Growing up a Lutheran in the ’70s and ’80s, potluck lunches were the best day of the whole month. Cliché, but true. And thanks to Garrison Keilor, even those who didn’t grow up Lutheran know about the Lutheran’s Love of Potlucks. This is most certainly true; no one can put together a table of mismatched...Continue Reading
This year, when I heard some stores would be open on Thanksgiving, I told the kids this was the beginning of the end of Thanksgiving. Unlike Halloween or Valentines Day or Christmas, no one makes big money off Thanksgiving. Churches and great-grandmas won’t produce multi-million dollar commercials reminding Americans to stop and acknowledge the blessings...Continue Reading
Traveling through the Southwest for Thanksgiving Break has confirmed we have two kinds of kids: those who believe a cactus is sharp and those who have to touch it themselves. Kids who touch the cactus are also the ones who feel my hot curling iron, who pick up the hotel phone hundreds of times to...Continue Reading
Visiting Galveston in the summer is like sitting at the popular table in junior high. Although it’s fun and exhilarating, it’s also crowded and loud. You might find yourself looking around, thinking, “There’s gotta be more than this.” You would be right. During the winter, the crowds thin out, the pageantry fades, and Galveston becomes...Continue Reading
Two important truths we have all learned by now… First, every single person is extremely gifted in some unusual way. Not Mozart-piano-playing gifted. Not Steve-Jobs-visionary gifted, maybe. But in some equally important way, each of us can do one task or activity with extreme ease. Because this is a gift, we each take it for...Continue Reading
This week, the temperature in Houston dipped into the 50s. Clearly Starbucks was packed, every Houstonian posted about “THIS WEATHER!” on Facebook, the dogs slept in a shivering heap, and my kids declared themselves frozen. Let’s chat about this frightful weather in some Fraudulently Asked Questions. FAQ #1: You look cold, Nate. How are you...Continue Reading
Today’s Fraudulently Asked Questions is with Catie, the Hergenrader’s newest basketball star. Um, player. FAQ #1: Catie, you’ve been practicing basketball for a month now. What’s your favorite part? Catie: The cheers! After volleyball, my teammates and I realized that other teams had all these awesome chants and handshakes and prayer circles they did. We have...Continue Reading
Sam and Elisabeth are afraid of the dark, which has mostly just been a problem at night. Sam shares a room with Nate and Elisabeth sleeps with Catie. You would think this roommate situation would be enough to combat their fears. Nope. Even with a sibling sleeping inches away, both Sam and Elisabeth need the lights...Continue Reading
While Catie was at public school, she bought hot lunch pretty much every day. Only $1.60, for a drink, a hot entree with a side, and fruit. She loved it because the girls in our family adore cafeteria food. (Recently I took Catie and Elisabeth out for dinner anywhere they wanted. They chose Lubys Cafeteria...Continue Reading
Our kids minds have been blown. Again. Last year, Nate was the one gleefully freaked out by Halloween. The year before, it was the twins, partying like bosses. And, the year before that, it was Catie running from house to house, collecting Tootsie Rolls like it was her job. This year we’re debriefing with the...Continue Reading
