Teaching My Mother How To Give Birth-Book Review

My mother says no one can fight it-the returning to God,but the way she fell,face first,in the dirt,mouth full of earth,air,teeth,blood,wearing a white cotton baati,hair untied and smoked with ounsi,I wonder if Kadija believed she was going to float-Warsan Shire in teaching my mother how to give birth.

Warsan Shire is my favourite poet.I have loved her for a really long time.So much so that I have a board called Warsan on Pintrest where my favourite quotes by her are pinned.This book has been on my to read list for quite a while now,so you can imagine my excitement when I saw the Kindle version on sale and at 0.99 USDs.I have never bought anything online that quick

Warsan is sort of a big deal so to read this book it had to be with a cup of tea,snacks,incense burning on a good and happy day.All this to ensure that the experience could be as memorable as possible because I have been waiting and planning for this moment for the the last three years. 

Its easy to read and complete it within an hour but the poems require one to think through them and maybe even discuss them as part of a book club.I felt the poetry wasn't as straight forward as those in Upile's Soft Magic.

Although small this collection covers a wide range of subjects,those that particularly stood out for me are;

The war in Somalia.

One of the things Warsan is really famous for is how her poetry captures the war in Somalia.She writes from many different point of views.I feel this collection is heavy on this particular topic.A lot of the poems are about the war in Somalia,immigrants and the effects of war on the people who have to live through it.

Women in the Somali culture

In the poems Birds and What we lost in the Summer she covers how the Somali culture favours the male in a tone that questions this.

Female insecurities 

Warsan from what I have read online suffered form Bulimia.This is to say at some point in time hard as it may to believe this great poet thought she wasn't enough.In the poem Bone she talks of how women especially young girls are forced to resort to negative habits.This so as to ensure the measure up to the societal beauty standards.

If I am being truly honest this has been the hardest book review to write.This tiny book has been my most challenging read this year.There is a lot of hidden meaning in everything including the title of the book.One must read it atleast two times to understand it's nuances and the meanings that aren't direct.I highly recommend it and suggest one reads it with a friend or as part of a book club.Get it here

Jumia Black Friday-The Beauty Edition

This for sure is the beauty gurus on YT.Simple black smoky eye and they use five different eyeshadow palletes  😓😓😓😓.

Make up is one of those things that makes me so very happy.If it was up-to me and time wasn't an issue I would wear a full face of make-up every morning.

Good make-up doesn't have to break the bank especially if you are a beginner.Why waste money on high end foundation or eyeshadow palettes when you aren't too sure how to even use them.The thing with make up I have learnt is practise makes perfect.Practice can waste a lot of make up,now imagine if one was to practise using high end products!!

If you are looking to grow you stash of make up the sales this Black Friday ' season' might just be your answer. Below are very good make up products that have served me well and are all affordable.

Face Products

My absolute favourite face product is the Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless pressed powder.It makes you look like you put in a lot of work on your face yet the only thing you did after moisturizing is apply the powder.It normally goes for KES 1400 and will last you a long time,I have only used 1 and half of them this whole year. Keep an eye out for them during this sale season and maybe grab two.


Eyes

We all know the eyes are the windows to the soul.They therefore must be taken care of particularly well.Here are some of my favourite eye products that I would highly recommend.

Mascaras

Maybelline has some of the best mascaras.These two I love the most.The Makeup Lash Sensational Washable Mascara and the Push Up Angel Mascara. These two mascaras are bomb.com,they make your lashes so pretty and full.Sometimes I get asked if I am wearing lashes 😉😉. If you are looking for something that will make you lashes stand out definetly check out these. However if you only want to get one,try the Makeup Lash Sensational Mascara and you will not be disappointed.It comes with the most excellent wand,it's so very easy to use and the results are the best.

Kajals

The first make-up product I ever used were kajals.My mum had given the impression that when you dress up to go somewhere,you had to wear perfume and a kajal.I have owned many different kajals and have over the years learnt which ones work best for me.Some of my favourite include;

Hashmi Kajal Eye Pencil

This kajal work really well.Only thing though is, I think I have been getting the mwitu ones.I normally purchase mine from Isli and there is absolutely no consistency. One tube works great and then you get another and it's disappointing.If you are looking for an inexpensive one this is your best bet as it goes for KES 150 just pray that you get a good quality one 😊 or order online then you will be sure what you get is the original.

