Just like last year (here and here) we decided to answer as many random and personal questions from our Facebook & Twitter friends as we could in honor of this year’s blogiversary. With over 200 questions to choose from (you guys are curious!) we couldn’t tackle them all, but we did our best to answer a bunch. Here’s hoping we don’t sound as lame to you guys as we sound to ourselves.
Q: What is the weirdest question you have ever been asked? – Jessica
Sherry: Someone actually asked me while I was prego if I was a thong wearer. I assumed they were from the UK and replied that I wasn’t wearing flip-flops anymore because I needed more arch support. Turns out they weren’t talking about my feet (they commented again to clarify). I pled (and still 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, a never-ending supply of a chocolate covered bananas, a magical TV that gets reception, and a camera (because Clara and Burger would definitely do cute things worth catching).
John: a kayak (not necessarily for escaping, but for fun), Yahtzee, an iPod (or an iPhone if we got wireless service- you know, if the desert island is in AT&T’s network), lots of ice cold sweet tea, and a toothbrush.
Q: Would you ever leave Richmond? – Beth
Sherry: We adore Richmond and have zero desire to live anywhere else, but lately we’ve learned that we should never say never…
Q: Do you guys only eat organic? – Allison
Sherry: No way- we can down a box of Oreos like the best of them. We do our best to live a balanced life in general, so if we’re feeling full of junk food we might aim to eat healthy for the next few meals. But not only do we appreciate organic food when we can (and trips to the farmer’s market) we also eat generic grocery store fare along with the occasional junk food binge.
John: We’re human, we promise.
Q: How did you know the time was right to start a family? If you had any what were your “pre-baby” things to check off the list financially, personally, professionally before you decided to try? – MariaJose
Sherry: I don’t know. One morning we woke up and were ready. A few of our family members had recently had babies and we looked at them and thought “we could do that- let’s give it a whirl.”
John: I think there’s truth to the statement that if you waited until you checked off a bunch of things on a mental list to be ready, you’d never actually be ready.
Q: How many bambinos are you guys hoping for? – Stacy
Sherry: We definitely don’t have that mapped out very definitively. Some days we want a gaggle (we both grew up in houses with 4-5 kids) and other days we’re good with the idea of just one more.
John: Yeah, I’d say we know we’d like Clara to have at least one human sibling (no offense, Burger) but right now we’re so content / busy with one that we’re not making any plans beyond two at this point. And we’ll definitely wait a few years for a second (so no need for bump watch yet).
Q: Do you two ever fight or disagree on designs or purchases? – Susanna
John: Do we fight or disagree about things we want for the house? All the time! But if we don’t agree on something the rule is that we don’t get it.
Sherry: That way every item in our house is something we both agree that we need and want to purchase – so there’s no resentment like “ugh, there’s the chair that John made us buy that I hate.”
John: And I’m not stranger to breaking out the line “Do we really need that?” when it comes to a lot of Sherry’s suggested purchases. She relents, we save money, and our house isn’t full of impulse buys.
Q: What kind of music do you listen to? -Christine
John: Panic At The Disco, Fall Out Boy, Black Eyed Peas, Death Cab, Eminem, The Killers, Britney Spears, Lily Allen, The Ting Tings, Vampire Weekend, Lady Gaga, Glee soundtracks, we’re all over the place.
Q: Sherry, did you have any cravings when you were pregnant? – Erin
Sherry: Baked potatoes. John used to joke that I required three potato courses per day (yes, even for breakfast). I had morning sickness for over 100 days straight, so something heavy, bland, and starchy was all I could take. I couldn’t get enough of chocolate milk or lemonade in the end. And interestingly enough, onion rings made me instantly sick throughout my entire pregnancy. Even well past the morning sickness phase. I was basically allergic to them until I had Clara and now I can eat ‘em again.
Q: What do your neighbors think? -Stephanie
John: Well, one neighbor of ours is in her eighties, so we’re not sure she knows what a blog is. But some people in our area are onto us, so they’ll walk by and say things like: “love the new curtains!” which is always kind of funny.
Q: What goofy little quirks do each of you have that drives the other nuts? My hubby always leaves closet doors open and it drives me BANANAS! – Laura
John: I finally broke Sherry of her habit to leave dirty bowls and dishes on the counter above the dishwasher instead of just putting them in.
Sherry: Hey, in my defense that started when I was hugely pregnant and it was hard to bend over and load up the dishwasher. But admittedly I am able bodied again, so I’m glad to be back into the habit. John’s weird quirk would have to be “sneaking” candy at the store. I can’t really complain because it’s highly entertaining, but we’ll get home and unpack grocery store bags and I’ll find things like Double Stuff Oreos and some weird new candy (Skitttles Crazy Cores?) and I’ll look at John and he’ll sheepishly be all “how did those get in there?”
