This weekend was the Fajita Fiesta and BBQ Cookoff in Kyle. It was held in conjunction with the monthly Market Days. Long story short, it was awesome, and there was a BUNCH of great folks out there cooking and selling crafts and services.

My 6 year-old, Marlee, recently started enjoying photography... so I thought I'd have a little Kyle Daily Photo mission. Her and I, both armed with our trusty cameras set out to chronicle the event. I am uploading a couple of our shots here, but the rest are on my Flickr site in a set titled 04/02/11 - Kyle Lions Club Fajita Fiesta & BBQ Cook-Off, Kyle, Texas. Please, if you have time, give Marlee some positive feedback. She got some beautiful shots.

Today I'll post a few of Marlee's shots. Tomorrow I'll post mine.

The Kyle Lions Club Fajita Fiesta and BBQ Cookoff / Market Days 04/02/11

By Marlee C. Age 6

One of the BBQ teams had trophies displayed. Marlee caught this.
Photo by Marlee, Age 6

When we arrived the BBQ teams had just turned in Chicken.
This is the chicken from a team called Six Guns A Blazin'
Photo by Marlee, Age 6

Market Days was also held with beautiful handcrafted items, like these hair bands
Photo by Marlee, Age 6

Kyle Chamber of Commerce's Ray Hernandez poses
Photo by Marlee, Age 6

At a woodworking craftsman's booth, a Texas Flag.
Photo by Marlee, Age 6

A shot of the "Fire Box" on a BBQ pit.
Photo by Marlee, Age 6

I paid $3.33 per gallon in gas the other day. It's $3.38 as of this morning.

I was driving on Kyle Crossing next to Home Depot the other day and came across a bunch of businesses I'd not discovered before. A nail salon, hair salon, dog salon (hee hee) fence company and an Insurance Agency. 

Then I check the Kyle Chamber's site to see when the next "Ambassador's B.A.S.H. (Business Advancement Social Hour) was and lo and behold.. it's going to be this Thursday (8/5/10) at Wilson's Insurance Agency (3601 Kyle Crossing / Kyle, TX 78640).

How odd... but it sure made be happy to know I now know where I'm going Thursday.

If you're an area business owner, check out the Ambassador's B.A.S.H. via the Kyle Chamber Website

My wife pointed this one out to me. This is a home in the downtown area of Kyle... between the access road and the highway. The coolest thing about this neatly painted home is the "zebra stripes" painted around the windows.

Ernest Kimbro Multipurpose Building
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

This building is on campus at Kyle Elementary.

I didn't realize it was a historic building until last week... It's the first building in Kyle that was constructed using grant money from the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

I've been working a few freelance jobs since I was downsized from my full-time position. One of them was a historic tour of Kyle, Texas. It came out really interesting. After taking photos of Kyle for over 3 years on this blog, it was really neat to find out new things about the oldest parts of Kyle. This was one I knew nothing at all about... Here's a shot of the historical marker itself. You can read about it for yourself.

JoAnna's Kiln
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

JoAnna Ordóñez is the owner of Vidriosa Glassworks in Kyle, Texas.
www.vidriosa.com/

This photo is of her kiln. It's about 1,200 degrees in there... You can see the pieces glowing.

As of last week, JoAnna has opened a storefront in Kyle. I went by to take a look and its going to be a really cool place for kids and adults in the Kyle area to attend art workshops or host a cool art-themed kids party. Good luck JoAnna!

Three Wolf Moon - Mother in Law
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

Three Wolf Moon is at The Old Town Gift Emporium. I felt the power. I asked my mother in law to hold the shirt up so I could take a photo. She has no clue about the 3WM.

Do you? Check out Three Wolf Moon on Amazon.com. Just take a browse at the comments. It's amazing.

Went to Milt's Pit BBQ to pick up dinner the other day. Still the best brisket in town.. and the kiddos LOVE the turkey.

One of the things I like about the place is this wall.. it's full of past-customer's signatures and comments. Awesome. I had to take a photo.



Jessica said "Great BBQ" on 4/15/08. I agree.


Milt's Pit BBQ
905 North Old Highway 81,
Kyle, TX 78640

How Times, They Change

I realized as I was sitting at the stoplight of 1626 & IH-35 that I had taken that photo before... but you'd never recognize it.
On October 30, 2006 I posted a photo of a lonely dirt road that lead to a ranch house.



Well.. that land has transformed. About the only thing you'll see that is the same is the water tower in the background. This is going to be the new Seaton Medical Center... and there's a Lowe's Home Center there... and a Wal-Greens is coming... and more.