Maybelline's  Colossal Kajal Extra Black and Crayon Khol Colossal Kajal Black

These kajals are decent and do a good job in tight lining your eyes.I love the Crayon Khol more because it glides on smoothly when compared to the Colossal Kajal Extra Black.They both last really long,stay put the whole day,do not smudge and have good colour pay off.

Eyeshadow Palettes

I am going through this phase where I am OBSESSED with eyeshadow pallettes.I haven't gotten any from Jumia but I got this 120 colors popfeel eye shadow palette from Kilimall and I cannot wait to try all the colorful eye looks it has to offer.

Lips

When it comes to lips I believe the more affordable the better.Jumia has loads of lip products,here are some that I got from Jumia and have been loving.

L.A Colors-Copper Glaze

Its a beautiful nude that is pinkish brown.It's a shade that can be worn everyday or even for a night out/special occasions especially if one is wearing a dramatic eye look.It now is on sale and goes for only KES 180 which is such a bargain.

Maybelline-Vivid Matte Liquid in the shade Coffee Buzz

I got this thinking that it was a brown liquid lipstick and will be my 'going to work' lip colour.Turns out it's oxblood red.It becomes a true red as the day progresses because of all the food and water one drinks 😀😀. However it is very subtle and still is an excellent everyday lip colour.I got it at 50% off and was so so so happy.

Brushes

You might have all the make up in the world but without the right application tools you might not be able to get the best out of them.It's good to invest in good quality brushes as they will last long and will have you looking flawless at all times.I have quite a number of brushes from Jumia but my absolute favourite are these two;  the eleven pieces set and these eyeshadow brushes.

Are you enjoying the sales so far? I honestly feel that last year's were better.It's still to early to tell,things might get better.

Jumia's Black Friday-The Naturalista Edition

One of the best ways to save money is to bulk shop during sales.In preparation for Black Friday, I have researched on product categories that are of interest to me,so as to find out which ones have the best reviews and are therefore worth getting.I have quite a list of items, lets hope they all have huge discounts so that I am able to get most of them without denting my wallet.

Through out November I will be sharing products that are great and are likely to be on sale.This way  we all make the most of the sales this year.To get the best deals on Jumia download the Jumia APP to your phone.The APP gives you alerts when the mega sales for each of the products or item categories will be going live.This way you do not miss any of the flash sales.It is the best way to make the most of the offers on Jumia.

First up; natural hair products that are great value,work really well for me and a lot of other naturalistas based on the many  reviews I have read for each of them.

Shampoos

The best shampoos are those that clean you hair and don't strip it of it's oils below are some of my favourite;

Dark and Lovely Au Naturale Shampoo

This shampoo works well in cleaning hair without stripping it of it's natural oils.It contains mango oil and bamboo milk.It's petroleum and paraben free and so very affordable.An additional bonus to this is that it smells like mango juice and will in addition to all it's benefits leave your hair and bathroom smelling great.I got the 250 ml bottle during last year’s sale and it lasted a really long time.It's definetly worth getting especially if it's on sale.

Mikalla Cleansing and Conditioning Shampoo

Natural hair care can get very expensive if one isn't careful. Therefore brands that have good quality products without a hefty price tag are always welcome.Mikalla is one such brand.This shampoo has vitamin B5 that strengthens hair while maintaining it's moisture.It's paraben-free and consists of low salt and sulphate.The 500 ml bottle normally goes for 350 KES and this is before the sale.Jumia last year had upto 50% off on some hair products!! keep an eye out for this product you might get it at 175 KES.

TRESemme Moisture Rich Shampoo

TRESemme has some of the best hair products I have used in the years I have been natural.If one is able to splurge on hair products and especially shampoos,it's best to get a TRESemme shampoo.It will last you very very long,they are of excellent quality and will therefore be good to your hair.I once got one of their shampoos and it lasted me two years!! This Black Friday Insha aa Allah lets pray they get to 80% off so that we stock up with no guilt.

Conditioners

Conditioners play different roles for different people.I love conditioners that infuse moisture and that help with detangling hair.The ones that have worked best for me so far are;

Dark and Lovely Au Naturale Conditioner

This product was making an entry into the market during last year's sale and it was 50% off.Sheila Ndinda's review convinced me to get it and boy am I glad I did.This conditioner does an excellent job in detangling hair,has great slip and leaves your hair soft.Because of it's ability to detangle hair it minimizes hair breakage and the best part helps in length retention.

