Happy Halloween. Here's a shot from the Negley Elementary carnival in Plum Creek.

Here you've got Ishmael (from Kingpin), two pirates, a corpse bride, Tinkerbell and Silver Mist.

Do You Need Commercial Road Base?

Do You Need Commercial Road Base?
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

I don't know what commercial road base is... but I know where to go if I'm ever in the market.

Fall in Kyle means Family.*











*No clichés were shattered in the making of this post.

Rainy Day activity.

So, it was cold and rainy the other day... so we stayed inside. We'd gone to Hobby Lobby in San Marcos to find some things for the kiddos Halloween costumes. I found these suncatchers on sale so I thought it'd be a fun activity with the kiddos.

Harper made the bee. She had fun.. but I realized 2.5 is a little too young to expect her to keep paying attention for a long period of time. I did the flower. It was almost too much for MY short attention span.


Here's a close up of the flower before cooking.


Here's how they all came out. When my 5 year old got home she did the butterfly. I pretty much did the rest.. with their help.


Overall, it was a pretty neat time. Good for some fun on a rainy day. I think I'll wait until they are older to attempt this again though.

One more week!

DSCF3650a.JPG
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

Halloween is just around the corner... so that means there's just a few more days to buy your Halloween pumpkin at the Kyle United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch!

Come on out.
Kyle United Methodist Church (408 W. Lockhart Street)
2:30-Dusk M-F
8a-5p on Halloween.

Then they disappear until October 2010.

Every year since 1996, the community of Plum Creek in Kyle has boasted some round-bale creatures on Fairway Street. We've had a witch, frankenstein, a mummy, spider, bat.... and others. The 2009 Round bales are an owl and a ghost.

Josh loves 4th place - PRAY BALL

Josh loves 4th place - PRAY BALL
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

Did I mention my church kickball team (Pray Ball) took 4th place in the league? Not bad for a team that went 1-9 for the season! We brought it together for the final tournament. We went 2-1... before weather did it in.

If you're interested in playing for the winter league... teams are forming now - http://www.cityofkyle.com/parks/adultkickballleague.php

You can bet that PRAY BALL will be playing.

(This photo is our stellar star player Josh with our trophy.)

Here's my photo wrap-up for the 2009 Kyle Fair and Music Festival.
It was a good time had by all.

Best BBQ Team Name EVER.


Train's a cookin BBQ!


The 80s are missed... here's the airbrush you know you still love.


What a great turn-out!


Music by Jason Allen


Even chickens love Kyle. (This is the Pizza Hut Chicken)

Here's Your sign.

Here's Your sign.
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

The 2009 Kyle United Methodist Church pumpkin patch is in full swing.
Come on by and pick yours out. Bring the family and take your pumpkin patch photo. Let your kiddos walk the maze. It's a good time for all.

Kyle United Methodist Church (408 W. Lockhart)
Kyle, Texas.
http://www.kyleumc.com

A new game Golf-bowl

A new game Golf-bowl
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

We went to the Kyle Fair and Music Festival last Saturday evening and had a blast. I'll share a couple of photos... but I thought I'd lead off with the newest sport that is sweeping the nation by storm (as created by my daughter Harper... pictured here). It's Gowling.. of Bowlf... You use the golf club to strike the ball which in turn strikes the pins. It's genius. And I claiming ownership in my daughter's name... so if anyone wants to organize and patent it... you must cut the Claes' in. I think 40% of the profits for origination of idea seems fair. Don't you?

Kids Service at KUMC - Bible University

Kids Service at KUMC - Bible University
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

Last Sunday the children of the Kyle United Methodist Church ran the service. It was a really neat thing. They put on "Bible University" and taught the adults that the Bible isnt just a book you should have on your shelf... it's meant to read.

Anyhow.. one of the things they did during the service is lay hands on and pray over the blankets pictured here. This morning my 5 year old was one of the kids who went to a nursing home to deliver these blankets to senior citizens.

What a great thing for her to be a part of.

Carnival @ Kyle Fair and Music Festival
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

There's a whole lot going on in Kyle today. WE'RE CELEBRATING KYLE'S BIRTHDAY!


Starting at 9a at the Gregg-Clarke Park... It's the annual Kyle Fair and Music Festival. Parade starting at 10a, Free concert starting at noon (Cory Morrow headlines at 9p), a full carnival with sweet rides like this swingin' boat, BBQ contest, vendors, and a bunch of other things. Here's the link to the fest... and you can see the full schedule of events.

http://www.cityofkyle.com/parks/KyleMusicFest.htm

Happy Birthday Kyle!