Q: What are your cultural/ethnic backgrounds? – Patricia
JOHN: I’m half German (my grandfather came through Ellis Island – where his name was changed from Petrik to Petersik) and the other half is a mixture of Swedish, Swiss, and Irish.
SHERRY: I’m Italian (my mom’s full name is Diana Teresa DeCesare LaPadula) and Austrian (dad’s side).
Q: What do you think YHL readers would be most surprised to know / find out about one (or both!) of you? – Constance
Sherry: Performance anxiety. Ack, I can’t think of anything remotely interesting. Well, I was in a Dr. Pepper commercial once.
John: And I have an unhealthy obsession with Dr. Pepper. Oh and when I moved to NYC I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t get involved with anyone because I wanted to leave before I got attached and things got complicated. Good thing I tossed that idea out the window when I met Sherry and she was cool enough to move to Virginia with me.
Q: I’d like to know about some of your future career goals. How you set them and steps you are taking to achieve them. Do you have an ultimate desire? Or are you a more play it by ear type? – Christa
John: I’ve never been someone with a specific career masterplan- I just aim to earn enough to support my family and enjoy what I’m doing in the process. So I’d be happy doing some form of blogging or home improvement or even diving back into advertising at some point.
Sherry: I’ve always thought it would be fun to save up for a second property and fix it up and rent it. It’s definitely nothing we can do anytime soon, but it’s always in the back of my mind as a future possibility. John’s dad purchased a rental property for each of his four kids over a span of two decades and sold each one to help pay for college for each of them when they got older. I think that’s pretty darn cool.
Q: What were you guys like in HS/college? I’ve heard you mention that John was in the marching band (what did he play?), but what about you Sherry? I’m just so curious! – Lindsay
John: Yup, I was totally the band geek in high school. I played the French horn and was actually elected band council president my senior year. Not only was I captain of the geeks, I very proudly won the official title of “friendliest male in the band” a few years in a row. But I stopped playing when I got into college (where I “graduated” to slightly cooler fringe groups by joining an improv comedy group and a coed honor fraternity).
Sherry: I was the loud girl with blonde hair and fake nails. I’m from Jersey (born and raised, so it’s also where I went to hs) so I guess I can blame my environment for some of that but I’m also just your typical first child (type A, a smidge bossy, and way too enthusiastic for most people- especially in the morning). I was also on the swim team (I even went to states one year) and I was obsessed with art (taking everything from ceramics to oil painting). Then I went off to college in NYC to study fine art (I actually have a Bachelor Of Fine Arts in advertising, which I switched into after two years of fine arts training since I worried that I wouldn’t make it as a starving artist). My hair was no longer blonde then but I was still definitely the loud girl. Still am actually.
Q: I just want to know if John ever does improv for Sherry (I used to be in his improv group in college). – Jamie
Sherry: John makes me laugh five times an hour. The snorting gaffawing kind of laughter. Much like I used to say back at work when we met in NYC: nobody knows how hilarious that John Petersik kid is. I seriously started a campaign at work about how that quiet tall account guy is the most hysterical person I’ve ever met in my life. His sarcastic one liners kill me. I love that he can make me shoot milk out of my nose on a near-daily basis.
Q: List 3 keys you consider to be essential for success in marriage. – Lissa
Sherry: Sense of humor, respect, flexibility.
John: Laughter, dialog, admiration.
Q: Who does the most cooking? Any favorite or go-to dishes?- Tracie
Sherry: John cooks 99.9% of the time. I’m a lucky lady. He makes this really good cold pasta with avocado and chicken and we also have a ton of dishes from Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution since John is cooking his way through it (like Julie and Julia, except it’s Jamie & John).
Q: Do you cook with as much gusto as you design? – Melinda
Sherry: I eat with gusto. I leave the cooking to John for the most part.
John: Definitely not. I stumble through the cooking thing, but I enjoy figuring things out and learning as I go. So I guess that approach is similar to our home improvement philosophy.
Q: Do the people who sold you your house follow the blog? It would be interesting to see what they say. -Evan
Sherry: The original owners of our house actually wrote to us and it was amazing.
John: Check out that post here.
Q: Sherry, you always dress so cute! What are your favorite clothing brands?- Candice
Sherry: You’re too nice. I’m definitely no Sarah Jessica Parker, but to answer your question: cheap stuff! Nearly everything I own is from Target, Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic Outlet, or DSW. This girl loves a deal.
