Just like last year we decided to answer a bunch of random and personal questions from friends on Facebook and Twitter to celebrate our blogiversary. You all sent in over 200 questions, so we couldn’t answer every single one, but we picked a wide variety. Here are the responses — honest, imperfect, and true to life.
Q: What is the weirdest question you have ever been asked? – Jessica
Sherry: Someone once asked me while I was pregnant whether I was a thong wearer. I thought they meant footwear and joked about giving up flip-flops for arch support. Turns out they meant something else. I’ll plead the fifth on that one.
Q: Besides Burger and Clara, if you were stranded on a deserted island what 5 things each would you have to have? – Sara
Sherry: Sunscreen, sunglasses, an endless supply of chocolate-covered bananas, a magical TV with reception, and a camera (Clara and Burger would surely do cute things worth photographing).
John: A kayak for fun, Yahtzee, an iPod (or iPhone if the island had service), lots of ice-cold sweet tea, and a toothbrush.
Q: Would you ever leave Richmond? – Beth
Sherry: We adore Richmond and don’t have plans to leave, but we’ve learned never to say never.
Q: Do you guys only eat organic? – Allison
Sherry: Not at all. We enjoy fresh, organic finds and farmers’ markets, but we also eat regular grocery-store food — and we can polish off a box of Oreos with the best of them. Balance is the key.
John: We’re human, we promise.
Q: How did you know the time was right to start a family? What were your “pre-baby” checkpoints? – MariaJose
Sherry: We don’t have a checklist. One morning we just felt ready. Seeing family members with babies helped us imagine ourselves doing it and we decided to go for it.
John: If you wait to check off a long list, you might never feel ready. Sometimes you just know.
Q: How many children are you hoping for? – Stacy
Sherry: We don’t have a strict plan. Some days we imagine a gaggle of kids; other days one more would be perfect.
John: We’d like Clara to have at least one sibling, but we’re content with one for now and will wait a few years before deciding on a second.
Q: Do you two ever disagree on designs or purchases? – Susanna
John: All the time. Our rule: if we can’t both agree, we don’t buy it.
Sherry: That keeps us from having regrets and avoids resentment over impulse purchases.
Q: What kind of music do you listen to? – Christine
John: We listen to a little bit of everything: Panic! At The Disco, Fall Out Boy, Black Eyed Peas, Death Cab, Eminem, The Killers, Britney Spears, Lily Allen, Vampire Weekend, Lady Gaga, Glee soundtracks, and more.
Q: Sherry, did you have any cravings when you were pregnant? – Erin
Sherry: Baked potatoes — I ate them constantly. During over 100 days of morning sickness, heavy, bland, starchy foods helped. I also loved chocolate milk and lemonade, and oddly, onion rings made me queasy until after Clara was born.
Q: What do your neighbors think? – Stephanie
John: One neighbor is in her eighties and probably doesn’t follow blogs, but others recognize us and sometimes comment on things like “love the new curtains!” which is always funny.
Q: What quirky habits drive each other nuts? – Laura
John: I finally broke Sherry’s habit of leaving dishes on the counter instead of putting them in the dishwasher.
Sherry: I used to leave them out when I was huge with Clara because bending was hard. John’s quirk is sneak-shopping candy at the store — we often find unexpected treats in the bags when we get home.
Q: What are your cultural/ethnic backgrounds? – Patricia
John: I’m half German and the rest a mix of Swedish, Swiss, and Irish.
Sherry: I’m Italian on my mom’s side and Austrian on my dad’s side.
Q: What would readers be most surprised to know about you? – Constance
Sherry: I get performance anxiety and once appeared in a Dr. Pepper commercial.
John: I have an unhealthy obsession with Dr. Pepper, and when I moved to NYC I promised myself not to get involved with anyone — luckily I broke that rule when I met Sherry.
