Brookfield zoo is a beautiful place to visit if you’re in the Chicagoland area.

Just don’t go in the late afternoon. A lot of the animals like to take naps then.

“Richard Parker” was awake! Did anyone else see or read Life of Pi?

I love the way The Big Cats pace back & forth. Slowly.

Some the animals seemed to be watching us. These crocs were asleep. Until, one eye popped open!

I wondered what they were thinking.

Maybe we missed them but, we didn’t see any “farm animals”. No pigs. No cows. No horsies. I wonder why that is…

If you go to Brookfield, grab a new toy before you head home! They have Mold-a-rama machines that make little plastic animal toys right before your eyes. We got a bear. His name is Ka-ho.

Have you been to your local zoo lately? What’s your favorite animal to see?

P.S.
There is a shaded (tree-lined), wood-chipped nature trail at Brookfield…über romantic to walk through with your honey!

Ha, ha, ha, ha!

Ever draw yourself without looking in the mirror?

Is there something that you do regularly for pure enjoyment?

Is it relaxing? Fun? Competitive? Challenging?

What’s your hobby?

Small. Leather. Classic.

Photo Credits: 1, 2, 3, 4.

This cake whips up fast.

It’s dense. Not-too-sweet. With a faint oatmeal flavor. And bursting, fresh blueberry goodness.

I liked the idea of having cake for breakfast so, I tried this recipe.

Here is the recipe: (adapted from food.com, by ratherbeswimmin’)

Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Cake

Cake
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter (melted)
1 cup blueberries

Icing
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 teaspoons milk

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease an 8×8 inch baking pan.
• Add the flour, oats, baking powder, salt, egg, sugar, 3/4 cup milk, and butter to a mixing bowl; stir to mix.
• Fold in the blueberries.
• Spread batter into baking pan.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pick comes out clean.
• In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 3 teaspoons milk.
• Pour/drizzle over warm cake.
Devour!

I didn’t have any almond extract for the icing so, I used vanilla. This could be why the flavor was a little lacking.

I also used butter instead of oil, and less sugar than the original recipe called for.

The sugar was just the right amount of sweetness for my taste but, if I were to make this again, I’d add some vanilla extract to the cake batter. I’d also make sure to have some almond extract on-hand for the icing. Or, maybe some blueberry extract? Hmm…

Twinings Irish Breakfast is good, strong tea. I was surprised at how dark the cup grew as it steeped. It looked like regular ‘ole black tea! But, it’s decaf.

I’d been wanting something hot to drink in the afternoon (and evening time) that wasn’t coffee. Something with less caffeine. I tried herbal teas awhile ago. They were good but, for some reason I couldn’t stick with them.

I drank my first cup of Irish Breakfast at midnight to soothe my soul before bedtime. I took it with Half & Half and honey. Yummy!

To my surprise, I still felt sleepy after the last sip.

Winner!

Do you drink tea (or coffee) before bed?

…Up to the highest heights.

Remember that song? Did you have school assembly’s where you were forced to memorize and sing songs?

This was my first time flying a kite. It was fun. We got our parrot kite from Menards. I’m curious as to how to make one from scratch. I’m thinking of oatmeal linen fabric but, I have no idea if that would work.

Have you ever flown a kite? Ever build one?

This is how I achieve professional-looking manicures at home.

TOOLS

Nail clipper. Nail file. Cuticle pusher. Nail brush. Cuticle remover. Pure acetone. Base coat. Nail Lacquer. Top Coat.

Tools (not shown):
Rubbing alcohol. Cotton pad/tissue paper. Hand soap. Toothbrush.

I mostly purchase my supplies from Sally Beauty, Ulta, and Target stores. Sometimes Walgreen’s or Amazon.

PROCESS

First, I clip my fingernails down with a nail clipper. I like them short.

Then, I use a glass nail file, filing in one direction, to somewhat soften the freshly clipped edges.

Next, I clean up my cuticles.

I’ve used Sally Hansen cuticle remover for years.

It doesn’t actually remove your cuticle…just that dry, whitish film (dead skin) that likes to hang out underneath & around the edges of them, especially during the cold weather months. See detailed before & after photos here.

I essentially apply the product around my cuticle, let is sit for several seconds, then use a cuticle pusher to gently push back my cuticles and scrape up any loose film underneath.

The cuticle pusher and nail clipper came in a Tweezerman pedicure set. I got it years ago from Target. I couldn’t find it online anywhere to link.

Step 3.5 (not shown)
Washing hands & nails thoroughly with plenty of water & hand soap. Gently brushing around the cuticles with an old toothbrush to remove all traces of cuticle remover and loose cuticle remnants. Drying hands.

Rubbing each nail with rubbing alcohol clears away any remaining oils from the nail bed that would prohibit the nail polish from adhering properly.

I highly recommend Orly Bonder rubberized basecoat. I’ve used it for several years. I believe this (combined with Steps 1-4), prevents my nail polish from chipping off so soon after polishing my nails.

The freshly clipped and filed ends give a sharp ending to the nails, ensuring that the polish comes to a clean, aligned stopping point. Clean cuticles gives the polish a fresh place to start. The polish will go on much smoother there, without the interruption of dry cuticle particles. And, the alcohol & basecoat provide grip for the nail polish & topcoat to stick.

My manicures usually last about a week and would probably last longer if I had a dishwasher.

When polishing, I like to take my sweet time. This is how I achieve the neatest-looking applications.

Painting my nails feels relaxing. I don’t like to rush through the process. Plus, rushing gets polish all over and outside my nails. That, I don’t like.

When brushing on the nail polish, I avoid getting too close to the edges. I like to leave a little line of space about the cuticle perimeter, so there isn’t much need for Step #8.

This neon pink color is Pink Voltage by China Glaze. It used to be a pretty decent formula. I recently purchased a new bottle and now it takes about 3 coats for an opaque look. Boo! Still a pretty color though.

I wish I could recommend a good top coat. I’m still looking.

I’ve tried Seche Vite and Out The Door. Pro-FX too.

Seche Vite is still my #1 but, the formula tends to get pretty thick over time, with regular use. It’d be perfect if not for this.

I make sure to drag the brush over the edges of my nails. This seals the manicure and helps prevent chipping.

After applying the top coat, I try not to do anything with my hands until my nails are completely dry.

This last step involves swiping around the cuticle perimeter with a very thin nail brush, dipped in acetone. This removes any polish and provides a very clean and professional-looking finish to home manicures.

And, that’s it!
I forgot to take a “Ta-dah!” result photo but, you can probably see from the photos above how the finished look looks.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

When posting new nail polish swatches, I usually get complimented on, or asked how I paint my nails so nicely.

Well…I’ve finally adopted a third hand to be able to show-and-tell the process!

If you’re interested to see my complete home manicure regimen from start to finish, stay tuned…

We watched last night.

All I can say is…WOW and, I am so glad I don’t have a Twitter feed anymore.

Every bit was a complete sweet surprise.

If you don’t watch, it’s a very good show!

Do you tend to finish most books you start to read?

If it doesn’t grab and hold your interest, do you stick it out and keep reading until the end?