The babbling battle

Most people fight for the last word in an argument. My wife and I are locked in a battle for the very first word — and the referee is our baby.Teddy continues to grow and learn new things every day. I have a feeling we’ll have a crawler on our hands in the next few weeks.

Drone dream is grounded

I had a vision.Our local high school team, loaded onto buses or vans, pulling out of the parking lot, headed to state. Parents waving, kids hanging out of windows, and my drone — soaring above it all, capturing the perfect overhead pictures video for the newspaper and website.

Bedtime or bust

I’ve shared before how bedtime turns into Open Mic Night at the Holtz house.All five of my kids have age-appropriate bedtimes. Timmy, Charlie, and Penny start moving toward their beds between 7 and 8. Teddy has his last feeding around 8:30 before he’s swaddled and laid in his crib.

Dinner debates with Timmy

Dinner at our house has started to feel less like a family meal and more like a highstakes hostage negotiation.The other night, I made one of Timmy’s favorite meals: macaroni and cheese. You’d think I had just placed a pile of rocks in front of him.

Golfing at the Dells

My family takes just one big trip each summer: a visit to Wisconsin Dells to see my parents and siblings.Last week, we made the annual trek. It’s one of the few times each year when all the cousins run wild together, and we adults try to keep up.

Does local news still matter?

I have a few simple questions this week. Does local news matter? What value does community journalism bring?And what would our world look like if one day, all local journalism simply disappeared?

Parenting mistakes with help from the Savannah Bananas

A new baseball phenomenon is sweeping the country. It looks like baseball, but instead of the players being on steroids (allegedly), it’s the entertainment factor that’s juiced to the max.

Hot Wheels and real wheels

My kids have a newfound love for Hot Wheels cars.Timmy will run back and forth across the hardwood with a dump truck, making enough noise to wake the dead — or at least make Helen Keller ask for peace and quiet.They love cars. Big cars, small cars. Plastic, metal. It doesn’t matter.

The future is in the backseat

When I was a kid, I thought the future would be all flying cars, hoverboards, and sneakers that laced themselves. I have Back to the Future to thank for that. I loved those movies — still do.

Celebrate the little wins where you find them

The post season is upon us.Area track teams are competing in their district meets this week and many of our athletes are hoping to punch their tickets to Omaha. But the sad truth is that not everyone is going to find a ticket at the finish line.But that is OK.