Update: Aaaand less than 12 hours later we’re back with an update on the bottom of the post for ya. Smooth, right?
Hey there! Long time no see.
The break has been great. Admittedly a little weird, but really reinvigorating. So we’re immensely thankful not only for your support and kind comments, but also for helping put words to some of the things that we had been feeling for some time. And while the last month hasn’t been enough time to fill in all of the blanks about our future (heck, when are life’s blanks ever clearly filled in?) it has made one thing pretty obvious to us: after seven awesome years of sharing our home and our life, it’s time for our next adventure.
This blog has been a staple in our lives for 80+ months, tagging along for all but three months of our marriage and our entire existence as parents. So we thought it would be nearly impossible to click off that urge to over-share this past month (we expected our blogging spark to come back with a vengeance). But maybe it’s us getting older, the kids getting bigger, or a general shift in life priorities – but it actually felt just right. So this break has given us the clarity (and the guts, I guess) to move on… and hopefully move the needle on that life balance we’ve been talking about for so long.
We won’t go as far as to declare this the end of Young House Love or our blogging days. Who knows, maybe somewhere down the line (when the kids are both in school?) we’ll get that burning in our bellies again – perhaps here or in a completely different capacity. We don’t know what the future holds, but we know that the most amazing things have happened to us when we’ve stretched waaay out of our comfort zone – as much as that sounds like advice you’d find on an inspirational kitten poster.
We plan to keep the blog archives available for as long as we can, and will be freezing comments soon, but we won’t be completely dropping off the planet. Some completed product designs with Liberty Hardware and Shades of Light may pop up, and our second book will come out on September 22nd, 2015. Those folks have all been amazingly supportive of our decision, for which we’re incredibly thankful.
Speaking of which – “Thank you” doesn’t come close to expressing how grateful we are for getting to share our weird little world with you guys for so long. We have nothing but love and gratitude for this whole experience – and for you. (*This is probably where we should fade up on that Dirty Dancing song*)
But let’s not say “goodbye” let’s just say “see you on another time.”
Peace, love, and ceramic animals,
John & Sherry
PS: We did randomly snap a few fresh photos for the House Tour page over the break (some of the rooms were pretty outdated). Feel free to give the dining room’s blue trim the side eye for us (yes, it’s still there!).
Update: The same few questions kept popping up in the comments (we just can’t quit you). As for the “what are your new jobs” thing, we’ve mentioned in a few previous posts that we left the door open in our past professions (advertising/copywriting/consulting), which we can do as freelancers from home a lot of the time, while switching off on the stay-at-home parent thing. We know things like the book and products we design are driven by this blog, so we can’t live off those or anything. Didn’t mean to be mysterious! As for the Facebook/Instagram questions, we’d love to pop up there from time to time to say hi. And we hope our blog archives will be up for a good long time (we use them to reference things like paint colors, so we’d never want to lose them!).
We’re also really sorry if this feels abrupt. We’ve made a few public attempts to wind down and gain balance over the years (like when we moved to this house and after Teddy’s birth) but they’ve always been at odds with our “all in” personalities, so it wasn’t until taking this break (yet another attempt to recalibrate) that we realized we felt closer to our goal. We debated lots of alternatives – drastically fewer posts / shorter posts / no comments – but nothing felt like the version of Young House Love we were excited to carry on with. And we tried to keep today’s post light and happy (the last one felt so heavy) since this truly is a moment of extreme gratitude, despite it being a difficult decision to make.
Flawless and graceful exit, eh? Right. So here we go. Ack, we suck at this! We will miss you!!
Chloe Joy says
I had a feeling today might be the end. I recently took a few weeks off work after feeling similarly burned out and I know I sure wasn’t burning to get back. I don’t blame you at all. When you know, you know. I’m so excited for your family.
Of course like everyone else, I’m really sad. No other blog holds a flame to YHL in terms of inspiration & fun & likability, but thank you for sharing with us and inviting us into your home. Thank you for the fun projects & the details you provided that guided my Home Depot trips. You’ve inspired so many people to do more than they thought they were capable of, and you inspired me to start my own DIY blog and take concrete steps toward doing what I love. You guys are simply the best. I’ll miss you so. Good luck in everything you do!
Chelsea says
Good luck on your next adventure!! You will be missed.
Claire O'Connor says
Dear John & Sherry,
May your next adventure be even better than your last! And may you be ever-inpsired by and amply blessed wherever life takes you.
