*DISCLAIMER* In typical Herm's House fashion we had some technical difficulties with sound for this episode but it was too good not to share. Thanks for supporting us through our flaws.

Birthdays aren’t always about cake, candles, and celebration—sometimes they bring old baggage, unspoken expectations, and a deep desire to feel seen.

In this episode of Herm’s House, Kristin and Herm unpack the emotional weight birthdays can carry, especially when childhood experiences quietly shape how we show up as adults. What starts as a conversation about birthday stress turns into an honest reflection on emotional labor, gift-giving misunderstandings, and the pressure many partners feel to “get it right.”

Herm opens up about why birthdays can feel overwhelming—not because of extravagance, but because of past moments where he didn’t feel prioritized. Kristin shares his perspective on intention versus impact, and together they explore how communication (not perfection) is what actually makes someone feel valued.

This episode is a reminder that it’s rarely about the cake—it’s about feeling understood, appreciated, and chosen.

✨ Episode Highlights

• Why birthdays can trigger more emotions than we expect
• The deeper meaning behind gifts (yes, even gift cards 😅)
• How childhood celebrations shape adult expectations
• The mental load of planning and wanting someone to feel seen
• Learning to communicate needs instead of carrying them silently

🔊 Sound Bites

• “It’s not about the gift—it’s about what it represents.”
• “Birthdays bring up old feelings you didn’t realize were still there.”
• “Feeling seen matters more than doing it perfectly.”

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Welcome back to Herm’s House

02:10 – Birthday expectations & stress

07:45 – The gift card story

15:30 – Emotional labor & planning pressure

23:40 – Childhood birthdays & adult reactions

32:15 – Communication over perfection

41:20 – Final reflections

🤝 THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

ANCHOR FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS GROUP, LLC

📍 2544 E 10th Street, Tucson, AZ 85716

📞 520.620.5320

🌐 www.anchorfinancialsolutionsgroup.com

Helping families and veterans build clarity, confidence, and financial stability.

BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY MARKETING COLLECTIVE

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Creative strategy, branding, and storytelling that helps meaningful missions grow.

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Your engagement helps us grow, reach more veteran families, and continue producing real, honest conversations.

Interested in sponsoring an episode or supporting our veteran outreach?

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📱 @HermsHousePodcast

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In this special birthday episode of Herm’s House, Kristin and Herm hit pause to celebrate a major milestone — Herm turning 40.

From childhood memories and early life lessons to fatherhood, marriage, and the moments that shaped who Herm is today, this episode is equal parts reflection, humor, and heart. Kristin walks Herm through the lessons learned along the way, the mistakes that mattered, and the growth that came from becoming a husband, a dad, and a more intentional partner.

There’s plenty of laughter, a light roast (because it wouldn’t be a birthday without one), and honest conversation about what 40 really feels like — listening more, failing forward, choosing family, and learning to be deliberate with the life you’re building.

This episode is a reminder that milestones aren’t about perfection — they’re about perspective, gratitude, and showing up for the people who matter most.

✨ Episode Highlights

• Herm reflects on childhood memories and how they shaped his outlook

• Lessons learned from relationships, marriage, and fatherhood

• Why being deliberate matters more than being perfect

• Humor as a survival tool (and love language)

• Loyalty, legacy, and the Cowboys (because of course)

• A birthday roast and a look ahead at what the next chapter holds

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Celebrating a milestone: Turning 40

04:32 – Childhood memories & early life lessons

17:51 – Growth, responsibility & fatherhood

26:17 – Resilience, failure & learning the hard way

34:00 – Love, marriage & showing up

39:05 – Life reflections & unforgettable moments

51:50 – Looking ahead: goals, family & what’s next

🤝 Thanks to Our Sponsors

Anchor Financial Solutions Group, LLC

📍 2544 E 10th Street, Tucson, AZ 85716

📞 520.620.5320

🌐 www.anchorfinancialsolutionsgroup.com

Helping families plan, protect, and build financial confidence for the future.

Beautiful Sunday Marketing Collective

📧 createabeautifulsunday@gmail.com

📞 520.405.3298

🌐 https://beautifulsundaymc.wixsite.com/beautiful-sunday-mar

Supporting creatives, brands, and storytellers through intentional marketing and design.

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👍 Like

💬 Comment

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Your engagement helps us grow, reach more veteran families, and continue producing meaningful conversations — both at home and in studio.

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hermshousepodcast@gmail.com

📱 @HermsHousePodcast

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In this episode of Herm’s House, Herm and Kristin catch up after a chaotic few weeks filled with sickness, travel, football hype, and some major parenting wake-up calls.