Q: What is your absolute favorite movie ever? – Andrea
Sherry: For some crazy reason I fell in love with Zombieland when I saw it right after we had Clara (that angel slept right through it). So unless it was one of those weird prego-hormone things I would have to say it’s my current fave movie ever (if I watch it again and hate it, that might explain why).
John: The movies I can watch over and over again are quirky improv movies like Waiting For Guffman and Wet Hot American Summer.
Q: Is there anything regarding your personal redecorating or DIY projects that you look back on and think “what was I thinking?” or “what that ugly?!” – Keighley
John: Um, our whole house in 2006 (check out this video to see what we mean). Seriously.
Sherry: We look at the terrible layout and the all-over-the-place color scheme and thank our lucky stars that we kept evolving our house and experimenting with different layouts and colors and styles until we got closer to something that made us smile every time we came in the door.
Q: With all the work you all do… and with Clara now… are you able to find chill time together? Date night? What do you do to keep the spark alive? – Michelle
Sherry: Maybe house projects keep the spark alive? Because there’s not much else going on these days between blogging, DIYing, and caring for Clara. But we’re loving it. I guess the key is just doing things that you enjoy together to keep the spark alive. So even if that’s painting instead of enjoying a fancy meal, whatever works, right?
John: Though we do enjoy a casual “date night” a few nights a week after Clara falls asleep at 8-ish when we spend a couple hours watching TV and eating ice cream on the couch. Okay, maybe I’m the only one with the ice cream.
Q: How did the chair in Clara’s room work out for you? -Teresa
Sherry: Thankfully it’s very comfy! Admittedly I nurse all over the house, but it’s one of the places that I do it often, and it’s nice.
John: I also read to Clara every night in that chair as part of her bedtime routine. We’re definitely happy with it.
Q: Since you both work with each other from home, do you ever get tired of each other as “co-workers”? – Emily
Sherry: Sometimes we’ll realize that that other person is acting a bit fried so I’ll say “John, why don’t you go for a run?” which is code for “you’re acting a little cranky-pants so go have some me-time and hopefully you’ll come back refreshed.”
John: Yeah or I’ll recommend that Sherry take a shower or go for a walk or do something else that’ll snap her out of her stress-ball self sometimes.
Sherry: The key is trying to have a sense of humor about things and getting some me-time in there when you can.
Q: Do you guys ever fight/argue/get mad at each other? You both seem so in sync about everything it is hard to imagine. – Betty
John: Um, Sherry’s Italian… and from Jersey. Let’s just say that she has a “distinct” way of making her voice heard. She calls it being passionate. Sometimes I call it shouting.
Sherry: John’s the level headed, less prone to scream one. But he can definitely get his sulk on when he’s mad. He’ll just clam up and you can practically see the steam coming off of him.
John: We can both get peeved like the best of them, but we try to remember that we’re on the same team and we’re working towards the same goal- so more often than not we’re mad at the situation, not each other. And it’s all forgotten about a minute later.
Q: I’m just wandering do you ever feel inadequate? If so, how do you deal with those feelings? – Polina
Sherry: Sure, there are definitely moments where we feel like we’re not doing things fast enough or well enough (whether that’s due to our own self scrutiny or to something that someone else has said). But at the end of the day, we can usually pull ourselves out of that funk by reminding ourselves that there are probably people who like us too much and people who dislike us too much, and we’re most likely somewhere in the middle.
John: In the end it’s really all about enjoying each other’s company and loving what we’re doing each day. Because we’ve learned that it’s impossible to expect that everyone who reads our blog will love every post or project. So it all comes down to being happy with who we are and what we’re doing.
Q: I read you don’t spend a lot of money eating out. How do you do it when you go out with other couples or friends? Or receive invitations? Do you say no? I find it difficult when it comes to saving money and doing things with other people. – Judith
Sherry: We invite people over our house for a meal instead (spaghetti is seriously like a dollar a person and a big spaghetti dinner with friends is so fun).
John: It’s also nice because it starts a cycle where we can just go back-and-forth to each other’s houses instead of having to go out all of the time.
Q: What is something each of you can’t let go from your past or childhood and refuse to get rid of? – Dan
John: Embarrassingly enough, I have a baby blanket with sheep on it from when I was little that I’m still kind of attached to. So I did the logical thing and handed it down to my son Burger. It’s now Burger’s blankie in his crate and I loves that it’s still around (better yet, it’s an heirloom- ha).
