Buzzing after today`s electrical lessons with the kids ~ and honestly, this one felt big. This wasn`t a classroom, a lab, or a YouTube video. This was hands~on learning, right at the kitchen table. Power, load, control ~ real concepts, real components, real curiosity. We are teaching them that electricity isn`t magic; it is discipline and flow.

The Setup: Battery, light, and a piece of history.

Pa explaining why the circuit must always "return home."

We introduced the telegraph key today ~ not just as a switch, but as a reminder of where tech started. Mechanical and honest. One press at a time. We spent the afternoon teaching them why a fuse matters, why everything stops working if you get a "short". This is how skills stick ~ not through memorization, but through understanding and DOING.

Ma and the girls locked in. Curiosity is the best teacher!

That telegraph key is now a permanent part of our experiment kit. We`re building the next generation to be unafraid of the wires. Whether it`s fixing the Vardo or building a side~hustle, the SETX MisFits stay curious together.

20 Years of Marriage, 2 Degrees, and 1 Incredible Transformation.

Ma receiving her second degree at graduation, smiling proudly on stage.

They say life begins at 40, but if you`ve been watching the SETX MisFits recently, you know that Ma has been playing on "God Mode" for years now. While most people are looking for a place to sit down and coast, she`s out here collecting degrees like they`re Chaos Emeralds.

The Intellectual Grind
Last December, Ma did it again. Walking across that stage on December 11, 2025, she secured her second degree while working full~time at L.I.T.. She didn`t go back to school as a fresh~faced 20~year~old; she did it in her 30s for HERSELF. From Sociology to I.T. networking and Linux classes, she is stacking knowledge to build our future.

Quiet moment after graduation~cap, gown, and a hard~earned smile.

The Physical Win
Since March of `21, the transformation has been nothing short of legendary. It wasn`t just the surgery; it was the 5~day~a~week gym grind and the `Sore Today or Sorry Tomorrow` mentality. Today, she`s turning heads in yoga pants and hitting positions that make a caveman`s heart skip a beat. We are teaching the next generation how to prioritize health, flexibility, and hard work!

AI Art: Posing for fun and visualizing goals.

Real Life: The actual grind and next~gen training.

The Heart of the Compound
Whether she`s acting as the backbone of our tech business, getting her hands dirty on the Vardo project, or smoking the competition in Fortnite, she does it all with a grace that 22 years together hasn`t dimmed.

Still got the moves! Keeping up with kids half her age during "Just Dance" night.

She`s the Secretary, the Mechanic, the Gamer, the `Just Dance` Champion, and the love of my life.

Twenty years together~still showing up for each other.

Ma, if you`re reading this: You are the MVP. You`ve developed professionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically over 20 years of marriage.

It is cold, raining, and the local news is officially in "Panic Mode" as a massive winter storm crawls toward the Golden Triangle. Since Southeast Texas isn`t exactly built for ice, I decided to channel my pre~storm stress into some much~needed art therapy. Instead of toodling around outside in the sleet, I stayed indoors and performed a total tactical glow~up on a piece of family history.

The Original: A 15~year~old relic from my high school woodshop days.

The Glow~Up: Now UV reactive and ready to haunt the night!

I took my old "Lee Compound" sign ( hand~carved with a Dremel back when I still had a full head of hair ) and brought it into the SETX MisFits era. I flipped that sucker over and hand~drew our new family logo. It is now UV reactive and glows in the dark, making it the perfect "Bat~Signal" for fellow geocachers when we are out camping in the Vardo.

The Evolution: From woodshop scrap to neon camping beacon.

Once the rain stops and the "Great Ice Sleet of 2026" passes, the next mission is conquering the Vardo. I am planning to scale up this logo and get it painted on the side of the wagon so there is no mistaking whose camp you`ve stumbled into. For now, we are staying warm, staying geeky, and keeping the neon vibes alive while the world freezes outside.

If it is to be; it is up to me... and a little neon paint!

The paint was barely dry on the Mario Kart wagon when a smoke investigation call came in for a nearby hunting lease. Arsonists have been a plague here for years, so Ma and I dropped our tools, tossed our fire gear into the Fit, and scrambled!

Pa geared up and heading into the dust.

Ma keeping watch as we dove 6 miles deep.

The smoke was deep in the lease on trails usually reserved for ATVs. I said "fugget`" and dove in anyway. The Fit "fit" perfectly! 6 miles of back dirt trails later, we found the source: a developer clearing land for an oil point who forgot to give us a courtesy call.

Our battle~wagon coming out dusty but victorious!

We made it out, finally ate our cold breakfast, and finished the bike repairs. Tomorrow, the SETX MisFits tackle the lawn care hustle. No rest for the weary!

What a day! The weather was perfect for our geocaching run, but the real highlight was our first visit to Southern Star Wrestling out of Port Neches, Texas. This wasn`t just a show; it was a total collision of our worlds!

The SSW Lineup ~ Fred recognized Pa (Herman) immediately!

"Fred Lightning" bringing the thunder in the ring.

The night went from "trying a new local group" to a full~blown reunion. Pa (who used to wrestle about 15 years ago) ran into old faces from the past, and both Pa and Ma found out their coworkers don`t just work day jobs~they put on a helluva show!

"Coach The Ironclad" ~ Ma`s coworker in action!

Lizzy posing with the crew ~ she`s officially hooked!

Between "Fred Lightning" and "Coach The Ironclad," the talent was incredible. This local show is affordable, has that raw, unpolished vibe we love, and is officially a new monthly tradition for the SETX MisFits. Lizzy even made us promise to bring her back every single month~looks like the crew just got bigger!

Just finished up with the finishing touches on this one! This project was 100% inspired by our family projector nights and endless gaming sessions. I handled the text, but all the truly awesome artwork was brought to you by Mom.

"Pass Me With Care" ;-)

Ma`s custom paint job.

We`re taking the wife, the kiddo, and a friend of hers out geocaching all day Saturday, followed by a local wrestling show in the afternoon. Figured we`d make their day by riding around in style and making people giggle in traffic!

Watch out for those Blue Shells on the I~10!

I`m posting this image up for posterity because, honestly, I thought I`d never see gas fall below $2.00 a gallon again. With the insane inflation we`ve been seeing lately, seeing a "1" at the start of that price felt like finding a unicorn in the backyard.

Photo taken at the Walmart gas station in Vidor. I don`t know if the simulation is glitching or if we just got lucky today, but the Dodge is certainly happy about the discount. Catch it while it lasts!

Evidence for the history books: $1.999 is back in town!