Wow... how times have changed. Two and a half years. I can't believe I'm so lucky as to be the person who just happened to come across a "daily photo" thread in 2006 and think... "Hey, that might be cool for Kyle." I've been able to take so many photos of the progress and growth this city has had in the last 3 years. Neat.

Sorry I've been busy... here's a bunch of shots from Front Porch Days to hopefully make up for it.

It was a fun day. You should make it next year.



The Bouncy Bounce (velcro wall)


TREES!


Pony Rides

THE KIDS STAGE

Bruce Curtis Fallgren


Rockaroni and Cheese


The Hey Lollies


The Biscuit Brothers

THE COWBOY STAGE


Lewis Moon Roch Motel


The Jeremy Miller Band

The Kyle Wayne Kutcher Band

Autumn Boukadakis

DSCF5497.jpg
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

This actually wasn't her dog, she was walking one of the dogs from the PAWS shelter (http://pawsshelter.org/) at Plum Creek's Front Porch Days. They had a successful event, as they were able to adopt out 2 dogs during the day.

Front Porch Days - http://frontporchdays.com/

The first Saturday of each month, April - November, Kyle holds Market Days. This past Saturday was the first one of the 2009 season.

I took my daughters out there.. and snapped a few photos. I'll share in the next few days.

4/4 - Kyle Market Day Vendor - Ray's Designs




My daughter LOVED these crosses from Ray's Designs out of San Antonio, TX. I hope he comes back to the next Kyle Market Day.

If you like his stuff, you can look him up online at www.bevraydavis.webs.com You can also visit there by clicking on a photo.





He also had some non-cross items.

DSCF1930.jpg
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

It's coming along nicely. I popped over to the east side last week and took some photos of the new hospital coming to Kyle. It's part of the Seton Family of Hospitals. According to a 2007 press release about it this represents the single largest development in Hays County and is
projected to ultimately bring 4,600 jobs into Kyle’s employment base.

Seton Medical Center Hays
Opening Late 2009
FM 1626 and I-35
Kyle, TX 78640

DSCF1927.jpg
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

Our Lowe's is open. Woot.
I've only been there once so far.... good to have one so close.
It opened on my birthday back in February.

Here's a link to the Lowe's Grand Opening announcement.

Mr. Potato likes Coffee.
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

This is Mr. Potato Head "Zookeeper." I found him hanging out at Lucky Cup Coffeehouse in Kyle. You need to come to the coffeehouse to play with him.
...for those not in Kyle... pick one up here:
http://www.amazon.com/Potato-Head-Zookeeper-Four-Bodies/dp/B001F8F9QG

UPDATE 19 - THE KYLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH NEW LIFE CENTER - COMPLETE.

On Christmas I updated with a Kyle Daily Photo about the Kyle United Methodist Church's New Life Center being used for Christmas Eve service (a temporary permit). Well... it's completely done now, and on Sunday, January 18, 2009 the building, which is completely done, was dedicated by Bishop Jim Dorff.

It was a wonderful day. Here are some photos:

Funny angle
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

Just a shot I took while driving down the road on my way to work. This is on Farm to Market road 1626.

I thought you might want to know EXACTLY where 1626 is...
Check it out on Mapquest.

WARNING - DON'T LOOK AT THIS IF A LITTLE BLOOD IRKS YOU...

They've got me in stitches!




I've got a real excuse this time....
Sure... I'm busy...and trying have a daily photo spot for Kyle is a little trying... I mean I do have a full-time job, I am the co-owner and managing editor of an entertainment Magazine, do some freelance writing, act at the Communications Chair at my church, and am an active father of two great kiddos... but my excuse for not having updated photos very regularly for the last week or so is... I had surgery to remove a cyst in my neck. It was a little more substantial than expected... so I've been a little out-of-sorts...

Here's two shots of the damage... the first taken as soon as I took the dressing off (last Sunday) the second taken yesterday morining. It's looking much better... and I'm almost off the Darvocet.

The first glimpse:


Yesterday:

Feliz Dia De Los Muertos
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

The Old Town Gift Emporium opened up on 11/1 in downtown Kyle, Texas with a big Dia De Los Muertos celebration. Lots of fun... booths... music... good times. Here's one of the folks who dressed up for the occasion. Dia De Los Muertos is spanish for "Day of the Dead" and it's a holiday celebrated mainly in Mexico where people pray for and remember friends and relatives who have died. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

I figure I'll share all my Halloween shots I've got left...


Our family at the Kyle United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch

L-R: Me as "Bob Ross", Mar Mar the Bat, Harper the Puppy, Jodie the Sea Witch


Shanti... the four-legged Longhorn Fan



A better shot of the Bat and Sea Witch