They recap their whirlwind trip to Washington D.C., where Herm sang the national anthem (while feeling sick), celebrated their friend Desmond’s promotion to Senior Master Sergeant, and squeezed sightseeing, metro rides, and tight living quarters all into one unforgettable adventure.

Then it’s off to Texas, where Thanksgiving brought Cowboys and UT wins, a Texas State game, and one big realization:

👉 They are absolutely not ready for their kids to go to college.

Dorms, applications, finances, letting go? Yeah… still processing.

It’s travel stories, football energy, parenting panic, and plenty of laughs — all wrapped in that real, honest Herm’s House storytelling.

✨ Episode Highlights

• Getting sick right before the big D.C. trip

• National Anthem nerves & military promotion pride

• Exploring D.C. landmarks on a time crunch

• Thanksgiving in Texas

• Cowboys & UT wins 🏈🔥

• Texas State game family memories

• Real talk about preparing kids for college

• Parenting through big transitions

• Why shared experiences matter more than perfect trips

✨ Chapters

00:00 – Welcome back to Herm’s House

02:18 – The sickness saga & almost-canceled trip

05:44 – D.C. travel chaos & promotion ceremony

12:30 – National Anthem performance (while sick)

18:12 – Exploring monuments & scooter debates

22:55 – Texas Thanksgiving recap

27:30 – Cowboys & UT win!

31:48 – Texas State game & college panic

39:10 – Parenting reality checks

45:22 – Final thoughts & episode wrap

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

ANCHOR FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS GROUP, LLC

www.anchorfinancialsolutionsgroup.com

2544 E 10th Street
Tucson, Arizona 85716
520.620.5320

BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY MARKETING COLLECTIVE

https://beautifulsundaymc.wixsite.com/beautiful-sunday-mar

520-405-3298

createabeautifulsunday@gmail.com

📌 Support the Show

Like ⭐ Comment 💬 Subscribe 🔔

Your engagement helps us grow, reach more veteran families, and continue producing in-studio conversations.

Interested in sponsoring an episode?

📩 hermshousepodcast@gmail.com

📱 @HermsHousePodcast

Support the show

In this episode of Herm’s House, Kristin and Herm get real about one of the toughest parts of parenting: raising strong, confident kids who won’t always need you — even though you’ll forever need them. They unpack how childhood experiences shape adult behaviors, why every family defines “right” and “wrong” differently, and how intention matters more than perfection.

They also reflect on their recent SSG Kasson's Veteran's Day Four-Day March and the emotional shift it caused in how they view the unhoused community, service, and compassion. From the heavy stuff to the hilarious everyday parenting moments, the conversation stays honest, heartfelt, and full of the real-life perspective listeners love.

Whether you’re navigating boundaries, breaking generational habits, or learning to let go just a little — this episode brings comfort, clarity, and community.

Takeaways

• Raising independent kids is the hardest and most important job.
• Our childhood shapes how we see the world — often more than we realize.
• Every parent is trying their best with the tools they have.
• Right and wrong look different in every family.
• Intentions matter deeply in parenting (even when the execution flops).
• Perspective shifts — like the Veterans Day march — can completely reshape empathy.
• Parenting grows us just as much as it grows our kids.

Like ⭐ Comment 💬 Subscribe 🔔

Your engagement helps us reach more families, more vets, and grow our mission of community and connection.

Interested in sponsoring an episode or supporting our veteran outreach?

📩 Email: hermshousepodcast@gmail.com

📱 Instagram: @HermsHousePodcast

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In Beyond the Uniform: Transition, Purpose & Partnership, Herm and Kristin open up about their journeys from military life to civilian living — the highs, the hard truths, and the moments that reshaped who they are today. 🇺🇸

They share their stories of service, basic training memories, and the reality of navigating identity and purpose after hanging up the uniform. From learning how to communicate through transition to leaning on each other for strength, this episode dives deep into what it means to rebuild — as a veteran, a spouse, and a team.

💭 Whether you’re a veteran, a military spouse, or someone walking through a major life change, this episode will remind you that you’re not alone — and that the mission may change, but the purpose continues.

🎧 Listen now to Herm’s House: In the Studio for honest stories, laughter, and real talk from a veteran couple who’s been there.

❤️

Support the Mission:

If this conversation resonated with you, don’t forget to:

👍 Like this episode

📲 Share it with someone who needs to hear it

🔔 Subscribe to our channel

💌 Partner with us to help us expand our outreach and create more in-studio conversations that support veterans and families across the country.