Sherry: I have these ridiculous tiny saddle shoes from when I was 1 or 2 and I just can’t part with them so they’re in a box in my closet. Maybe someday Clara will wear them or we’ll make some cute art with them for her nursery.
Q: If you won the lottery (I’m talking 20 million or so) would you move into a mansion? And would you still remain as focused on saving money as you are now? – Maky
John: We’d probably buy five other charming old modestly sized houses that we could makeover for the blog and then rent out. That would totally be our idea of a good time.
Sherry: And we’d still deal hunt and scrimp wherever we could. I honestly think that our parents have ingrained that behavior into who we are- so even with 20 million big ones we’d still be tiling our own bathroom (with clearance tile). Because as sick as it sounds, that makes us happy.
Q: If I walked into your house right now, how messy would it be? – Sarah
John: Honestly it would be a three out of ten on a scale from clean to messy.
Sherry: When we’re in the middle of a project it can totally get to an 11, as in embarrassingly chaotic. But since we’re selling our house we’re trying to keep it together.
Q: What was the first concert you each ever went to….and what was the last concert you were at? – Nichole
Sherry: First- The Warped Tour in 8th grade (with Eminem, the Black Eyed Peas, Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit) Last- Panic At The Disco or Rooney. Can’t remember.
John: First: Tricia Yearwood (with my mom and my godmother in 6th grade). Last- Panic At The Disco or Rooney. I can’t remember either.
Q: What are your most embarrassing moments? – Alison
Sherry: Honestly, it’s when we get recognized around town. We just have to apologize to anyone who has come up and talked to us because we’re so embarrassingly awkward. We always joke that it’s a major let down to meet us because we’re total dorks in person.
John: The person who approaches us always has something so nice to say about our house or our blog and we just stand there like “uh…thanks… so….”. It’s not like we can comment about that person’s blog or that person’s latest DIY project (since they know all about us but we don’t know anything about them). So it’s weird.
Sherry: And I’m a gets-beet-red type of person, so it’s just a big ridiculously awkward mess. So sorry we’re not cooler! It’s unfortunate.
John: Oh and I fainted at work once. Onto my boss. I basically bounced off of her chest and landed in her lap and then rolled onto the floor.
Sherry: It was epic. I was working there too (we met at work) and I nearly died laughing when I heard about it (after learning that John was ok of course).
Q: Has having Clara changed your relationship with Burger? If so, how? And was that a surprise to you? – Heather
John: We honestly wondered if we would bond well with Clara during the whole time Sherry was pregnant because Burger would do something cute we would say “this baby better be pretty darn adorable to compete with this little guy.”
Sherry: Thankfully Clara came along and she was pretty darn adorable and then some. So we’re happy to report that we love both the beanette and Burger like crazy. They’re a huge part of our family and we’re so thankful for each of them.
Q: What is the strangest thing that has ever happened to you as a result of your fame? – Amber
Sherry: Does hearing you refer to “our fame” count? That’s pretty strange to us. Tom Cruise is famous. We’re just two random bloggers.
John: But it is trippy to see pictures of our house in international magazines, especially with a foreign language around them. To think that people across the globe are looking at photos of our four walls is actually kind of mind blowing.
Q: What is the one thing that you always have the other do, because you dislike the task so much? -Emily
Sherry: John changes around 90% of the diapers, not because I hate it but because he sweetly made a deal that if I’m in charge of imports (feeding Clara) the least he can do is be in charge of exports (changing her). Love him for that.
John: Sherry’s the present wrapper/gift manager of the house. I remember birthdays for the most part, but she’s definitely in charge of making the presents that we pick up look festive.
Q: Was your transition to parenthood easier or more difficult than you expected? What were your expectations like before Clara came and looking back do you think they were high (setting you up for frustration) or low (setting you up for happiness)? – Sarah
John: People told us when Clara was born that we wouldn’t know what day it was and that we’d forget to eat and drink and we’d basically be zombies so I think we were pleasantly surprised.
Sherry: We definitely hit the jackpot since she’s such an amazing sleeper, but in general it has been a really nice transition to parenthood. So far it hasn’t felt like anything we can’t handle, so we’re loving the fact that we have Clara around. And thankfully Burger has adjusted really well too (which is something else we worried about) so we have to say that we’re really appreciating how things are going right now.
Q: What shows do you guys watch? Other than HGTV and decor stuff? Any reality shows or weekly dramas that catch your attention? – Katie
Sherry: Flipping Out, Housewives Of DC & NJ (since they’re both of our “hometowns”), Glee, Top Chef, 30 Rock, The Office, Saturday Night Live, America’s Next Top Model, and Grey’s Anatomy- there’s nothing like good TV after a long day of DIYing.