Q: What are your future career goals? – Christa
John: I don’t have a strict career masterplan. I aim to do work that supports our family and that I enjoy, whether that’s blogging, home improvement, or returning to advertising someday.
Sherry: I’d love to renovate a second property and rent it out someday. It’s a long-term idea inspired by John’s dad, who bought rental properties for each of his kids over time.
Q: What were you like in high school and college? – Lindsay
John: I was the band geek — I played French horn and was band council president. In college I did improv and joined a coed honor fraternity.
Sherry: I was loud, enthusiastic, and a bit bossy — the classic first-child type A. I swam competitively and loved art. I studied fine art in NYC before switching to a BFA in advertising.
Q: Does John ever do improv for Sherry? – Jamie
Sherry: John makes me laugh constantly with sarcastic one-liners and absurd jokes. I affectionately campaigned for him as the funniest guy in the office when we worked together in NYC.
Q: List three keys to success in marriage. – Lissa
Sherry: Sense of humor, respect, flexibility.
John: Laughter, dialogue, admiration.
Q: Who does most of the cooking? Any go-to dishes? – Tracie
Sherry: John cooks almost all the time. He makes a great cold pasta with avocado and chicken and is working his way through Jamie Oliver recipes.
Q: Do you cook with as much gusto as you design? – Melinda
Sherry: I eat with gusto; John handles most of the cooking.
John: I stumble through cooking but enjoy learning — a similar approach to tackling home projects.
Q: Do the people who sold you your house follow the blog? – Evan
Sherry: The original owners wrote to us, which was amazing and very meaningful.
Q: Sherry, where do you buy your clothes? – Candice
Sherry: Mostly affordable stores — Target, Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic Outlet, DSW. I love a good deal.
Q: What is your absolute favorite movie? – Andrea
Sherry: Zombieland surprised me and became a favorite when I saw it after Clara was born.
John: I love quirky improv films like Waiting for Guffman and Wet Hot American Summer.
Q: Any DIY projects you look back on and cringe? – Keighley
John: Our entire house circa 2006 is a cringe-worthy memory. We’ve evolved a lot since then.
Sherry: We’re grateful we experimented and refined our tastes over time until our home felt right.
Q: With all the work and having Clara, do you still find chill time together? – Michelle
Sherry: House projects help keep the spark alive. We also enjoy simple date nights a few evenings a week after Clara goes to sleep — TV and ice cream on the couch.
John: Those quiet evenings together are our low-key dates.
Q: How did the chair in Clara’s room work out? – Teresa
Sherry: It’s comfy and a favorite spot for nursing. John reads to Clara there every night as part of her bedtime routine.
Q: Since you work together at home, do you ever get tired of each other as co-workers? – Emily
Sherry: Sometimes one of us needs a break — a run, a shower, or a walk helps reset the mood.
John: Having a sense of humor and respecting each other’s me-time keeps things healthy.
Q: Do you ever fight or get mad at each other? – Betty
John: Yes. Sherry’s passionate and loud at times; I can be sulky. But we remember we’re on the same team, and disagreements usually blow over quickly.
Sherry: We aim to direct frustration at situations, not each other.
Q: Do you ever feel inadequate? How do you cope? – Polina
Sherry: Yes — everyone does sometimes. We remind ourselves that you can’t please everyone and try to focus on enjoying what we do and being happy with who we are.
John: Being content with our family and creative work helps us move past those moments.
Q: How do you save money when socializing? Do you decline invitations? – Judith
Sherry: We often invite friends over for affordable meals like spaghetti, which is inexpensive and fun. It creates a swap culture of hosting instead of always going out.
John: That way we socialize without overspending.
Q: What childhood keepsakes can you’t part with? – Dan
John: I still have a baby blanket with sheep that I passed on to our dog Burger as an heirloom in his crate.
Sherry: I kept tiny saddle shoes from when I was a toddler; they’re in a box and might become nursery art someday.
