February | 2012 | Living Outside the Stacks

Feb
27

MapMyFITNESS Quaker Challenge {In the Gym}

Category: In the Gym Tags: Getting Fit, In the Gym, Losing Weight, MapMyFITNESS

My “Wake~Up Call” Photo

As many of you who’ve been reading my blog for a while know, I’ve been struggling with my weight for years. Actually, struggling is really not an accurate description… I see pictures and I think I really need to do something. I do something for a week or so then it rains or I catch a cold or the kids are home or whatever stupid excuse I have pops up and I stop working out and I gain the weight back. I’ve even been enlisted as the weight loss “encourager” for my church group and, while I can encourage others, I fail when it comes to pushing myself forward. Do what I say and not what I do…
Then I read this post by Kristi at live and love out loud and I was encouraged by her honesty. She posted her “wake~up call photo”, brave lady. Kristi’s a beautiful woman with an incredibly lovely family and I understand her desire to get fit and healthy not just to look better but to feel better. So I’m going to take the same challenge that Kristi took ~ MapMyFITNESS Quaker Challenge.

My goal is to workout 15 times between now and 28 March. I can do this. I will do this. If When I complete the challenge, not only will I be healthier but I’ll be in the running for a $750 prize. Woo hoo! You can take the challenge too, just click here to sign up and don’t forget to leave a comment below telling me that you’ve entered ~ let’s support and encourage each other!

Disclosure: I didn’t receive any compensation for this post.

Feb
26

By Daenel

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Category: In the Cafe Tags: Coffee, Fun Stuff, Photography, Portrait, Scavenger Hunt Sunday 17 Comments

Today was crazy! I was getting out of the car at church and I heard a riiiip. Yep, my whole backside was exposed because I ripped my skirt. I mumbled a quick explanation to the minister and went back home. Fortunately, I was in the parking lot when it happened, but still… It was hard to make graceful exit without mooning everyone.

1. Crossed

The back of a wrought iron chair on the front porch where the hubs and I like to sit and enjoy evening coffees.

2. A Glimpse

Miss 15, the only family member who will let me photograph her. Like her mother, she enjoys the attention.

3. Handwritten

From the archives. And, yep, that really is my handwriting. My father was an artist and he taught me how to write. For him, writing was art not just a means of expressing ideas.

4. Bliss

From the archives. I think it’s been well established that nothing says bliss to me like a hot cup of coffee in one of my favorite mugs.

5. Gray

Once upon a time, I was into shiny sparkly glittery things so I bought this sequined tank top. I’ve worn it once. But I keep it because, well, I’m still into shiny sparkly glittery things.

I’m linking up with Ashley at Ramblings and Photos for Scavenger Hunt Sunday. Here are the “rules” if you’d like to join in:

Take a photo of each prompt {if you have to dig into your archives, it’s OK but the pictures should be relatively new}
Link to the URL of the blog post, not your main blog
Grab the button
Visit some of the other participants and leave some comment love

Next week’s prompts are:

Routine
Music
Technology
Show Me Your Style
Mismatch

Have a great week!

Feb
25

By Daenel

Saturday at the Water Front

Category: In the Cafe Tags: Mississippi River, Missouri, Photography, The Water Front 2 Comments

This has been one beautiful weekend. The weather was gorgeous. So gorgeous, in fact, that I ~~conned~~ talked the hubs into driving me down to the Water Front so I could take some pictures.

I needed a landscape picture for 52 Weeks: 2012 Edition, so I pointed my camera at the Mississippi River and started shooting…

Isn’t it beautiful? Sometimes I like to go down there during the day and just sit and watch the water. It’s a nice way to just sit back and relax, ya know?

Someone on the Water Front is pretty artistic, they took the time to paint those bricks and then discarded them on the side of the street. I wonder what they were for?

See those buildings? When I was a kid I had a lot of dreams, one was to be a reporter and the other was to live in a loft apartment with exposed brick on the interior. If my kids were out of the house, I’d beg the hubs to rent a spot for us here. I know they look run down, but they’re part of the historic revitalization project so it has a lot of potential.

What’s your dream home? Is it a cottage on the beach? A farm out in the country? Leave a comment telling me where you’d like to live.

Feb
24

By Daenel

Calm {Poetic Winter Photography Challenge}

Category: In the Cafe Tags: Book, Calm, Photography, Poetic Winter Photography Challenge, Water 20 Comments

A verse from one of my mother’s favorite songs. When I was little she used to sing it all the time. How can you not find calm in the midst of such beautiful words?

When I’m in need of peace and quiet, I often grab my camera and go to the Cape Girardeau Conservation Center. Just walking in the woods, listening to the whisper of the wind helps me to center.

And at the end of the night, when everyone is snuggled in their beds, I cozy up on the sofa with a book and a cup of green tea.

I’m linking up with Alicia of Project Alicia, Faith of Sweet Violet, Kristi of live and love…out loud and Rebecca of Bumbles and Light for a 4 week photography challenge that celebrates the poetic beauty of winter. If you’d like to participate, here are a few details:

Everyone is welcome regardless of skill level, time commitment or photographic tools
Make sure you link to your blog post and not your homepage {linky remains open from 9 AM Friday ~ 9 AM Thursday CST}
Don’t forget to grab the badge
Each Friday there’ll be discounts, freebies, tutorials and other fun photography related tidbits
Visit other participants and leave some comment love

The themes for the challenge are:

You can also join the fun on Flickr and Pinterest

Feb
23

By Daenel

Randomness {This or That Thursday}

Category: In the Cafe Tags: Buttons, Food, Photography, Random Thoughts, This or That Thursday 20 Comments

Has this week flown by or what? I’m trying to remember what I could have done to make it go by so quickly but, yeah, I got nothing. Maybe it’s just that I’m getting older and time flies…

I’m finally starting to branch out and get a little more creative with my self portraits. It’s nice to do more than take pictures of my face. Thank you, Creators of Photoshop.

Do you see all those buttons? Aren’t they pretty? I originally bought them to use as accessories on scarves that I crochet but I’ve stopped crocheting so now I have a ton of buttons just sitting in a drawer. I’m not sure whether I should start crocheting again or find a hobby that uses buttons.

I discovered these Garlic and Chive Pita Chips at one of the local discount stores and oh my gosh these are my new Kryptonite. I seriously cannot stop eating them which, of course, leads to a whole nother set of issues that I really don’t feel like dealing with right now.

I’m linking up with Deb from Deb Duty Photography for This or That Thursday.