Q: Do you ever have a bad day? Things over at YHL always seem perfect. – Heather
Sherry: Yes, we have bad days all the time.
John: Things definitely aren’t perfect over here. We’re just do our best to be positive people, so we try not to whine and complain too much- especially since our blog is about home improvement and decor (which explains why we don’t chronicle the annoying things that might happen behind the scenes, like when five posts magically delete themselves). We do love sharing when projects don’t exactly go as planned, just because we like to remind people that we’re not immune to those pitfalls either (check out a few obstacles and flops here, here, and here).
Sherry: We try to maintain a sense of humor around here and remind ourselves that we’re not saving the world so we don’t take things too seriously (which always results in more stress and crying). In fact one of my mantras is: it’s just a blog.
Q: If you could go back to the last weeks/days/months right before Clara was born, what would you tell yourself? Do you have any regrets/recommendations about how you used your last few weeks as a childless couple? -Sarah
Sherry: John was actually out to lunch on his last day of work when I went into labor. I literally called him as he was finishing up his burrito and he ran out, grabbed me, we sped over to the hospital, and a few hours later we were holding our baby girl. We had planned to have a big celebration (go out to dinner and really soak up the whole that-was-your-last-day-of-work-and-now-you’re-going-to-be-a-full-time-daddy-and-blogger thing but instead we were celebrating the birth of our bean.
John: So if we could go back maybe we’d make Thursday my last day of work so we could still have time to soak all of that in. Although it was really exciting to have it all happen that way on Friday, so honestly we probably wouldn’t change a thing.
Q: Will you homeschool, do public, or private? – Priscilla
Sherry: We plan to send our kiddos off to public school. I attended a private school until 6th grade (Montessori) and then went public while John went to public schools from day one. He even got into a magnet high school (Thomas Jefferson in Alexandria, VA- which was public). So although private school is definitely something we can appreciate, we have a ton of confidence in the public school system.
John: And who knows, Clara might follow in her dorky dad’s footsteps and get into some magnet public school someday too.
Q: What’s next on the list of things you guys want to do to green-ify your life? – Jennifer
John: I want a bat box.
Sherry: And a bee box. Is that what it’s called? We want to encourage bats and bees to pollinate and eat mosquitoes and do their thing.
John: And when we move, we definitely want to look into the possibility of using these (thanks to Meghan for telling us about them).
Q: Do you exercise? How do you stay so fit? – Anne
Sherry: Right now my exercise routine consists of carrying Clara around, going on long walks around the neighborhood every night, and nursing (which burns a pretty surprising amount of calories). I’ve never been a gym rat or very into exercise in general so I just do my best to watch what I eat if my pants feel tight. Or I get bigger pants. That works too.
John: I gave up my gym membership when I left my job downtown, but I still sneak in a morning run when I can and I have a 10K coming up soon.
Q: Would you ever travel without Burger? – Julia
Sherry: Well he came with us on our honeymoon to Alaska so we’re thinking it’s fair to say that we don’t like to leave home without him. Or Clara for that matter. We’re a four-pack. Although if something came up and we knew Burger would be happier at home than with us (he does love hanging with Grammy and TomTom…) I think we’d consider leaving him behind. We just want him to be happy. And not chew up our pillows out of spite. Ha!
Whew. So there you have a plethora of questions and answers. I hope you grabbed a Coke in the middle there when you found yourself falling asleep. Admittedly we’re not as interesting as some people think…
love that creepy photo with all your imaginary kids :D
Oh my goodness, those pictures are hilarious!
YAY! You guys answered my question about HS/College! How hilarious?!? John, I was a band dork too – only I was waaaaay dorkier because I continued to do so in college! HA HA! Love it!
Why do I visualize you guys as the real life Pam & Jim from The Office?
Biggest compliment ever. They’re cute.
xo,
s
As a UVA ’04 grad and an avid YHL reader, it has always bugged me that I couldn’t figure out why John looked so familiar…a class, first year dorms? The Whethermen! Loved them…now I can read in peace!
Woohoo!!! Jersey girl in the (young)house(love)!!! ;o) You know I have to ask, Sherry…what exit?!? I grew up in Springfield (Union County) and then relocated to south Jersey (Camden County) when I got married.
And I have to say just how damn funny that Duggar pic is!!! I’ll admit to having a borderline obsession w/ them, and that pic had me giggle snorting at my desk!
