Heart Work

Hi lovelies! 

Transition periods for me always trigger periods of self reflection. I think it's the feeling of being in limbo or maybe it's because I finally slow down enough to take everything in and think. I'm an overthinker by nature but there's something about getting time to stop and think that allows me to take it a step further into heart work.

No one tells you how chaotic heart work can be.
How real self love is hours of self examination, learning, unlearning and growing into a better version of yourself. Even when you thought you were a good (enough) person and that you've achieved what you'd set out to do in that season. How you'll have to turn your world upside down before putting it right side up again.

Faith, Self Isolation Pancakes and other stories

All around the world right now Covid-19 is being spoken about. What started a bad flu making it's rounds in China last October and progressed to cases of pneumonia in December quickly showed itself to be the Corona virus that has spread to all corners of the globe. It has scientists working their hardest to find information on it, health workers in battle against the increasing number of cases they have to treat and governments trying their hardest to keep their people safe. But at the heart of it all is people like you and me who are essential in stopping the spread, once and for all.

How do we do this?
Well, we wash our hands, sanitize, avoid unnecessary contact with other people and most important of all, if you can, stay home. After all home is the safest place you can be, surrounded by all the people you love. I know that's where I've been for the last week.😅

It may seem like the world has stopped, all our favourite things are cancelled, and the media is just out to instil fear in us but that's so far from the truth. There are so so many things that we can get up to and because we have the love of God in us there's no need to be afraid. His perfect love drives away all fear.😍 (1 John 4:18)

Bridesmaid Diaries

  

Dear diary,

So apparently this post has been a long time coming because I'm a serial bridesmaid.😂 That is a lie. Don't believe everything people tell you.

Wait *awkward silence*
I'm the only one that tells you anything *hehehe*🙈
Let's just pretend that didn't happen.

Actually, what had happened was, two of my favourite people got married over the last year and I spent the better part of it involved in some kind of wedding planning or giving my input on one thing or another. And if you follow my Instagram it's definitely testament to that.😅
So a friend suggested I write a bridesmaid handbook. But rather than just tell you the do's and don'ts, I thought I'd run you through the process (which may vary from wedding to wedding) and help you see how you can be the best bridesmaid ever. After all, it is an honour to be part of your person's wedding party and what better way to thank her than doing the best you can at your role?

Should we kick this series off than at the very beginning then?!

Chicken pox Woes and other stories.

Yes you read right, I caught chicken pox.

At my big age 😂

And yes it caught me totally by surprise, despite being a medical student and all of that.🙎

So lemme tell you how it happened.

A couple of weeks ago I got excited when I saw a pawpaw (or Papaya for the rest of you in the western world 😉) in Food Lovers market and had to have it. I also picked up a bag of locally grown Zambian coffee and headed out. The next morning guess who had pawpaw for breakfast? This girl! Note that it wasn't fully ripe but since when has something like that stopped me?😅 Fast forward to nine pm that night and guess who had an "allergic reaction"? This same girl 😂 tjo guys, was I not worried that I would become ugly?!😩 You should've seen me panic when I realised I didn't have my allergy pills (everyone with a ton of allergies has them, if you know you know), I then proceeded to wake up my mum and bother my sisters for antihistamine cream.

Fortunately I found some, lathered that stuff on like lotion and BAM! Crisis averted.💪😄

Or so I thought.😂

Solo dates at hidden gems - Taste by Rootz

If you know me you'll know that I think self love is so important and that it's crucial to take time out to fill your own love tank before you can head on over to fill other people's. 

So that's what I did!

Thursdays are for Thinking Out Loud

Happy Throwback Thursday!!

I've been away a while, it's been one of those months.
You know, those ones where you barely have time for anything.
The ones that move so quick you barely have time to breathe.
The ones where you're going from day to day with a "help me get through today" prayer?
The ones where you're counting down till you get a break? Three weeks I see you!
YES....Those Ones.

Can we just give it up to God for getting us through? Wont He do it?!
Cause 2016 has been something, am I right? 2017 come throuuuuuuuuuugh!!

So today's just gonna be about Thinking Out Loud.

I came across this on one of my favourite blogs: Running With Spoons. And I just knew I had to get into it. For those days when I don't have a structured enough something to share, even thought those draft posts are piling up. *covers face* Or those days when I just want to share the organised chaos that is me.

The power of the selfie 📷

Happy Thursday!!

