Like of Ken – Vol. 23

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Happenings from the Homefront

The first half of the month I was wrapping up my 21-day “no sugar” challenge, which was zero sugar (including things like ketchup, bbq sauce, or protein bars) and including no chips (which are my weakness). Then I followed that with a 3-day fast in anticipation of the DEXA scans we had scheduled. I was pushing hard to hit 12% or better body fat. I felt strong and optimistic. Until we got the results. Talk about DEFLATED. I ended up with 21.3% body fat. This was crazy to me. But knowledge is power. Now I see that I need to focus not so much on losing fat as on gaining lean muscle mass. 

Kai’s elementary school goes all out on their annual fundraising auction. This year had a theme of Studio 54, and let me tell you, these parents go all out! It gave Amber and I a chance to dress up and have fun. It was also a great reminder to me of how happy I am that I no longer drink alcohol.

This year was a milestone anniversary for Amber and I. We were married on 03-13-13, and this year was our 13th wedding anniversary. There is definitely something magical about the number 13 for us. Normally our anniversary falls on spring break and we are spending it with Kai. But this year it happened to fall on the week prior to his spring break. We are both big fans of travel and adventure, and we love national parks. Amber planned a getaway for us to visit multiple places we wanted to visit, and hit a national park, all in the same trip. She booked us an Airbnb in a dome/yurt called “Mirage” on 5 acres in the middle of nowhere, about 60 miles south of Alpine, TX and about 50 miles from the entrance to Big Bend National Park.

We made the 7.5 hour drive from Fort Worth on Thursday, checked in and got settled into our place, and then drove 30 miles south to Terilingua for some authentic tacos at Taqueria El Milagro. Then we made our way to Mirage, built a fire in the fire pit, and gazed at the stars above us. The whole area out there is in a “dark zone” with very little ambient lighting at night, so the stars are much more visible than most places we are used to.

The next day we made our way into Marfa, TX for 9 holes of golf at the “highest elevation in Texas.” It was truly “cow pasture” golf, yet we had a blast. Then we traded our golf clubs for bicycles and did a tour of Marfa, ending with lunch at Bordo, a James Beard Award winning restaurant. From there we checked out the Prada Marfa store (really an “art” exhibit), which was another 30 miles down the road. This was a big observation of mine, everything out there is AT LEAST 30 miles away. That evening was corn hole and country music by the fire pit. Another ideal evening under the stars.

The next day we made our way into Big Bend National Park. 800,000 acres of wild Texas desert mountains. We hiked the Santa Elena trail and were rewarded with beautiful views and cool wind blowing off the Rio Grande river. We capped off the trip with dinner at the original Reata Restaurant in Alpine, TX. After recently completing 21 days of no sugar, it was pretty ecstatic to have their bread pudding tamale with coffee ice cream.

The following week was Kai’s spring break, and we spent most of it out at the ranch. His cousin Cash joined us for part of the trip, which made it even better—every adventure is more fun when you’ve got a built-in partner in crime.

For the boys, it was all about exploring, running around, and making their own version of fun. For the “big kids,” we had a different kind of playground. With some heavy equipment at our disposal, the kind of work that usually takes real effort started to feel a lot more like play.

We built a rock pier at one of the ponds, set containers on railroad ties, and cleared out trees to open up the view of the ponds from the ranch house. In the process, we also created a few very impressive future burn piles. Productive, hands-on work during the day, tired in the best way by evening.

There’s something about that kind of time—outside, working with your hands, side by side—that resets things. Simple, tangible progress. Hard to beat.

We’re deep into the season now with both Kai’s flag football league at TCU and his spring baseball team, and the calendar is definitely reflecting it. Practices, games, and everything in between—it’s a full rhythm, but a good one.

I love that he’s getting to experience both sports. Different environments, different challenges, different teammates—but all shaping him in ways that go far beyond the field. And I’m especially grateful for the coaches and volunteers who pour into these kids. They’re giving their time, energy, and attention to help guide and develop the next generation.

I’ve always believed in intentionally placing mentors and strong influences in your child’s life. People who can reinforce values, challenge them, and help them grow. Coaches absolutely fit that role. They may be teaching fundamentals of a sport, but what they’re really doing is helping shape young men.

Work, work, work!

We hosted two more Discovery Days for Laundry Luv this month, and both reinforced a trend we’ve been seeing in a big way.