Hey Stacey,
I’m from Parsippany (near Morristown). PHHS baby!
xo,
s
Another green idea for moving boxes is to get them off Craigslist. In Charlotte, there are so many people moving that they’re usually FREE on Craigslist all the time. Most people don’t think to do this, so they’ve frequently only been used once, and you save them from going in the trash or recycling pile. After you’ve moved, just post them on Craiglist again, and someone will come pick them up for the next move. My husband thinks I’m crazy, but I even smooth out my packing paper after we’ve unpacked and pass that on to the next person also to save it from the landfill. The only boxes that get recycled are ones that are too beat up for re-use.
Another great tip Kaitlin!
xo,
s
Laughed out loud about John fainting on his boss-glad he was ok but that is really embarrassing!
FYI – I’m reading this from work, and for whatever reason 2 of the pictures in this post aren’t showing up, but the rest do… it’s just the first picture and the last picture I can not see… not sure if you loaded those 2 pics differently or if it’s just my dumb work computer. :)
Enjoyed the Q&A session though! Interesting!
-Katie
Thanks for the heads up Katie Y. Does anyone else have an issue seeing those two pics?
xo,
s
Ah! you have to answer me this… Did you see Rooney when they were out with Hanson? I’m a HUGE Hanson fan.. well I’m also a huge Rooney fan. Two very, very under-appreciated bands!
Such great questions, but that’s to be expected since you guys have a great blog which draws great readers! My husband doesn’t read blogs, but he knows who you guys are because I keep showing/reading him things “Honey, John and Sherry did _____ or said ______” or “Look at Burger!! or Look at Clara!!” *shoves laptop in his face*
It’s awesome you guys are able to do what you love!
Thanks for that post, you don’t seem to be boring at all :)
Do you speak German and/or Italian then?
Chris- Oddly enough I speak pretty decent French (studied it for five years in high school & college) and John speaks fairly good Spanish for the same reason. Luckily Italian is pretty close to French so I can understand those heated family arguments!
Whitney- It was a while back (maybe a year and a half ago) so we don’t remember who opened but we’re pretty sure it wasn’t Hanson.
xo,
s
Love all these answers and getting to know about you guys a bit better!
So funny you would say that Ashlee! I’ve thought the same thing before.
I too married into an Italian/Jersey family. I thought they were always fighting at first! I couldn’t understand how they could “fight” and then nonchalantly sit down to a meal together. As Sherry says, they are a passionate people!
You guys are dangerous! I enjoyed reading this so much I couldn’t stop! =) Thanks for being so funny and entertaining.
well. i had to stop reading because john’s passing out story made me laugh wayyyy too hard for office behavior. although i made a huge mistake of trying to hold my laugh in which meant i am nearly hyperventilating and tears are rolling down my face. probably should just call it a day huh?
anyway, thanks!!!!
That was pretty much my reaction when I heard about it. Ha.
xo,
s
Sherry, I met you a year or so ago and for the record, you were very nice and sincere, not awkward and red-faced at all. At least, I didn’t notice if you were.
I also just snort-laughed at the description of John fainting into his boss.
Really? Are you sure it was me?
xo,
s
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the imports/exports line! Thanks for answering all our nosy questions.
I wish I had known about Recopacks earlier! They seem like a much more ethical option that what I did for our last move and then again while our kitchen was being remodeled.
Yea, I confess. I bought a bunch of huge Rubbermaid containers at Target (the seasonal colored ones are always just $7.99 each) before the move & subsequent remodel and then returned them when we were unpacked. :o/
Hey, it was free & much more eco-friendly than cardboard boxes & I promise they were cleaned and in perfect condition when they went back.
Sorry Target!
John, I totally remember the day you fainted on your boss! You had gotten us free tickets to see that off-Broadway show Altar Boyz that night, but you obviously couldn’t go since you weren’t exactly feeling your best. I ended up seeing it with a bunch of your co-workers I’d never met. :)
Yeah! I was there too Marisa! I brought my then boyfriend Justin. Awkward!!!
xo,
s
Sherry, So glad I’ve found someone else like me (aka first born, type A, a smidge bossy, loud talker, way too enthusiastic for most people, and turns beet red at the drop of a hat). Until today I may or may not have thought I was a bit of a weirdo!
I loved this post but maybe it’s because I’m a nosey girl. :) It’s always fun to see what you have in common with others and as a fellow band geek who blushes at the slightest attention, I thank you for the insight. I look forward to following your fourth year of blogging and house renovations!
Is that a letter jacket from TJHSS&T? It is eerily familiar.
Yup, that’s the one.