📧 Contact: hermshousepodcast@gmail.com

📸 Follow us: @hermshousepodcast

Together, we can amplify veteran voices and remind the world that service doesn’t end — it evolves. 💙

Support the show

In High Notes & Heist Stories, Kristin and Herm hit all the right notes — from National Anthem nerves to unexpected laughs at the Louvre. 🎶🇫🇷💎

Herm shares what it’s like to perform in front of large crowds, the mix of pride and panic that comes with singing the National Anthem, and why embracing your talents is just as important as preparing for the moment.

Then things take a hilarious turn as the duo dives into Kristin’s “Louvre jewel heist” story — a chaotic reminder to keep your passwords strong and your sense of humor stronger. 😂

They wrap up with reflections on parenting, family moments, and the importance of community during events like Veterans Day — where connection and gratitude shine brightest. 💙🇺🇸

🎧 It’s part inspiration, part comedy, and totally Herm’s House — reminding us all to take pride in what we do, laugh through the nerves, and never underestimate the power of a good password.

🕒

Chapters

00:00 Singing the National Anthem 🎤

06:00 Performing Nerves & Lessons Learned 💭

12:00 The Louvre “Jewel Heist” Story 💎🤣

18:00 Passwords, Parenting & Perspective 💻👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

25:00 Veterans Day Reflections & Family Moments 🇺🇸

❤️

Support the Mission

If this episode made you laugh, smile, or think — don’t forget to:

👍 Like the episode

💬 Comment your favorite moment

🔔 Subscribe to the channel

📲 Share it to help us reach more families and veterans

Your support helps us create more in-studio episodes and expand our outreach for veterans and their families. 🇺🇸

To partner or sponsor Herm’s House Podcast, contact us at hermshousepodcast@gmail.com or message us on Instagram @hermshousepodcast.

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In Tequila Tales & Trunk-or-Treats, Herm and Kristin are back with a mix of spooky laughs, sunny adventures, and all the family chaos that comes with Halloween season. 🎃✨

Fresh off a trip to Mexico 🇲🇽, they share poolside stories, new friendships, and one slightly terrifying ocean moment that had Herm questioning his life choices. 🌊😂 From silent discos and resort shenanigans to trunk-or-treat prep and family traditions, this episode is part vacation recap, part Halloween hangout — and 100% Herm’s House. 🏡

The conversation wraps up with fun Halloween facts, parenting laughs, and a reminder that sometimes the best memories come from the moments you don’t plan.

🎧 Grab a drink (or a candy bucket) and join the party — it’s Tequila Tales & Trunk-or-Treats!

❤️

Support the Mission:

If you love what we’re doing at Herm’s House Podcast, don’t forget to:

👍 Like the episode

💬 Comment your favorite moment

🔔 Subscribe to the channel

📲 Share with your friends and fellow veterans

Your support helps us grow our outreach and create more in-studio episodes that highlight veteran voices, family stories, and real conversations that matter. 🇺🇸

Interested in sponsoring Herm’s House or supporting our veteran outreach efforts?

👉 Email us at hermshousepodcast@gmail.com or message us on Instagram @hermshousepodcast.

Together, we can amplify veteran stories, strengthen families, and build a community that keeps the conversation going. 💙

Support the show

In this episode of Herm’s House: In the Studio, Herm and Kristin sit down with Erik Jackson — a U.S. Navy veteran, Air National Guard legacy, and current peer leader for the Wounded Warrior Project and QRF Up. 🇺🇸

From working on the USS New Orleans during Black Hawk Down operations to building veteran peer-support programs across the Southwest, Erik’s story is one of resilience, service, and finding purpose after the uniform.

They talk about:

⚓ Life aboard ship and lessons from the military

🎖️ The tough transition to civilian life & rediscovering purpose

💙 The mission of Wounded Warrior Project & QRF Up

🧠 Mental-health awareness, peer leadership & community support

🏡 Building a “happy list” and finding light through service

If you’re a veteran, a spouse, or just someone who wants to understand the human side of service, this conversation will leave you inspired to reach out, connect, and keep showing up for others.

Resources Mentioned:

• Wounded Warrior Project — woundedwarriorproject.org
• QRF Up — qrforganization.org | IG @qrfuporganization

Sponsors:

Masterpiece Studios International • Intelligent Design • The Common Good Radio Show • Beautiful Sunday Marketing Collective

CTA:

If this helped you, share it with a vet who needs to hear it, because no one should have to walk their next mission alone. Like, subscribe, and drop a comment with your biggest takeaway—your engagement helps us reach more warriors and families.

Contact: hermshousepodcast@gmail.com • IG: @hermshousepodcast

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