The funny thing about featuring our Oprah-related experience during blogiversary week is that, five years ago during our very first blogiversary, we nearly appeared on Oprah’s show—only to be bumped last minute by Ty Pennington and a makeover segment. Now, half a decade later, it feels like things have come full circle.
We have some exciting news to share. For anyone who missed the short film when it aired on Sunday, the kind team at OWN provided a clip we can share here. Below is the segment they aired.
Working with Oprah’s team was an unexpectedly reflective experience. They encouraged us to pause and consider what a home truly is and what it means to the people who live there. Even watching the finished piece, the way they edited a day’s worth of footage and conversation felt thoughtful and deliberate. The short film cut straight to the heart of what home means for our family. It was a reminder that, while it’s easy to get hung up on how a project looks or whether a room turns out exactly as planned, those details aren’t what make a house a home. They’re fun parts of the process if you can learn to enjoy the journey. That’s something we try to keep in mind every day.
One of the most surreal moments came right at the start, when Oprah herself said our names during the introduction—pronounced correctly, no less—just before the clip above. Yes, we recorded it off of our TV.
Not long after the segment aired, Oprah quoted a line from our short film on her official account. Hearing her both introduce and quote our words was, to put it mildly, mind-blowing.
How did this come about? It goes back more than ten months to last November when our book tour brought us to Chicago—Oprah’s hometown. While we were there, a Harpo producer expressed interest in meeting us. The meeting was informal and brief—essentially a lobby chat a couple of hours before a book signing—but friendly and promising.
The producer, Heather, was warm and enthusiastic, and when she suggested creating a three-minute short film, we thought it sounded like a fun opportunity. After the initial meeting we were excited and admittedly a little giddy, as evidenced by a flurry of texts between us.
The shoot took place in May, when we were still living in our old house. The day itself was fairly relaxed. We had already built a rapport with Heather and her crew, whose professionalism and creativity made the process enjoyable. They arrived with talent and a clear vision, and watching them work their magic was one of the highlights of the day—simple techniques produced beautiful shots of our frame-filled hallway.
Almost immediately after the crew arrived, a bit of chaos struck: Sherry threw out her back while doing last-minute tidying. She bent over the sofa, felt a sharp pull, and essentially collapsed onto it. She couldn’t move at first and had to slowly roll over and call her doctor. A high dose of acetaminophen and lots of lying down were prescribed. Thankfully the medication kicked in and she managed to get through the day, albeit a bit stiffer than usual. She jokes now that the walking scenes look like “that time she waddled like a duck on national TV.”
Despite that scare, we enjoyed the day. Our daughter Clara slept or attended school for most of the shoot, but she joined us later for a baking segment that turned into one of our favorite moments. The footage captures a cozy, candid moment: Clara looking like the star of her own cooking show as we baked cookies together.
We also took a short trip to our new house so the crew could film a few clips about our next chapter—an idea lifted straight from OWN’s vernacular. None of that footage ended up in the final three-minute piece, which might be for the best; the new place was still a work in progress and we were all a little self-conscious about showing unfinished spaces.
We’re deeply grateful to Heather and the entire Harpo crew for their enthusiasm and professionalism. We’ve long admired Oprah, and working with her team has given us even greater respect for the people behind the scenes. For the record, we didn’t meet Ms. Winfrey herself during this process, but perhaps at a future blogiversary that will change. You never know what’s around the corner.