-John
i almost spit my water out onto my keyboard when i read the following:
“John: Oh and I fainted at work once. Onto my boss. I basically bounced off of her chest and landed in her lap and then rolled onto the floor.”
i guess it was your delivery, almost like an afterthought. how embarrasingly funny!
your readers think that you are very cool. :)
just died laughing about John fainting on his boss…best. description. ever. i seriously pictured it happening… :)
Hi guys! In the question about the messy house, you said your were “selling our house”. Did I read that right? Or do you just mean “selling” it as in, you earn a living from blogging about your house?? If you are selling – how exciting!
Hey Mary,
Yup, we made that big announcement just a few days ago! Scroll back a few posts for the deets!
xo,
s
You guys are cute! I can imagine it WOULD be awkward when random people around town recognize you… but you guys look like more fun than you give yourself credit for! Oh and LOVE the high school pictures of you, haha!
You guys are so great and I just love that you lets us know so much about you!! Um and when I read about John’s yummy avocado chicken pasta – I was salivating! Care to share the recipe??
Hey McCaulie,
I’d happily share it, though it’s not much of a recipe – more of just a bunch of things I could throw together in a bowl. Basically I cook some pasta (like rotini or penne) then cool it off by rinsing it with cold water. Then I combine it in a bowl with some canned cooked chicken (tuna would also work), some avocado slices or chunks and a couple squirts of vinaigrette or Italian dressing. Mix it up, throw some graded parmesan cheese on top and call it day. Sometimes I throw in some pine nuts or something else to give it some crunch, but other than that I usually keep it pretty basic.
-John
I just had to comment that I have that red and black dress Sherry is wearing in her high school picture– how weird!!
That’s crazy! Was it from Wet Seal or Delia’s? I loved those stores.
xo,
s
Sherry and John,
I’m thoroughly enjoying reading this (I’m only part way done but I just HAD to comment!
I was taken aback when I read about you both in high school. My husband was in the band (he played Oboe and tuba). I have blond hair, I’m loud and obnoxious, bossy, (pretty much everything you said you are… haha!), I was on the swim team, and I was obsessed with all my art classes. I’ve actually even contemplated pulling out that old artwork and posting it sometime. ;)
I’m in Texas though, not NJ, but I have lived in NJ and I LOVED and still LOVE it. I even blogged about it last month (http://www.houseofhepworths.com/2010/08/20/bringing-jersey-home-with-me/). Where in Jersey did you grow up? I lived right on the shore about an hour and 20 min south of The City in a little town called Long Branch. It’s near Eatontown and Red Bank.
Hey Alison,
I’m from Parsippany- it’s right near Morristown. The sad thing is that I hardly ever go back because my mom has since moved to New York. But my dad still lives in Livingston!
xo,
s
“Zombieland”….awesome!!!! My favorite too. I think the Frist Rule was my facebook status for at least a week.
Love!
Okay, a couple things…
Number one – John, why are you so funny? The description of you fainting is one of my favorite things ever and I keep laughing about it. I love that your boss was a lady too. Oh boy. So funny.
Number two – bat and bee cages? Pardon my city girl ignorance…but what the heck are these things? My first thought was that you are kidding…but I don’t think you are, are you?
Hey Robyn,
They’re real! Just google them. Basically bat and bee boxes create a little home for those critters who do everything from pollinate flowers, make honey, keep other bugs in check, and scare the bejeesus out of you when they get in the sunroom!
xo,
s
John, how funny to find out you went to TJ. I moved away from NoVA right before high school, so obviously I didn’t, but I went with one of my friends as a (fake) “prospective student.” Fun!
Thanks for sharing guys! John: you are totally cool for being in band in high school. I was too… but even more so. I played trumpet from 5th grade all the way through college! I was drum major in the high school marching bnad my junior and senior years and then in college I was in the marching band for 4 years. It’s AWESOME! Do you ever miss playing? I do. I love this post – it’s so neat to find out more about you. But I’m sure it’s odd that your readers know so much and you guys know so little about your readers. Happy Blogoversary and best wishes for many blogoversaries to come!
Hey Cristin,
Sometimes I do miss playing – and I wonder how I’d sound if I tried to pick up a French Horn again. I started in 5th grade also and almost quit after middle school, but someone convinced me to keep with it in high school as a way to meet people at a new school. So even though I don’t consider myself an instrument player lately, I’m always grateful that I learned how to read music and carry a tune.
