For our blogiversary this year we asked readers on Facebook to send in questions, and we recorded a lively, unscripted video answering many of them. Like in past years, we kept the format loose and honest: we don’t read the questions ahead of time, we don’t re-answer anything, and we try to keep each session to a single take that we later trim for pacing. We squeezed as many answers as possible into about twenty minutes, which meant we couldn’t respond to every one of the 80+ submissions, but we covered a lot of ground and had a lot of fun doing it.
- Our favorite — and least favorite — qualities in one another
- What the neighbors think about the blog
- Whether the previous owners of our house read along
- Our oddest fan interaction
- Who Clara resembles more
- How we handle negative criticism
- What we wanted to be when we grew up
- What happens to the blog name as we age
- Whether we ever fight or spend time apart
- And, for the record: John’s take on the latest Twilight movie
The recording includes a number of other questions, a cameo by Burger, and enough shirt changes to keep things entertaining. If you can’t listen right away, the video can be watched later with popcorn. Our main guideline for these recordings is authenticity: we leave the answers raw and real, and then remove filler words when editing so the conversation feels natural but concise. That approach keeps us from overthinking and often leads to more candid moments than we expected.
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Q: How did you attract sponsors? Do you solicit advertising? What’s the secret? In the beginning we were simply writing because we loved it. After publishing around two hundred posts and building steady traffic through consistent daily updates, we realized small businesses and handmade vendors might be interested in supporting the site. We added a simple “wanna advertise with us?” prompt to the sidebar to test the waters, not expecting much.
To our surprise, a few companies and Etsy sellers reached out and wanted to try sponsoring a spot on our site. We started with a straightforward flat monthly fee and a discounted rate for a quarterly commitment. That simple pricing model made it easy for small advertisers to say yes, and it kept administration manageable for us. We reviewed comparable sites to set a fair price and let advertisers tell us if it felt off. If it was too high, we negotiated; if it was too low, we accepted the deal, happy either way to find a workable balance.
We still use that same basic approach today. While there are more complex methods to price sponsorships — cost-per-click, cost-per-impression, and various bundled packages — starting with a clear flat rate made sense for our scale. For ad serving and sponsor management we use a tool to organize placements, track expirations, and handle renewals and invoicing. That administrative layer requires some effort, but it’s worth it: sponsors help keep the blog sustainable. In our experience there’s no instant wealth in blogging; instead, steady focus on useful content and authentic readership attracts reliable advertising support over time.
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Q: Do you have to publish a certain number of posts each month for sponsors? No. Our sponsors pay a flat monthly fee and we don’t promise a minimum number of posts. We’ve settled into a rhythm of posting one to two times per day, mixing ambitious project posts with lighter updates and personal entries. That variety keeps the content fresh and prevents burnout. Maintaining a consistent cadence helps us stay creative and disciplined—if we waited for perfection each time, we’d probably post far less often. Treat it like a habit: some days are big, some days are small, but keeping momentum matters most.
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Q: Aren’t you worried about job security when your family income depends largely on the blog? It’s a valid concern, and we won’t sugarcoat it: thinking about the long-term financial risk can be unnerving. To manage that anxiety, we built a safety net of emergency savings before transitioning to full-time blogging. Those reserves were intended to ease the transition and provide breathing room if traffic or income dipped.
We’ve also diversified our income with side projects — journalism, magazine columns, book writing, and occasional consulting — which helps spread risk. Both of us left previous jobs on good terms, so returning to similar work or exploring related freelance opportunities remains an option if circumstances change. Ultimately, none of us knows exactly what the future holds, so we focus on creating consistent content, saving prudently, and staying adaptable.
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So that’s the short version: twenty minutes of candid video proof that we’re a bit dorky, plus three extra business questions that readers asked. We got to share where we came from, how we make things work, and how we plan for uncertainty — all while laughing at our own weird habits and catchphrases. What surprised you the most? The odd expressions I invent, John’s enthusiasm for certain movies, or our habit of turning everyday moments into mini anecdotes? We loved reading your questions and appreciate everyone who stopped by to celebrate our blogiversary with us.
Update – We frequently receive requests for practical blogging advice: how we built the site, grew traffic, and monetized the blog. In response we put together a detailed guide that explains how we started a blog, expanded our readership, and transitioned to blogging full time for those who want to learn the process step by step.