TRESemmé climate protection conditioner


This conditioner is my favourite conditioner of all time.It has vitamin B12 and gelatin therefore it moisturizes, nourishes and adds shine to hair.It detangles hair and has been formulated to nourish and protect split ends and reduce breakage.This is the one product that I plan on getting during the sale this year and if the prices are good I will for sure get enough bottles to last me through the whole of next year Insha aa Allah.

Mikalla Honey and Butter Conditioner

This conditioner I first got because of it's great price point and it hasn't disappointed.It's thick,contains honey and shea butter.It delivers on it's promise to detangle hair and helps in infusing moisture into one's hair.

Oils

Oils are used to seal in moisture and play a very crucial role in ensuring one's hair is moisturised and retains moisture for long.Its therefore important that one uses good quality oils.Personally I am a huge fan of coconut oil,shea butter,jamaican black castor oil and castor oils.

Kentaste Virgin Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is that multi purpose oil that can do it all.Oil cleanse your face,make your pancakes gourmet pancakes,used as body and face oil and famously it's known to seal in moisture into your hair.The best coconut oil to use on your hair are  the most organic ones.Those that you are also safe for cooking.Kentaste is one such coconut oil,great value for your money,works great on your hair and skin.They come packaged in beautiful glass containers that you can use to store different things once you are done with the coconut oil.

Jamaican Black Castor Oil 

If you are looking to grow your hair or your edges are struggling this oil is the answer to all your problems.Since my major hair goal is length I began using JBO because of how every praised it as the miracle worker when it comes to helping hair grow and retain length.This oil has worked so very well for me,my hair is longer and fuller since I started using it. If you are chasing length like me this oil will make you very happy.

What hair products are you planning on getting during this year's sale? why those specific products,I would love to know.

A lazy girl's guide to a clean home

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Growing up and getting your own place is often glamorized. Whilst it's a blessing to be able to move out of your parents’ house and start on your own, having a place comes with huge responsibilities. Financial and time ones. If you still live at your parents and they are happy to take care of you.STAY WITH THEM for as long as you possibly can.

A lot comes with having a place of your own.The freedom to truly be your own person and do all the things you ever wanted to do. It also comes with cleaning as one of the major responsibilities.However very little is ever said of this responsibility.This so as to ensure that young people dreaming of moving out never get to know just how hard it can be to live on their own.

If like me you have no love for cleaning there is good and bad news for you.The bad news is there is no way out. The good news is that you can find ways to make it work.

Below are things I have found work in making things easier for me as far as keeping a clean house goes;

Schedule cleaning  

Decide on different aspects of cleaning that you will do on each day.This way you ensure all parts of your home are taken care of.This also avoids the feeling of being overwhelmed trying to clean all things at once.For example I know to wash the toilet on Wednesdays,Saturdays and Sundays, to wipe all my windows and window sills on every second Saturday and to clean the kitchen everyday. 

Do not let dishes pile 

This might seem very obvious but it's not.I have been guilty of piling up dishes until getting into the kitchen scared me.What I have discovered is washing dishes each evening is good use of your time.An empty kitchen sink in the morning is a mood booster like no other.This also makes your life much easier in the evening when you come home after work.All the  dishes will be clean and ready for use.

Clean up after yourself  

Often there are small spills in the house,that one cup of tea after washing the dishes,wetness of the bathroom floor after you use it,clothes on the floor at the end of the day.These things seem like small things but do this for five days and you will have a really untidy place and huge cleaning up to do. 

Imagine if you cleaned your few dishes immediately after every meal,wiped all spills in good time and folded clothes each end of day or put all the dirty clothes in the laundry basket.Cleaning will be so much pleasant and easier.

Always clean before sitting down to go online or watch TV.

The internet and TV are the biggest time wasters on this planet.You might have solid plans for cleaning but if you decide to relax for five minutes and enjoy life doing these two things you are finished.You might end up wasting a full day catching up on your favourite series all the while justifying this with 'I work too hard,pay too much for TV and internet and don't get enough use out of them'. 

Try rewarding yourself with a binge watching session after doing your cleaning and other tasks for the day.There is nothing as satisfying as watching your favourite shows when you know no duties await you.Do this often enough and you will condition yourself to always clean before enjoying stuff online or on TV.