Is it a "thirsty" or "throwback" one for you all?
It's a throwback one for me. And believe me, my gallery is bursting at the seams; just how I like it😉

I'm a big photo taker/collector/boarder as you may have noticed. And I'm not ashamed at all 🙌🙅, 'scuse me for a second lemme take that photo 📷😄. I've been in the selfie game for a while now, remember my post from early last year? My sisters recently voted me and my younger sister "most likely to take a selfie" and my friends know cause they probably have a few selfies of me/staged photos/landscapes I've taken on their phones. 🙋 Hey friends, hey! They understand, blogger tendencies. Lol. (I was this way before I started blogging as well but that's besides the point )

Exciting changes

Happy Monday lovelies,

Hope you had a lovely weekend and are having a great start to your week?
I had an amazing weekend. My beautiful cousin *read sister* Kenna got married to her love Levi and I stood in as a make-up artist/hair stylist/photographer and guest.lol. You guys know what family weddings are like. It was super fun and I'd definitely do it all over again.

Unfortunately I'm down with the flu now so I spent most of yesterday and today in bed. Body too sore and voice long gone so I couldn't get much done but it did give me the opportunity to do some of the changes I'd been wanting to do on the blog for a while. #SilverLining

Lol!

I Am A Zed Blogger Challenge : How To Survive In The Jungle

Ola!

As I mentioned in my last post, I recently joined the #IAmAZedBlogger Challenge because I am just that; a loud proud Zambian blogger hoping to make my mark and have my little voice heard.

This Month's post is titled "How To Survive In The Jungle" and it came with this little quote,

"Africa is not for sissies, but if you make it here you can make it anywhere."

I believe that is so true and while it may be applied to many areas of life, my challenge today is to let you all know how I make that quote work for me in the big bad blogsphere.

*roaring in the distance*

While trying to navigate my way through this "Jungle" I've picked up a few survival tools that newbies and seasoned explorers alike may find useful.

source

As easy as Apple Pie

Hey lovely people, happy Saturday!

Hope you had an awesome week? Mine was, a lot for a lack of better words. But I got through it with the help of my amazing friends and family who are the best prayer warriors! *insert hands lifted high emoji* I'll tell you all about that soon, for now I'll just say that God's coming through for us like he always does.

So I was talking to my friend Mwaba yesterday (hey baba!) and she was asking me all these questions about being a newbie natural. Clarification on all the terms that are used in the natural world and all the products that we love/hate. She actually told me to get a post done about my hair care routine and I will, ASAP! In the meantime please be on the lookout next week for a feature I got asked to do by Esther *cheesing* who I featured on my blog a week ago in the Meet the Bloggers series. If you didn't get the chance to see it go check it out here.

Back to the title of this post, you know, in case you were wondering.*shrugs*
Yesterday, I made my first Apple Pie! *double fist pump* It turned out alright, if I do say so myself.

This all started a couple weeks ago after the cookie incident with my mom. You'll know about it if we're friends on Facebook, but long story short I baked a bunch of cookies using my trusty recipe and she ate a whole bunch then tried to blame it on me.lol.The day after that I woke up craving apple pie and googled this awesome recipe. I got it off the food network site but never got round to getting it done with all the other baking I've been doing lately, until yesterday when I decided that we needed something sweet for dessert. I told my friend Wila about it and he encouraged me to take pictures of it because I was "breaking my apple pie virginity" and it was a special day that had to be shared. (he's crazy.lol) But I'm glad he did cause now I have some pictures to share with you all.

Final Product

My favourite things : Blogs

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Happiness is...

...a good book and a cup of coffee.
Or a yummy butterscotch latte in my case.

There's really something special about slowing down, getting stuck in a book and smelling [read drinking] coffee. And on a lovely Tuesday morning in a little corner of the mall I found a place where I could do that.

Healthy life struggles

So I just left home with a positive mindset and feeling great about all the progress i made this vac losing weight and being healthy. Then BAM! Cape Town and all its temptation of junk food and unhealthy living. Just what I need right? Must. Find. Will. To. Go. On.

It's terrible. Especially living in the center of  Rondebosch (Student hub) with all the food thrown in my face. I literally step out the door and "oh hey girl, fries, burgers, shakes, ice cream cake?" And I'm just there like nooooooo! Get behind me Satan. loool. Then to make it worse, I've got all these food sites bookmarked and tasty on Facebook keeps throwing these delicious looking treats in my face.smh

How am I doing it you ask? Well....

