Foundation!

Foundation!
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

Did you know THIS is how a foundation is poured? I always wondered what those huge machines with semi-dirty names on them did. Neat.

Christmas Past...

DSCF5841.jpg
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

As of last Saturday these were still up around town. I think they look kind of cool... I vote they stay up year round.

Ever wish there was a clear marker so you knew where the County Line was?'
Hmmm.....

HAY!


I have never been so happy to have a windshield. This roundbale was throwing hay at me for a mile on FM150 in east Kyle. You can see the hay in the air in this shot.

This window is on a building just north of the downtown area on the I-35 south Access Road. I didn't get the name of the shop... just thought it was an interesting look.

This is one of the four Chirstmas Tree recycling points the the City of Kyle has set up. This one is at Waterleaf Park. Grab your dead tree and throw it here.... Much like a tip-jar at the bar... I think they put one in the fence to show what should be there.

Hopefully it'll fill up. I know the Plum Creek neighborhood also has a drop off point.. and they are going to dump the trees in the lake to create fish habitat.

Anyhow... here's a link to the places The City of Kyle has set up.. in case you're looking for a place to dump the tree:
http://www.cityofkyle.com/parks/treerecycle.php

Sorry.. I've been a little busy. Today I went out and took a few more photos... so I'll have something to post. It's been crazy lately. THis is one that I took a few weeks ago... I'm not sure what these two buckets were doing.. but it was a little funny that they are juxtaposed across the street from each other and split by an overpass.

This is just west of IH-35 and the HEB PLUS!

Polar Bear Mar


This is my other Daughter Marlee... with her feet in the 48-degree water that my wife and I jumped in on New Years. I swear if we let her this 3 1/2 year old would have jumped in herself. She was totally into it.

I was going to post a photo of the event from another photographer - Gregory Cooper who has a Flickr page called "phive" but I can't post photos from his profile... so.. please go check his photography out. He's got some great stuff... including a photo of me and Mar Mar...

Oh Deer... It's 2008!


Yes... just another opportunity to show off one of my daughters... This "flying deer" is my 8-month-old Harper... who waited patiently as her parents did the Kyle Polar Bear Swim this afternoon. That water was 48 degrees of COLD people...

GNOME!

Kyle Water tower
Originally uploaded by Texas to Mexico

Here's a photo from new Flickr friend of mine... she let me know she is from Kyle.. and actually was married in the Methodist Church (the one that I posted the New Life Center photo of 2 days ago.

The guest photographer is "Texas to Mexico"
Her actual name is Dee... and her shots can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7930204@N04/

Shadows


Just a fun little shot of my truck's shadow early in the morning... on my way to work.

Kyle United Methodist Church New Life Center - 10 in the series


Here's another update to the building of the Kyle United Methodist Church's New Life Center.
We're getting close!

If you click the photo you can trace back and see the progress.... (or watch it being unbuilt if you click backwards)
It's kind of neat.

How to set cookies out for Santa


First... bake the cookies and separate them from the cookie sheet once cooled. (I get all the glory here even though my wife, who's taking these photos, did all the work to make the cookies)


Next. Arrange cookies just right on special Santa plate.


Then, pour Santa a tall glass of milk.


Finally... add carrots for the reindeer, and a big hunk of broccoli (Santa must get tired of cookies all the time) and set out for Santa.


Thanks for reading... this has been a public service announcement from the Claes family to the world.



Merry Christmas from Kyle, Texas Daily Photo. Happy Birthday Jesus!

Let it snow, Let it snow!


I thought this ice formation on my windshield was pretty neat.. so I took a photo. Now you can see it. Yay internet!

Happy Day Before the day beofore Christmas!

Four more days!
Whoop!

And now for something completely different...


So... This photo was taken at my office... where co-workers like to balance things on my work laptop. Technically this is taken in Austin... but I thought it was too funny not to post.


Now.. you probably can't see it on the desktop... but this is probably one of the funniest things on the internet.

Kids... don't look


It appears Santa had a bit too much egg-nog.
It made me laugh so hard I almost couldn't take this photo...almost

Countdown To Christmas!