-John
you guys as the duggers is THE FUNNIEST THING EVER!!!!!!!
thx for the laugh.
a) i loooved zombieland too. hilarious!
b) u guys are celebrities to me! love you’re blog and your cutesy coupledom! ive seen another blog “try” to be like you guys, but you’re the real deal and real people and i love that.
c) i too cracked up (out loud at work) when i read about john fainting.
d) cant wait to see what new projects you guys will have with a new house!
-ashley
Loved the answers to your questions – always so fun to learn more about you guys!
I wanted to let you know that I also was unable to see the 2 pictures that Katie mentioned (and I’m viewing from work as well, where I know they do block certain content).
Good luck with the house hunting and selling – so exciting!
Hey Stafani and Katie,
We figured it out! The first and last pictures are actually embedded YouTube videos (one of The Thong Song and one of a clip from 30 Rock) so maybe your office just blocks those videos?
xo,
s
“John: Oh and I fainted at work once. Onto my boss. I basically bounced off of her chest and landed in her lap and then rolled onto the floor.”
I just laughed out loud. at work. Thank you.
ahhhhh my question was picked! I’m shocked!
great pics, great post.
so kind of you guys to let us so much into your life. Looking forward to everything to come.
Ooo – I can’t wait till you guys get bat and bee boxes…that will be fun to read about and fun to see pics of the bats. Have you ever seen one up close? They are so icky but cool looking!
I laughed out loud at the John fainting into his boss’s lap story. That is hilarious (but probably wasn’t to John at the time – or his boss)!
At the risk of sounding completely idiotic, what is a magnet school?
Did John go to UVA (I’m assuming since I’ve seen him wear the hat)? What honor frat did he belong to? I went to UVA and belonged to Phi Sigma Pi but I graduated in 99. Anyway love your blog!
Hey Shirley – I did go to UVA (class of 2004) and was in Phi Sigma Pi – so it sounds like we just missed each other. I joined in the spring of 2001. I guess that makes us brothers! (If anyone else is wondering, yes we did call all of the girls in the fraternity “brothers” too. Strange, I know). If you’re ever back at the house you’ll have to look for me in one of the composite photos on the wall.
Oh, and Ericka – I’m not sure the official definition of magnet school, but in this case it was a public school that drew students from beyond the set district and county boundaries that usually determines which high school you go to. In our case students were admitted based on aptitude for math and sciences.
-John
No one else has commented on it, so I feel I have to: my husband and I have the intake/out-take rule in our house too, only it applies to our cats and household chores. Catbox: out-take. Grocery shopping: intake. Cleaning the bathrooms: out-take, etc. We don’t have kids yet, but I have said several times that our rule should apply to them as well, I will do intake (i.e. feedings) and he will do out-take (i.e. all diapers). He says the rule wont transfer, but now I have back-up!!! Thanks!
AHHHH I love that you love Zombieland.
It seems endeering and mildly creepy how much we (your readers) get attached to you and feel like we know you.
I know it can feel odd sometimes but does it ever creep you out? (ie how people kept commenting on how it was bothering them that you are moving out of your first home?)
Just was curious about that tidbit. =)
Hey Amy,
Not at all! Well maybe when someone’s asking about my choice of undergarment, but when people are sounding off about the topics that we put out there on the blog it’s totally fun for us!
xo,
s
I LOVED the post that you linked to about your contact with the daughter of the original home owners. It totally made me cry! It’s amazing to think about all the life that these spaces have seen…our new house was built in 1792 and so that REALLY boggles the mind to think of all those families and what their lives might have been like. A neighbor told us that in the 50s, a family lived here with 10 kids. I have NO IDEA how that would be possible without some sort of rift in the space-time continuum because this place is not large, but evidently they made it work.
To help out with Katie Y’s comment about not being able to see photos (the first and last one), I think she was probably referring to the videos, which were first and last… right?
Hope that helps!
Yup, that’s exactly what it was Tae! Thanks for making sure we figured things out.
xo,
s
John, I can’t believe you went to Jefferson!!! This proves that we’re not all just Science & Tech nerds–glad to see the representation. Oh, and Go HOOS!
Britney! Yea! Fellow unashamed fan here. :)
The house in which I’m staying in Costa Rica right now has a bat box right near our main entrance. Every time I come home at night, about 20 small bats come careening out of the box and off into the night! It was a little freaky at first, but now that I’m used to it, I’m loving the fact that I get bit by mosquitoes SO much less at the house then I do when I’m out and about.
That’s amazing Katie! So awesome to hear that it works!
xo,
s
Um, I totally recognize that dress that Sherry is wearing! I wore it my “eighth grade prom”!
Love it! Two readers with matching dresses! We all must have awesome taste. Haha.
xo,
s