Decide what to wear for the week on Sundays 

This not only makes your life easier each morning during the week but ensures that you don't empty the contents of your closet each morning. An additional bonus to this is that your outfits will be well thought out,you will be early to work and you home will be neater.Many wins if you ask. 

Get great podcasts or  create a cleaning playlist

A playlist you love and podcasts you enjoy will make cleaning less of a chore.Singing along to songs certainly makes cleaning easier.I have created a cleaning playlist to sing along to as I clean.For those times when I want to use cleaning time to learn something new I listen to podcasts,lately I have been loving Myleik Teele's podcast.

Keep you sitting room and bathroom clean 

Most times the people who visit me do not call prior to visiting. This I have no problem with but what scares me is that they might come when my place is at its untidiest. This worried me so much that I googled how to ensure your home is always visitor ready.The solution that works for me is; one must decide what rooms and corners of their home that visitors are likely to use  and keep this tidy.Now I try and make sure the sitting room and the bathroom are always clean this way I don't panic 😓😓😓 when I get visitors.

Do you struggle with cleaning, what do you do to make it easier especially if you have no help? share your tips.I would love to know.

Taking Stock Q3 2018

We are in the final quarter of the year.This is the time to make sure that we work hard to achieve most of the resolutions we set at the start of the year and haven't achieved yet.I feel like I am always saying time flies but each time when it's time to take stock it feels like there is no way three months could be over.I feel like I blinked once  in July and when I opened my eyes it was early October.Truth is time will always fly, it is  upto us all to fill our days with things that add value to our lives,worship Allah,work hard,play hard,be there for our families and friends and to enjoy life's little joys.

I love taking stock because it forces me to look at the resolutions I made at the start of the year. Alhamdullilah Allah has come through for me on some major items I had on there. I still have to work on a lot of the things I hoped for and planned to do but I am grateful this far. It is obvious that I am a resolutions and goals person, I find that having a note book specifically for this is very useful.I have my 2016 and 2018 ones in one notebook and Insha aa Allah will have 2019 ones in the same book.This way I know what my dreams have always been and what means the most to me.

Without further ado lets take stock now.


Making:home decor plans.I have times I am obsessed with home decor.There are times I think more items,more clutter hence minimalism is what I should aim for.Currently though I see and dream in colour.A lot of my free time is spent on pintrest,home decor pages on Instagram and YT looking for decor ideas for small houses,storage ideas for one with small storage space and basically how to make small spaces pretty.Also for my future home I know what sinks I want,what floors I want,type of storage I want and a fully fleshed out idea of how the dining area will look like.Now only to find the boat load of cash needed to make all these grand dreams and plans true.

Cooking: A lot of the recipes on Kaluhi's blog.Her recipes are easy to follow,affordable and best of all don't require you to search far and wide for the ingredients to use.The coconut matoke is such a hit in my household, the vegetable fried rice is my absolute favourite thing to make nowadays and her lemon zest and cardamon mandazis are the most delicious mandazis yet. If you are looking for simple easy to follow recipes run to her blog.Trust me you will not be disappointed.

Drinking: a lot more water.These days I try to drink two litres of water each day.I am hoping to reap all the benefits that comes with this.These include; flushed out of toxins,good skin,good scalp,possibility of hair growth,water apparently is the fountain of youth and it aids in weight loss.Water it seems is the solution to a lot of my vanity issues.I see no noticeable difference despite all my efforts but Aluta Continua.

Reading: Rebecca Traister's All the Single Ladies.I got this book recommendation from Tracee Eliss Ross's 73 questions with Vogue.Reading this book I see why it is the book she recommends from her library.It's a great book,easy to read and very captivating.

Wanting: All the eyeshadow palettes in the world and colourpop's super shock shadows.I may or may not have a list of highly rated eyeshadow palettes and super shock shadows waiting for black Friday to get them.If you read this and are thinking of gifting me,the Juvia's Place bundle containing Nubian 1,Nubian 2 and Masquerade palettes will make me love you forever.

Playing: a lot of wedding appropriate songs 😊😊.I am the biggest romantic and love nothing more than happy endings and the warm fuzzy feeling they bring me.If anyone is getting married and is  looking for wedding songs Chaguo La Moyo,Nikupende and Sura Yako might just be your answers.