Can you believe that Christmas is just 8 days away? Wow.
I need to do some shopping.
My daughters (pictured here) are certainly ready.

This is the "seal" that is embedded in the facade of the new City Hall. Neat.

Red Hats


This is a "guest photo" taken by Peter French - This is a Red Hat Society Luncheon at the Texas Pie Company.

What is a Red Hat?

The Red Hat Society takes its name from the opening lines of the poem Warning by Jenny Joseph, which starts:
“ When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat that doesn't go and doesn't suit me.”

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hat_Society

Baby, it's Cold Outisde



It's like my favorite childhood TV special is on vacation! The cast of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer summers in Kyle...
(OK it's not summer... but the green green grass of Christmas doesn't quite make the season does it?)

It's Winter!

At least in Kyle... this is winter.

The Starbucks is coming! The Starbucks is coming!

Soon.. you too can have a $1 cup of coffee for $4.75. Yeah.
(Not a big Starbucks fan... but I do love the .99¢ gas station cappuccino. Yes.. it's more that I'm cheap and less that it's an expensive coffee.)

There was a time in my life that I really wanted a car like this. Go Firebird go.

I'm thinking of three letters...



I wish they would have spent a little money on the size of their sign.. I can hardly tell where this is.

hee hee.

If you are driving south on IH-35 from Austin to San Antonio... you will know you're in Kyle by this HUGE sign welcoming you.
Then you'll see our sweet water tower.

The John Wheeler Bunton Bell Wall Memorial



(On the plaque)
Born in Summer County , Tenn., John Wheeler Bunton migrated to Texas in 1833. To secure freedom for his new homeland, he signed the Texas Declaration of Independence, helped draft a constitution, and fought in the siege of Bexar and the Battle of San Jacinto. a lawyer, rancher, and owner of extensive lands. Bunton served in the 1st and 3rd Congresses of the Republic of Texas. He lived in Austin and Bastrop Counties before settling in Hays County near Mountain City. Originally buried in this county, Bunton was reinterred in the State Cemetery in Austin in 1932.

While researching this (because I didn't want to actually have to type the words on the plaque) I found this other collection of Hays County photos on Flickr - from a person named ednurseathkh http://www.flickr.com/photos/texashistoricalmarkers/sets/72157594510240488/. Seems this person has been traveling Texas and shooting historical markers. Neat.

All about Santa - Santa arrives in Kyle...cont.


Santa arrives on a fire truck.


Says hello to kiddos of all ages.


Smile!


Kyle Mayor Miguel Gonzalez poses with his family


Mayor Gonzalez interviews Santa... by the way... favorite cookie is Chocolate Chip.


Kiddos from 6 different Elementary schools help the Mayor and Santa turn the lights on... TREE LIT!


My little one loved Santa's beard... My older one told Santa she wanted a new step stool.

AND... of course I had to get a photo with the man.

STOP in the name on love


How's this for a sense of progress? We're getting a stoplight in the main square. I know I'm going to love it.

Santa Continued...
Hope you don't mind checking out these shots, I've got others around town waiting, but I just thought I'd give you a week or so of Santa's Party @ the Square we had last Wednesday. So... here's some of the activities...


Of course, the tree lighting was HUGE.


Rock Climbing - that little girl on the right was AWESOME.


This little boy was intensely serious about his snowflake making.


This is probably one of my favorite photos of the night. A little girl and her letter to Santa.


This is my daughter being helped by one of the great volunteers from Texas State University - San Marcos to write her letter. She wants a new stepstool, a pink Sleeping Beauty and a pink shirt by the way.


The "moon bounce" was a huge hit too.

Tomorrow I'll finish it off by featuring the photos of folks with Santa.

Oooooh artsy.

The Food
Boy Scouts sold Corn Dogs... and there was other fried goodies! I talked with the Boy Scout Troop leader, and you know how most Boy Scouts sell Trails End Popcorn door to door? Well.. these kiddos sell corn dogs at events... apparently make more money and get to go to better camps because of it. That's BEING PREPARED. I'm sure the parents are happy too.. no having to deliver popcorn house to house.