The first was with a group looking to diversify out of the car wash industry and into laundromats. There are a lot of parallels between the two—systems, operations, real estate—so the transition makes sense. They’re exploring a multi-unit opportunity in the Phoenix market, and it feels like a natural fit.

The second group brought a different, but equally compelling, background. Experience spanning franchising, defense contracting, and the non-profit world. They’re looking at a potentially large development area here in North Texas, with a clear desire to build something meaningful and scalable.

What stands out isn’t just the opportunity—it’s the people. Thoughtful, experienced, and values-aligned. It continues to reinforce that the kind of individuals we’re attracting to the Laundry Luv model will ultimately define what this becomes.

Four of us from the Laundry Luv team headed to Las Vegas for the MUFC (Multi-Unit Franchise Conference), and it was a strong few days all around.

The event itself is well done—keynote speakers, targeted breakout sessions, and a steady flow of conversations with people deeply embedded in the franchise world. This was our first time attending as a vendor, which added a different level of engagement. Instead of just learning, we were actively sharing the Laundry Luv story and fielding questions from operators looking for their next move.

We had around 25 really solid conversations with individuals and groups seriously considering the laundromat space. What stood out was how many of them are already experienced franchise operators, particularly coming out of the restaurant and QSR world, and looking to diversify into something with different operational dynamics and more stability.

It was another clear signal. The interest is real, and it’s coming from people who understand systems, scale, and execution. Now it’s about continuing to be selective and finding the right fits as we build this the right way.

Brain Food (what I am reading, watching, and listening to)

Long road trips are great opportunities for devouring books on Audible. And I particularly love it when Amber and I get to read certain books together. We were both eager to read the newest release by Dr. Kelly Flanagan, “The Road Less Triggered.”  His book Lovable is one of my absolute favorite books. This one did not disappoint! He is an absolute master of explaining things in a way that deeply resonates with me and sits with me in a way that I can remember and take proactive action. Amber and I both came away with a deeper appreciation for each other and the “rings” of our individual trees. I highly recommend picking up a copy and diving in soon. 

I also read Imagine Heaven by John Burke this month. It is a collection of dozens of NDE stories. After reading Dying to Be Me last year, I am fascinated and intrigued by these stories. Imagine Heaven takes an approach of scriptural interpretation of these stories. Sometimes the interpretation seemed dead on, yet at other times it felt like the author was stretching. In any case, I enjoyed the book and was fascinated by the congruence across many of the different accounts. 

On the long drive to Las Vegas (yes, I drove—partly to save on shipping all the booth items), I had the chance to listen again to Autobiography of a Yogi on Audible. Second time through, and it still lands just as deeply.

There’s something about that book that pulls me into a different level of thinking. It stretches what feels possible—not just in a spiritual sense, but in how a person can live, serve, and impact others. I find myself both fascinated and a little in awe of what truly enlightened individuals are able to access and share.

It’s not a book I try to “figure out.” It’s one I just sit with and let work on me over time.

We started watching the new Marshalls series on Paramount. It is a takeoff from Yellowstone following Casey’s journey after the demise of the ranch. We have only seen the first episode so far, so the jury is still out. 

And at home, Kai, Amber and I have started making our way through the Harry Potter series together as a family. It’s been fun stepping into that world with him and watching the story unfold through his eyes.

He’s become a voracious reader, having already worked his way through the entire Percy Jackson series. Now he’s diving deeper into Rick Riordan’s other books while also taking on Harry Potter. It’s a pretty great combination.

There’s something really rewarding about seeing that kind of curiosity and discipline take root at a young age. Plenty for a parent to be proud of.

Kaizen

I was invited to attend a GoBundance event in Broken Bow, OK. It was a “nomad” event designed to bring camaraderie to those living in areas without strong local chapters. As one of the longer tenured members of GoBundance, they figured my attendance could add some value and bring perspective to the newer members (and the couple of folks considering membership). Wyatt Graves hosted the event and did a pretty masterful job with his facilitation. It was just the right mix of facilitated exercises, curated conversations, adventure together, and down time to bond. I came away with some great new connections and a feeling that I was able to add value. 

Also, I decided to extend my 28-day cold plunge challenge to 50-days. It seems that was just the right time to get me used to doing something hard each morning without whining or avoiding it. It took a while, but eventually it just felt like “who I was”, which is the whole point. 

Random Musings

We attempted to see the mysterious and elusive Marfa Lights. Although the lights did not reveal themselves during our visit, the stars were awfully impressive. God is good!

Until next time.

Take action and be grateful!

-Ken

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