Q: If you won the lottery would you move into a mansion and stop being thrifty? – Maky
John: We’d probably buy several modest old houses to renovate and rent out — that would be fun for the blog.
Sherry: We’d still hunt deals and DIY where we can. Frugality is part of who we are and we’d likely keep those habits.
Q: If I walked into your house right now, how messy would it be? – Sarah
John: A solid three out of ten — usually pretty tidy.
Sherry: During projects it can reach an eleven, but since we’re selling the house we’re keeping things together.
Q: First and most recent concerts you attended? – Nichole
Sherry: First: Warped Tour in 8th grade. Last: Panic! At The Disco or Rooney — can’t remember which.
John: First: Trisha Yearwood with my mom in 6th grade. Last: Panic! At The Disco or Rooney — can’t recall.
Q: Most embarrassing moments? – Alison
Sherry: Getting recognized out in public makes us awkward and blush — we’re total dorks in person.
John: I once fainted at work and landed in my boss’s lap, which was pretty embarrassing but thankfully ended fine.
Q: Has having Clara changed your relationship with Burger the dog? – Heather
John: We worried about whether Burger and Clara would bond, but they’ve both adjusted wonderfully and we love them equally.
Q: What’s the strangest thing that’s happened because of your fame? – Amber
Sherry: It still feels odd to hear people call what we do “fame.” We’re just two bloggers sharing our life.
John: Seeing photos of our house in foreign magazines is surreal — the idea that people around the world look at pictures of our home is mind-blowing.
Q: What task do you make the other do because you dislike it? – Emily
Sherry: John does about 90% of diaper changes as part of an unofficial split: I handle feeding and he handles changing.
John: Sherry handles gift wrapping and presentation — she’s the creative one for that.
Q: Was the transition to parenthood easier or harder than expected? – Sarah
John: We were told we’d be exhausted zombies, but we’ve been pleasantly surprised by how manageable things have been.
Sherry: Clara is a great sleeper and Burger adapted well, so the transition has been smoother than we feared.
Q: What shows do you watch besides HGTV? – Katie
Sherry: We enjoy Flipping Out, The Real Housewives (DC and NJ), Glee, Top Chef, 30 Rock, The Office, SNL, America’s Next Top Model, and Grey’s Anatomy — good TV is a great reward after a long day of DIYing.
Q: Do you ever have a bad day? Things on the blog always seem perfect. – Heather
Sherry: Yes, we have bad days like everyone else.
John: Our blog focuses on projects and solutions, so we don’t always chronicle every behind-the-scenes annoyance, but we do share flops and lessons learned to remind readers nothing is perfect.
Q: If you could go back to the days before Clara was born, any regrets or things you’d change? – Sarah
Sherry: John happened to be out to lunch the day I went into labor — it all worked out and felt exciting. Maybe we would have scheduled his last day differently to soak it all in, but honestly we wouldn’t change much.
Q: Will you homeschool or use public/private school? – Priscilla
Sherry: We plan to use public schools. Both of us had positive public-school experiences and we appreciate the options public education can offer.
John: Clara might even pursue a magnet program someday — who knows?
Q: What’s next for “greening” your life? – Jennifer
John: I want a bat box.
Sherry: I’d love a bee box to encourage pollinators. When we move we’ll look into greener moving options and other small eco-friendly steps.
Q: Do you exercise? How do you stay so fit? – Anne
Sherry: My current exercise is carrying Clara, nightly walks, and nursing, which burns calories. I’m not a gym person — I watch what I eat or get bigger pants when needed.
John: I run when I can and used to have a gym membership; I’m training for a 10K soon.
Q: Would you ever travel without Burger? – Julia
Sherry: We usually travel as a four-pack — Burger and Clara come with us when we can. If we knew Burger would be happier at home with family, we’d consider leaving him behind for his comfort.
That’s a lot of questions and answers — thanks to everyone who submitted questions. We hope this gave you a clearer, more personal look at how we live, work, and love our little chaotic, crafty life.