Wasting:time mostly online reading blogs,watching make up,natural hair and food videos online.I sometimes think I need rehabilitation for my addiction to the internet.

Sewing: loving that_girl_sebi on Instagram.She is a seamstress and designer that makes some really beautiful pieces.She currently is doing a challenge where for 30  days she must wear clothes made by her.

Wishing: that the thief who stole my phone is caught and I get it back.I didn't care much for my phone when I first got it because the camera wasn't good enough.With time it grew on me,the camera improved and it turned into my trusty companion.It also had a large screen and was so comfortable to read from. I reported its loss to the police 😅😅.The thing that struck me the most about Central Police station is it's smell.It smells like sweaty men.Fingers crossed that they find it using their tracking system.

Enjoying:The warm weather in Nairobi now.The sun and blue skies make me so so happy.

Liking: The Naivas at Capital Centre.It has the most diverse items and their grains section is great.They run special offers so often that each time I am there I mostly buy items that are on sale or those that have a buy one get one free offer.For customer service week they are gifting everyone with their loyalty card coffee and croissants!


Loving: Living With Ess.Mama Naila is killing it on that show.She has the most diverse guests and covers many different topics.The show covers finances,beauty,entrepreneurship,cooking,health,motherhood and so much more.It airs on NTV Monday through Friday from 8 am to 9 am.All the episodes are uploaded on YouTube and one can watch them there especially because many people aren't watching TV at the time it airs.

Hoping:that all the things I hope for,plan for,dream of and pray for come true.

Marveling: At the power of meditation.At the start of the year I had a problem focusing on one thing long enough.This scared me because a lot of what I do requires one to do one thing over long periods of time.Dr.Google at the time told me meditation could help.So I downloaded a meditation app called the smiling mind.I try to meditate each day and despite all my skepticism meditation works. I feel more centered now and I am able to focus more and for longer periods of time.

Needing: to find a balance between work,home and school.I am grateful that I am able to do all these three things and maintain some level of fun in my life.Increasingly though I feel like sometimes home slips away and on most days school work is at the bottom of my list of priorities.I hope to be those kick-ass women who do it all.Although from reading Lean In and The Year of Yes I know you can't have it all,you just prioritize and do what is most important to you and to get help especially at home be it from a househelp(in the case of Shonda Rhimes) or your partner (in the case of Sheryl Sandberg).

Smelling: My hair perfume.It smells like a beautiful Somali woman would.Smell so nice that each time someone visits me and uses it they ask for it's name and where I got it.I love love it.
 

Wearing:Always wearing a baati.Always.

Following:The news.Who knew this time would come.I try to watch news every day and sometimes even watch KTN's news only channel just to get indepth details on stories making headlines.It's official I am an OLD WOMAN.

Noticing:that I am addicted to the internet and that Safaricom are thugs.Their data bundles are expensive and do not last.I moved to Airtel and their 15 GB bundle lasts me the whole month 😊😊 and costs less than Safaricom's monthly 10 GB data.

Knowing: that the reason I might never go back to being the tiny human I once was is my love for pasta.Swahili's even have it for breakfast,they make it with sugar and oil and take it with black tea.This discovery sure makes it to the top ten things I have learnt this year.Sugary pasta is one of my favourite things to eat when life becomes too stressful.

Thinking:Qadr is real.We make our plans but the truth is everything that happens to us is all written by Allah.If things are going well be grateful and remember it's not your doing.If things aren't going too well, hard as it may be,be grateful and tell all your worries to Allah.After all he is the one who has control over everything.

Feeling: like this year I have become better; at speaking up for what I believe in,saying no,sharing my opinions even if the people I am sharing them with show disinterest,refusing to be a push over and generally being comfortable with who I am.I am very proud of the woman I am becoming.

Bookmarking:loads of articles on irrigation.Solar powered irrigation to be specific.At the risk of sounding like the boring person that I am, reading these articles and researches on irrigation is very fascinating to me.

Opening:I am focusing on completing this post in the shortest time possible so I am opening nothing at the moment.


Giggling:At customer service week shenanigans.My mum banks with KCB and they sent her a text message thanking her for choosing to bank with them,telling her how committed they are in supporting her in the journey to financial prosperity.This text was so personal and well thought out that it made me laugh out loud.

I hope that this last quarter of the year brings all of us our deepest desires and that these three months are truly special for each of us.