We did our best to be relaxed and not embarrass ourselves too badly. Did we succeed? You be the judge. For this blogiversary we once again invited readers to ask personal (non-decorating) questions on our Facebook page, and more than two hundred questions poured in. Sherry and I set aside an afternoon while Clara napped to answer as many as we could, then edited the highlights into the short video below. Along with plenty of joking and awkward moments, you’ll hear us tackle topics like:
- Whether Sherry is expecting another baby
- How book royalties and advances affect our income
- How working together influences our marriage
- How often readers show up asking for a house tour
- Whether we worry about stalkers
- Our plans (or not) for Clara’s schooling
- How many bras Sherry actually owns
- When we might move again
- Plans for finally starting the playroom
- Whether Sherry’s dad is a regular presence in our photos
- What we’d change about our old house’s style
- Why we try not to pick our noses in public (yes, really)
- What we dislike most about the job
- What each of us finds romantic about the other
- How Sherry might bribe me into seeing the new Twilight movie
- Who we’d cast to play us in a hypothetical YHL film
- Sherry’s take on Ramona from The Real Housewives of New York City
- The parts of DIY we enjoy the least
- Whether Sherry feels competitive with other bloggers
- How long it takes for a project to appear on the blog
- How Clara behaves like a typical toddler
If you’re ready, here’s the video where we answer a ton of your questions and share a few stories from behind the scenes:
A few production notes and candid bits you might spot:
- Sherry is self-conscious because she realizes she leans in toward the camera throughout the video. We didn’t notice this while recording; it became obvious only when we watched the footage back.
- You may notice a slight change in lighting and focus near the end. The camera actually shut off mid-take, so we recorded the final segment in a second take. Yes, we talked long enough to bore the camera to sleep.
- Clara and Burger weren’t visible in this main video because they were napping, but we filmed a short bonus Q&A that features the real stars: Clara and Burger. This is the first blogiversary where Clara can string several words together, so letting her answer cute, simple questions felt like a fun way to celebrate. Expect gems like “What’s your favorite number?”—we’re grilling her gently.
Altogether, the footage runs about 20 to 25 minutes and focuses more on personal stories than on projects or decorating. It felt odd and refreshingly fun to share that side of our lives for a change. Did anything we said surprise you? Did one of our answers spark another question you’d like us to cover next year? We’ll try to get to as many comments and follow-ups as possible, and we’re happy to use reader questions as potential material for the next video.
Psst—If you want to browse past Q&A posts, we’ve done this each year: check out the Q&A for 2011, 2010 and 2009 (plus a second 2009 installment).