As we mentioned yesterday, it’s Blogiversary Week — we can hardly believe we’ve been doing this for five years. To celebrate, we recorded an ordinary day from both of our perspectives so you can see how our routines overlap and where they differ. Here’s a typical day in our life:

6:00 am – 7:30 am

JOHN: The house is still quiet, so I slip out for a 5-mile run down by the river. I’m back by 7:30 and no one even notices I was gone.

7:30 am – 8:00 am

SHERRY: I usually wake around 7:45. If it’s quiet, Clara is still asleep and John has probably gone for his run. Burger stays in bed, but I head straight to the office and find John already at his desk squeezing in a few minutes of work between his shower and Clara waking up.

SHERRY: First tasks are checking blog comments and handling quick questions. I also glance at my planner — it looks a little chaotic to everyone else, but it’s where I track post ideas, appointments, deadlines, and promotional details. Today I notice I owe a short blurb to a magazine by 2pm, so I write it now so I won’t feel rushed later.

8:00 am – 9:00 am

JOHN: I hear Clara stirring, so I go say good morning, change her diaper, and sit her down for breakfast. While she eats yogurt, I list a few things I need to do and grab the coupons Sherry cut for a later grocery run.

SHERRY: I keep answering comments and messages, then play with Clara a bit. Once the morning post goes live around 10am, I usually don’t get large uninterrupted chunks of kid time, so we make a point to connect. Clara plays independently well, but those small interactions are important. I might even like her play kitchen as much as she does.

SHERRY: After getting Clara dressed, John and I return to our computers while she plays and happily teases Burger with snacks.

9:00 am – 10:00 am

JOHN: We have a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs and then head out to take Clara to her weekly music class. It’s a short session called Musikgarten, but she loves it.

SHERRY: While John and Clara head out, I proof the post scheduled for 10am. Proofing includes previewing the layout, checking photos, reading the text a couple of times, and adding any links or clarifications. Despite careful checking, we still catch a typo here and there, so this step matters.

10:00 am – 11:00 am

SHERRY: I publish the morning post and manage incoming comments while John and Clara are at music. I can’t wait to hear about their time together — Clara always comes home with a sweet anecdote, like admiring a little Noah’s Ark diorama at the church. Meanwhile, a stream of comments rolls in and I spend the hour replying and moderating.

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

JOHN: Since we’re already out, Clara and I run to the grocery store for essentials.

SHERRY: I take a quick email break and clear out junk mail. Late-morning inbox surges often include sponsor messages, giveaway coordination, book-related notes, and the occasional lovely reader letter — those we save and read aloud later.

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

JOHN: Back home, I unload groceries while Clara plays with her trains. Sherry and I chat about an upcoming project and sketch out what we’ll need, then I send a few sponsor emails and coordinate an upcoming giveaway.

SHERRY: I answer more comments and emails, and just as I’m about to begin writing the afternoon post, Clara asks for lunch. She’d been playing at her little desk and with her dollhouse, so we gather at the table for a simple meal. Today John surprised us with sushi from the store and Clara nibbles on tomatoes, grapes, hummus, and crackers.

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

JOHN: After lunch I finish remaining emails while Clara plays independently. I let Burger out to patrol the yard for acorns — he takes his job seriously.

SHERRY: I finish proofreading the afternoon post, add links, catch typos, and publish just before two. With a few minutes left, I do a bit of train-board playtime with Clara before nap time.

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

SHERRY: Clara naps from about 2 to 4pm. The nap routine is quick: sound machine, curtains, lights out, a kiss, and the door closed. I spend the hour answering more comments.

JOHN: I work on editing a video we plan to share soon. That involves trimming longer clips, finding music, adding transitions, and polishing titles. Big annual videos take several hours, so I make steady progress while Clara sleeps.

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

JOHN: We have a book call to finalize tour scheduling and speaking topics. Planning events, interviews, and appearances picks up right after a manuscript is finished — it’s busy but exciting.

SHERRY: The call goes the hour, and afterwards I jump back into comments with plans to draft a post when I have a spare block of time.

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

JOHN: I return to video editing and spend the last part of the hour resizing photos for a post scheduled for the next day. Keeping multiple posts in rotation means we’re always juggling writing, editing, and publishing.

SHERRY: I respond to a couple of urgent emails from our publisher and accountant, then begin writing a post. Ten minutes in, Clara wakes up, so I take a little time to be with her in her room before resuming work.

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

SHERRY: I sneak in more writing while Clara plays with a box of spare ribbon nearby — she’s loved that game since she was tiny.

JOHN: I finish a quick coordination call about an upcoming giveaway, sketch plans for a small bathroom project, and then we all pile into the car (including Burger) to pick up supplies at Home Depot.

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

SHERRY: At Home Depot we gather what we need while Clara and Burger enjoy the car-shaped shopping cart. Since we’re out, we grab dinner at Chipotle nearby and then take a walk around the mall to enjoy the fresh air. We eat out sparingly and try to choose fresh, simple options when we do.

7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

JOHN: Back home we spend family hour reading, coloring, and talking about our day before Clara’s bedtime at 8pm.

SHERRY: Burger is full of energy, keeping Clara entertained until it’s time for bed. Nighttime routine mirrors naptime: sound machine, curtains, lights off, a kiss, and the door closed. Clara drifts off under the quilt I made her.

8:00 pm – 10:00 pm

JOHN: Once Clara is asleep we tackle most of our remaining work. Tonight I edit video and prep photos for upcoming posts.

SHERRY: I finish writing and proofreading posts, answer emails, and review reader redesign submissions — those always inspire me to tackle a project around the house.

10:00 pm – 12:00 am

JOHN: It’s common for our laptops to stay open until midnight. Some nights we work on big DIY projects instead of computer tasks, but tonight we stick to editing and writing.

SHERRY: We watch a bit of TV to unwind, then I wrap up the last post. Posts typically take 2–3 hours total across multiple sessions, accounting for writing, photography, editing, and uploading. Around midnight we finally close our laptops and get ready for bed.

12:30 am

SHERRY: John, Burger, and I climb into bed, recap the day, and run through tomorrow’s priorities. Before long we’re asleep — ready to do it all again.

P.S. We’ve shared similar day-in-the-life posts in past years if you’re curious how things have changed over time.