A Day in the Life of Ben and Erin Napier

“We tiptoe around until Helen wakes up!” says Erin Napier of her and husband Ben’s baby girl. They feed her, Ben has coffee and a fried egg, and Erin downs a bowl of cereal (Frosted Mini-Wheats or Raisin Bran) and a Coke Zero.

The family does a lap around the neighborhood with Chevy and Baker (short for Studebaker), both Great Pyrenees rescues.

Although their “office”—a.k.a. any house they’re redoing—is typically within walking distance of their home, says Erin, “we’re always dashing out at the last minute and hauling lots of gear, so we drive.” Erin’s mom pitches in with babysitting.

On a typical day, Ben and Erin stop by three houses in progress. Google Calendar keeps them on track with deadlines.

The couple is hands-on at every reno stage. For Ben that includes pranking their friend and business partner Jim whenever he’s in a scene. Says Erin, “Ben sneaks in fake snakes every chance he gets.”

Usually the pair eats on the set, but if time allows, they head over to The Pearl Diner for Erin’s favorite dish.

After lunch Ben whips something up for one of the renos they’re working on (his shop is near downtown Laurel). The Home Town team has built everything from ottomans to kitchen islands for the show.

After lunch Ben whips something up for one of the renos they’re working on (his shop is near downtown Laurel). The Home Town team has built everything from ottomans to kitchen islands for the show.

Erin’s favorite part of owning the shop is designing the displays—she’s an artist at heart. Ben’s into sharing Laurel lore with customers. (He has a history degree, after all.)

The couple spends the rest of the afternoon shooting scenes for Home Town, both at houses and at local shops. Sometimes after they wrap, they’ll stop at Sweet Somethings Bakery downtown to pick up Ben’s favorite chocolate chip cookies to share with the crew the next day.

Lounging on the porch swing has become an evening family tradition. “We’re happy to be home with no saws running!” says Erin. “I sing ‘You Are My Sunshine’ a lot, and church nursery songs.”

As Ben preps dinner (Cuban sandwiches and grilled cheese are his specialties), Erin and Helen cuddle: “She loves books with bold colors and shapes.”