Since I missed a few days... I'm going to give you ALL the rest of the scarecrows.

Texas State - San Marcos Fan


Gripp's Creepy Crawlies!


Navigator! (The school mascot of Negley Elementary is the Navigator. So.. this is fitting.)


Flat Stanley
(From Mrs. Stapp's 3rd Grade)


This is "Humble" from Charlotte's Web
(From Mrs. Conner's 2nd Grade)


"Sammy"
(An entry from the Fritts Family.)


Homework Horror!
(From Mrs. King's 3rd Grade)


HAY HEAD.
I'll call him Ruben.


AN ode to the unfinished:

(This one was being built as I had to leave... I'll try and take a picture of the final scarecrow and put it up later.)

That's pretty much it for the Kyle Scarecrows in Plum Creek at Negley Elementary. Hope you enjoyed. You can go by the school and see them for yourself...if you're in town.

This is Scout. It's Mrs. Thomason's Tigers Scarecrow.


Hay Mon - The Claes Family Scarecrow



A 5th Grade Class' Mad Scientist Scarecrow

(This one won 1st place for most humorous

THE SCARECROWS OF PLUM CREEK HAVE ARRIVED!

The annual scarecrow-building competition happened Saturday at Negley Elementary in Plum Creek. The next few days I'll share photos of all of the scarecrows that were built... some by classes at the school.. and some by residents of Plum Creek.

Hope you enjoy. Here's the first three.

THE THIRD ANNUAL PLUM CREEK BBQ & CHILI COOKOFF IS HAPPENING TOMORROW (10/10/09)!

Smokin' Across Texas team
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

This is a photo of the "Smokin' Across Texas" team from the 2007 Plum Creek BBQ & Chili Cookoff in the Plum Creek Neighborhood in Kyle.

The BBQ Cookoff will be at the Haupt Community Center and Fergus Soccer Fields from 9AM to 3PM. The BBQ competition is IBCA Sanctioned with categories for chicken, brisket, pork spare ribs, and an open category. The chili portion of the cookoff is CASI Sanctioned. Other categories include beans, potato salad, and desserts! Entry fees range from $10 to $15. Check in occurs on Friday, October 9th at 6PM. The cookoff form can be found in the September PC Press and here http://www.plumcreektx.com/index.php?pid=26&name=Events. Email recreation@plumcreektxhoa.com with any questions.

As part of the day’s events, enjoy music by Jenny Hollub Sandoval of Curious Chords and Company from 9AM to 10AM. Autumn will perform from 10AM to Noon, and Earle Brown will perform from Noon to 2PM. You can find the tunes near the Fergus Soccer Fields.

On a side note...I'm hoping to be a judge at this event.

Three Frogs in a Cemetery

Kyle Cemetery
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

Someone with a sense of humor must be buried here. It's pretty fantastic. This is in front of a grave at the Kyle Cemetery.

Windmill

Windmill on Yarrington Road
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

The haze of the morning played well off this windmill located off of Yarrington Road in Kyle.

It's National Night Out Day! Or Night!
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

Have you ever been to a National Night Out? It's really a fun thing... get to know your neighbors... eat some good food... meet a few cops who AREN'T there to give you a ticket...

I hope Daily Photo people have pictures from their National Night Out party in the next few days....

To find out where National Night out is happening in your area... put your zip code in at: http://www.nationalnightout.org/nno/


This photo is one of the locations of the National Night Out party in the Plum Creek neighborhood in Kyle. It's my hood. We hosted parties for a few years at our house... but this year we're leaving it up to someone else.

I likely won't make any of the parties tonight... I have a good excuse though. Today my wife and I celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary. Here's a link to a PDF of our wedding "story" that ran in the Laredo Morning Times (where I grew up) - You can download it here..

Happy Tuesday

World Communion Day @ Kyle United Methodist Church

World Communion Day @ Kyle United Methodist Church
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

Yesterday, 10/4/09 was World Communion Day. At the Kyle United Methodist Church, this was the view after the service. The church brought examples of sever different kinds of bread to show the various breads used all over the world.

Kyle Watertower

Kyle Watertower
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

Anyone who knows Kyle, Texas knows this watertower.
It's pretty much the "You Are Here" dot for the city.