You guys rock and I’ve adored being a devoted blog follower — appreciation streaming your way for your generous, fun, and energy-filled sharing over the years!
Salut!
Corinne says
This post is bittersweet for me. I found this blog when I re-located from Northern Virginia to Central Ohio and was in the middle of the incredibly tough home-buying process. I’ve gotten so much inspiration from you guys and have loved being along for the ride for the past few years. I love Burger, I love Clara and Teddy, I love getting DIY inspriration from you and seeing what fun little tweaks you’ll do next. However, I COMPLETELY understand moving on and doing what’s best for YOU and your family! ‘m definitely sad to see you go of course, like so many others. Maybe keep posting on Instagram or Facebook from time to time? For real, you guys are awesome and will be missed for sure!
sarah says
Noo! So sad to see you go but it is the perfect bittersweet ending to a wonderful thing. I’m struggling to understand what life will be like without knowing what the inside of your house looks like or how Clara and Teddy’s personalities develop but good for you for finally taking back what is yours. Thank you for all the years you shared so much with this whole crew of strangers. All the best Petersiks!
ps: If you decide to hit the road for some book signings, I’ll be queuing with the rest of your thousands of fans to get one more glimpse and an in person “see you later”. And keep those products coming, I’m sure I’m not the only one eager to support you in your next venture.
Julie says
Aww this makes me so sad. Lunch time isn’t the same without YHL. But I understand. We all have to break up with parts of our lives sometimes. I moved across the country to be with my now husband and then quit my job to be a stay at home mom.
Erika says
So happy that YOU are happy. I agree with everyone – you will be deeply missed (there were a couple moments this past month that just seemed “off”… and I would finally realize it was because I missed you and wondered how you were!). You four are so special – I hope you can occasionally pop up and say a quick hello! We will cherish any update and welcome some Petersik “catch up” time!
With love and thankfulness!
Pascale says
You will be missed… Thank you for these years of inspiration and all the best to the whole family!
Yesenia says
YHL was my favorite blog, and I was so excited when I bought my first home because I had you to help me get inspired and make it my own. I’m so thankful for all of the inspiration, tutorials, ideas, and making me realize that everything is possible with a little elbow grease. But I also understand life and how sometimes it’s so hard to find a good balance, and that’s when you’ve got to make a change for yourself. I will miss you like crazy, but I can’t be mad… you’re doing what is best for you and your family, and I respect that. My best wishes to you: Sherry, John, Clara, baby Teddy, and Burger. Hugs!
Cecilia says
Your inspiration will be sorely missed but I’ll miss you another reason too. I’ve followed your blog through many of life’s adventures including moving cross country from VA to Portland, OR; having my first child; moving cross country again to RVA; having my second child; living in Germany for 3 months with said children and so much more. The entire time your blog made me feel connected to Richmond, VA where many of my adventures started. I’ll always be thankful for that. Wishing you many happy new adventures. See you another time!
Jessica says
I wish you guys the very best!! I will miss you terribly, but I totally understand this new direction. Blessings on your family!
Marcela says
So sad :( I’ll miss this blog, you guys, and all of the inspiration! My husband and I bought our first house less than a year ago, and you guys made us feel like we could take on a lot of the projects! I hope to still be able to keep up with you guys!
Amelia says
Boo hoo! But, I am so happy for all of y’all that you have opportunities and CHOICES! My hat is off to you that you know and have the courage to make changes in your life. I will be cheering for you and hoping to see you down the road! Thank you for all the laughs, inspiration and how-to skills you have shared with me. It has been very enriching for me and feel lucky I could share all this for so many years. My best to you!
Kelly says
Sooooooo sad to see you go…you were my “Google News” everyday. I’ve been reading for 3+ years. I would check your blog religiously. I totally get it though. I can’t imagine how you juggle it all. Good luck to you and hope to see you soon!!!
martinbeks says
Aww! I’m going to miss you guys! But please leave the tutorials up for as long as humanly possible! They’re so informative! You guys made DIY look attainable and chic! Good luck with your new endeavors!
Alison says
You have built something so beautiful and great here I can’t even tell you how sad I am to see you leave it behind you. You guys have been so consistent, so relatable, so helpful in home stuff, and to be honest I’m pissed. I get it though. The blog world lost a gem today.
Brianne says
Really missed you guys while you were gone, I hope your journey brings you back to us someday.