Craves shake? Grabs water bottle.(throw some cucumber or lemon in it for a twist)
Craves ice cream? Grabs yogurt. (Strawberry all the way)
Craves fries? Grabs salad. (mhhh, lettuce, feta,chicken and avo has to be my fave!)
Craves cake? Grabs fruit.(thank God it's summer)

That and moving around with no/as little money as possible. Lol. I don't know how much longer I can hold out though. I'll indulge in a cheat day soon just to keep me going.

Oh and I'm going on a run tomorrow with my loves. Wish me luck with my first one for 2016.

How do you guys stay on your healthy life journey? Please let me know!

Bisous

x

Celebrations!

*in happy birthday tune*

Bon Anniversaire

Bon Anniversaire

Bon Anni....ver...saire

Bon Anniversaire!

Yes yes...It's that time people! *jumps up and down excitedly*

This weekend was packed full of things to celebrate. Can I get a whoop whoop?!

On Friday we rang in the New Year! *fireworks go off*  Saturday my hair turned TWO!! And Sunday my blog turned ONE!!! 

How to lose Four Kilos in Four weeks : Holiday Edition

You remember how i was wondering how I gained weight? Well...I think it was somewhere in between all the fries, Mc'flurry's, quick meals, study snacks and exams. It's quite unusual for me and I didn't even realise it (probably because I was busy sitting around in my chitenge) till some of my clothes didn't quite fit anymore.lol. Such struggles.

Much to the opposition of people around me who said. "What weight?" "But it looks good on you" etc. I decided to lose a little at the beginning of my vac and like the title says I'm down four kg. *grins* Here are a few Dos and Don'ts that I think are helpful for anyone embarking on a journey of their own.

Taking stock Summer 2015

OLA!

Did ya miss me? I missed you all. Happy holidays to you and yours.

After a six month leave of absence I've decided (with a lot of persuasion of course) to come back and blog. Thank you to everyone who checked in, asked why I was away and told me to get writing again or else (Yes, I'm talking about you Chipema.lol). It was a hectic half a year. One of the hardest I've had. Lots of growing and learning was done. 

Although I wasn't writing anything, I still kept reading other people's blogs and got all sorts of inspiration (check out some of their links at the bottom of my page). One thing I decided I was going to start doing was taking stock, the end of the year seems like a great time to start. Lots of bloggers do it and I copied my template off whisperywind

The week that was..

*Stands up* "Hi my name's Mwape and I'm a foodie"
"Hi Mwape"

Once upon a time, during a vac long, long ago (okay it was last summer but you'd feel the same if you had my semester. I digress *covers face*) I had a week that felt like a foodie's dream. I just have to share it with you. Well technically it wasn't a whole week, but I'm sure you'll catch my drift. Come, take a walk with me down memory lane. It all began on..*fade out*

Hair chronicles

Story of my life! Photo credit :Ariel

So I know some of your eyes are probably bulging out of their sockets at the fact that I'm blogging.

"Calm down,"  she said in warm soothing tones while rubbing your back.

Or are you not? *panics* Are you guys even reading? I know I haven't posted in a while and I know I said I would, but time isn't on my side and school and life and......*rambles into oblivion* Snap out of it Mwape! You can't show all your crazy just yet.

Wait, is it my hair? *chews bottom lip, looks around, tugs at hair*
It's the hair right? Phew! *giggles nervously and wipes forehead*
I thought you thought that I'd abandoned y'all for a minute there. Lol. Awkward. I'm a crazy right? You guys know the varsity struggle. You understand *nudge, nudge, wink* Or if you don't yet, you will soon.

AWOL..

If only..

Coucou!

First I'd like to apologize, for the silence, for not checking in, writing a diary post or even leaving something pretty for y'all to come have a sneak peak at when you visit my page. Life you guys! *insert dramatic sigh* As in UCT, church, choir and society life. I actually haven't time to sit in front of a laptop/computer and type out anything other than a report/essay that I have to hand in, especially with all the tests I had to do in between. I barely have time for pictures *gasp* and baking *double take*...so believe me when I say I didn't intentionally abandon you my loves. Hope you're all keeping busy too? And Counting your blessings as well? Great!

MIA much??

Hey all!

Photo Credit: Jessica Ilunga