would be interesting), while still being humble and gracious and thankful. It’s those qualities that keep me coming back to YHL and that puts me in your corner, no matter what you decide to do. THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO! :)
Susan says
Love the painted heart rock. I’ll miss your cheerful voices and awesome projects. My husband and I both stepped back and left “dream jobs” after our second was born. It took us a good 6-10 months to figure out our new goals and dreams. A hard process, but we just weren’t in the same spot anymore, we both had to jump off the escalator and discover the world for a while. At least we were doing it together, and a year later, we’re happy. You’re both so talented in such a wide array of ways, I’m sure your YHL stage will be one of many, and I hope you look back on it fondly. I will miss your posts, though. Good luck in whatever comes next for you!!
Tara says
I adore your blog. I read it every day that you publish and look forward to it on the days you don’t. Whenever I read any other blog, home-focused or otherwise, I compare their style to yours and you nearly always come out on top. I appreciate your lack of sponsored posts. I appreciate your transparency. I appreciate your warm, personal voices. I appreciate your attention to grammar and punctuation and clarity of thought in your writing. I also love your decorating style and the whole vibe of the life and home you share with us. I will desperately miss my daily Young House Love fix if you move on to other endeavors. But you follow your hearts and whatever you do now and next will be joyful, like this once was, even if you come back to it. And I, for one, truly hope you do!
Joanna says
I hope your break will give you some much needed energy and perspective!
I guess I missed the “feedback” post, but I just want to say that I think you guys are fabulous all around. I would hope that most readers understand the need for some sponsorships and collaborations as a means of keeping the blog going… not only that, but I loved seeing your collaborations and I hope to see some more in the future. As a reader, I am sincerely thankful for all the time you guys put into this blog (seriously, it’s amazing how much content you produce). Even if you don’t come back writing the same amount of content, I would still love the occasional life/house update! Even if it’s just in photos.
Xo
Jenn says
Just wanted to say thank you for sharing yourselves and your family over the past seven years. You have meant so much to so many. Here’s hoping you do get that groove back – we will be here when/if you do!
Abby J. says
We will miss you guys so much! I hope that you do decide to come back eventually. I also hope this break leaves you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. This is why sabbaticals are a ‘thing’ – sometimes it can be exactly what you need!
Megan says
I completely understand! I lost my blogging mojo and wonder if it will ever come back. I have 3 kids now and am trying so hard to be present! It is hard to be present and live online–some day…perhaps!
lauren says
Just my two cents… if you do come back to blogging, think about abandoning the “review every comment” thing. That must just take over your lives in such an overwhelming and occasionally soul-sucking way! People will definitely understand if you don’t say “thanks xo S” to all of their comments. Maybe you could institute a ranking system so that other commenters could give a thumbs up to a particular question, so it would rise to the top and you could look at those questions in particular. Dunno, just spitballing here.
Anyway, best of luck in your break and hope to see you around the interwebz soon.
BP says
I’ve only been a reader for the last year, but I have learned SO much about DIY from you and have been so inspired to think outside of the box. THANK YOU for sharing your expertise/adventures and teaching me so much! I applauded you when you took a step back a few months ago, and I’m applauding you now. I can’t wait to meander through the archives this next month. I will be–fingers crossed–awaiting your return!!!
Jill says
Another reason I admire and respect you all. You do what is right for your family and not compromise.
Wishing you all a restful & refreshing sabbatical – however long or in whatever direction you end up coming back (or not:-)).
And, thank you, too, for sharing so much. Allowing folks into your lives, even virtually, is draining and risky. You all are much appreciated.
Dana says
Even if it is a “dream job”, you can’t feel badly for sometimes not loving it…it’s still a job. A job that’s so entangle in your personal life. I can imagine that would be tough sometimes.
I know I’ll still check everyday out of habit, haha. I’ll miss reading your posts.
LG says
Aww, I just want to give you guys a bunch of hugs. I hope you have lovely time off–enough time that you can forget about the blog at times, and also enough time to think about what’s next for you. I’m proud of you for being honest with yourselves (and graciously with us, too–thanks!). I hope whatever comes next is the best thing for all of you. We’ll all miss you if you stop blogging and will be excited if you decide to return, but whatever happens–take care!
Liz says
All the best to you guys! I have truly enjoyed every post. In fact, I bookmark them for my hubby to read later for step by step help with projects.
Thank you for all your hard work, energy and passion you put into this blog.
May the Lord bless you always. xo
Katy says
I am simultaneously feeling (selfishly) devastated for the gaping whole that will now exist in my morning ritual and very happy for you for the world of opportunities to reflect and grow. You have shared your life with us all to the point that I talk about you like you are my real life friends. And while I will miss you, I have to return that “real life friend” feeling and be supportive. Good luck and I hope to see you return!
MDW says
This post is inspiring. Real, authentic and honest… something missing so much in the blogging world today. Again, you are setting the standard for what blogging should be all about. You have certainly earned my respect and admiration with this response. Thanks for 7 years.
Adrienne says
Congratulations on being self-aware and bold enough to make this decision. I love the blog, but respect your desire to balance family obligations with truly meaningful work.
As you ponder your future over the next month, remember the Serenity Prayer. It may help you find peace amidst the questions.