Jessica Huber says
I had a feeling this would happen…After all these years I feel like I am losing a friend, even seeing Teddy bigger in this pic is bittersweet. I am really happy for you Petersiks, but selfishly sad. At least I have BJ Moonshine on my walls! Here’s sending all the best from the West Coast and I hope you go on a book tour for your next one, so I can meet you two again!
Alli says
Congratulations! You all deserve a bit of privacy in your lives. I hope we still get check-ins when your new projects and book come to fruition. Hopefully you’ll pop in as guest posters on other blogs every now and then?
thisnerdhearts says
The selfish part of me is very bummed… the other part of me is currently agreeing with the selfish part of me.
photobonafide says
I’m so so sad. So sad!
Carol says
Thanks for letting us know – I am really going to miss your blog. Best wishes to you all.
Holly says
Crap! I feel like my good friends just moved away. Giant sad face.
Briel K. says
This makes me sad. I feel like I’ve been dumped.
I’m happy you guys are doing what is best for your family but I’ll miss you! Will you still be on Twitter and Instagram at all?
Kelly M says
Nooooooo! I will miss you terribly. Please come back into the public eye somehow (HGTV show, perhaps?). Of course, I’m (sorta) kidding, and I completely understand your decision. Thanks for the entertainment and advice. Please do keep the archive open as long as possible–I have “country” blue trim that needs your help.
Laura Broder says
The end of an era! I’m grateful for you blog. Cheers!
HeatherM says
Awww! Best of luck on your new adventures! You guys have inspired me and my family in SO many ways!
Years ago my husband and I were engaged and wedding planning and fighting a TON because we just couldn’t bring ourselves to spend a ton of money on a wedding (we had the budget planned out, but could never pull the financial trigger). We decided to take three months off from talking about the wedding. At the end of the three months I did a bit of research and came across your backyard wedding and was really inspired. I said to my husband “what would you think if we took most of our wedding budget and put it towards a down payment on our house, and then had a wedding in the backyard instead?” He said “if I had known you were open to that, I would have proposed to you years ago.” You inspired us to buy a house, get married here, and fix it up.
Thank you for all you have inspired us to do over the years.
And yes, please leave the archives up, because the rest of us fix up our houses at a much slower pace and are still working on fixing up our first houses.
Justine H. says
I’ve been checking your blog almost everyday for a month and when I saw that you were back I did a happy dance. While I’m very disappointed that this is goodbye you have to do whats best for your family and yourselves. I do want to thank you guys for coming back and letting us all know that we can stop obsessively checking the blog everyday. Good luck and I hope that you will still share some pics on Facebook occasionally so everyone can see when all the blue is gone. Good luck in all your endeavors and enjoy your beautiful family and life!
jenn aka the picky girl says
I thought about emailing you guys encouragement while you were away but didn’t want to interrupt what I’m sure what a pretty difficult time for you guys in a lot of ways. I just hated seeing everything on the Internet knowing there was no way you could step back when all that was going on.
I’ve been blogging for four years (though hardly at all over the last eight months), and found your blog a little before that. And I will tell you, in all the years and all the posts, the reason I clicked again and again, was not for your DIY or contests. I clicked because the two of you have such great, real personalities and are truly funny writers. (I love a good pun.) As others have said, I’ll miss the peek into your lives and personalities, but that’s all it has been – a peek into something that was never ours anyway.
Thank you for that and for working so hard for your readers. That has always been evident. And I wish you all the greatest happiness and satisfaction in whatever you do next.
AndreaG says
Devastated. Crying. Lost a “friend.”
So concerned for you, how will you make income? So so so sad. Must be nice to just quit your jobs and live life with your family with no jobs. Although I’m frustrated confused I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you’ll come back some time. Cynically thinking it’ll coincide with your next book. After all the first book wouldn’t have existed without the blog.
Haley says
Seflishly bummed about this, but I am excited for you and whatever you have planned. I’ve been missing seeing pictures of Clara and Teddy and feel weird that we will not get to see what happens in your house. I wish you all the best… and hurry back to us soon :)
Laura says
Hi J&S. Can you email me a PO Box, please? Thanks!
Ashlee says
Gosh I feel like I might cry. Which is strange because I’ve been reading blogs for a long time and I’ve seen many say goodbye…and while it always felt like I was finished reading a book I wasn’t ready to finish , I never felt so sad! You will be missed! I hope that your next adventure is your best one yet!!
Shannon says
This makes me so very sad. Its funny that I really feel like I’m losing a friend…I want to see how you reno kitchen and all the other things on Listy McListerson – see Teddy and Clara’s photo projects…etc….Maybe Instagram or Facebook updates from time to time? I’m sad for me but I am happy that you are following your heart…you guys are great and I’ll miss you! xoxoxo
Amber Martin says
I am so glad that you are listening to your hearts on making this decision, and it really makes sense. However, you guys feel like such friends to me that I will miss you. Perhaps you will still blog, when you feel like it, as more of a personal blog. I’ll miss seeing your family adventures for sure. ????
Sherri Conley says
I, too, am sad to see you go, but I kinda thought this was coming. It’s time to spend all that time and energy into raising your family!
Also, thanks once again for featuring my photos on your blog as well as your book; what a huge compliment and honor!
Best of luck to you and yours!
Ashley H. says
Good luck!!! I’m a little sad, but, more than anything, SUPER excited to hear that you are saying “yes to new adventures!” I’m sure it will feel good to have a little more privacy, and perhaps, a little more normalcy (if that actually exists?) :0) I just have to say that your decision to leave something behind that no longer “works” for you in order to pursue something different is really, really inspiring. (I am pondering a similar decision myself so a HUGE THANK YOU!!) Anyway, God bless you. I hope to see you again in the future!
P.S. Will your contact email remain open, or will that close down at some point?
Sandra says
Best wishes to whatever life brings your wonderful family.
Katherine says
I like Kati’s – Irish Blessing for your family. It sums it all up perfectly.
Congratulations on your decision – change doesn’t come easily, but with this door closed {not locked} a new door is about to open. The world is your oyster.
Thank you for sharing so many DIY projects, tips and a huge part of your family life. You are inspiring.
Tori says
Awwww. This is such a bummer. I’ve noticeably missed your posts every day, and I was so excited for when you came back to see what fun new things you’d be posting about. It may sound strange but this totally feels like losing a friend. I’ve been a reader for years and I’ve been lucky enough to get to know your wonderful family through the blog, and it’s sad to have the story cut off. I feel like this house was a book or a movie and we didn’t come close to getting to read or watch the ending. It’s kind of abrupt, you know? Not trying to guilt trip. Just keepin’ it real. I’ve been totally looking forward to the kitchen redo. Well, I do hope that you will eventually return to blogging, as you have legions of fans who love ya. I will miss you guys. Best of luck in your new adventures. Don’t forget about us!
Gail says
So very sad that you won’t be back. You will be missed! Thanks for all the wonderful posts for so many years and best of luck on all your new adventures!
Ella says
This is like having your favorite TV show canceled on a cliffhanger. :(
Jen castellano says
yes!!
Kaitlyn says
Bummed for sure. I’m gonna really miss the house updates and kiddo check ins! I hope you guys remain inspired to share some renovation details as you continue with your current house!
Christy Z says
I feel like I’m writing in a yearbook. It’s hard to say goodbye, but I wanted to thank you both so much for everything you have shared these past 7 years! I will greatly miss your daily blog, but I wish your family the best in your next adventure. It’s hard to accept you’re leaving, but I’ll be praying all goes well for you guys! I’m so glad I was able to meet you at your book signing. Thanks for everything you were willing to share, tips on decorating, child rearing, DIY, and so much more. Thanks for posting one last post for us. You’ll be greatly missed.
Stephanie B. says
Fare thee well, Petersik Family! Thank you for the inspiration, laughs, and even tears (they were always good ones!). You are people of such quality, and I am cheering you on to your next adventure! <3
Erin O. says
I’ve been with your blog for so long. You were pregnant with Clara when I was pregnant with my daughter. You guys are awesome, but I’m sad to see you go. Most people our age don’t spend 80 months at one job, so you’ve been in this a long time! It’s hard to know when to say bye, so it’s good this feels right for you. Good luck on the next grand adventure (though I’m dying to know what that is?!)
Tanya says
Good luck, you guys! Of course we’ll miss you, your awesome writing style, sense of humor, house-love and motivation, and the inspiration you’ve given to so many people.
Wishing you all the best!
Jen C says
Best of luck. I feel like I am saying goodbye to an old friend. I look forward to whatever your future may hold.
twelvedaysold says
This may be not what you’re looking for, but if you ever decided to put up a “donate” button to help with hosting costs to keep the archive up, I’d throw a few bucks towards it.
Good luck on your next adventure, and thanks for everything! (Shoot, those blue eyes on that boy are amazing!)
Beth says
Good luck! Thanks for sharing so much! I will miss checking the blog everyday and getting new ideas, but I totally understand! :)