UPCOMING EVENTS IN ABUJA (NOV&DEC)

Mark your Calendars once again ma peoples! Here are the events i'm excited about for November and December.
1. Art  IN MY CITY {NOV 23-30}

2. NACK SHOPPING PARTY {DEC 1-2}

3. AFRICAN GEMS & JEWELLERY EXHIBITION AND SEMINAR {DEC 6-7}

4. OPEN WITH TITILOPEN{DEC 7}

4. TEDxASOKORO WOMEN{DEC 8}

5. THE JAZZ EXPEDITION {DEC 8}

6. DAVIDO LIVE IN CONCERT {DEC 13}

7.  WIZKID LIVE IN CONCERT {DEC 16} 

Check out my post on interesting things to do in Abuja.
If i find out about events early enough i will add them here, otherwise Check out INSTAGRAM (and other Social Media) and the links below for other upcoming events, trainings and conferences in Abuja:

• BellaNaija
• British Council
• EventBrite
• EventsNowNow
• AllEvents
• 234Events
• Nigerian Seminars and Trainings

Knowledge is Power.

Toodles!XooX

Happy New Year 2018!!

Happy New Year!! 

I know my 1st post for the year is coming rather late, i've my hands full with our lil princess Kiara and that's also why there was no 2017 year end post.

Yes guys, we have a new member in our little family. She arrived on my birthday-Dec 23rd, that's how i spent my birthday so there'll be no 2017 birthday post (Enjoy my Labor & Delivery Story instead).

I got the best birthday gift & i have happily conceded to sharing my day with her henceforth (y'all know i take my birthday seriously).

More posts coming once i'm settled into the 'mom role' and have a routine. I have soooo much to share, especially about the pregnancy, baby shower, labor & delivery, postpartum & adapting to life as new parents so stay tuned.

I'm looking forward to all the year has to offer, may the odds be in our favor. Amen.

Toodles!XooX   

Tamerri Festival

Don't Miss It!! Sorry for the late post but you can enjoy the last day.

I was at last year's own and loved every bit of it.
From the Fashion Runway Show to the Concert.
I fell in love with Brymo's talent.
I found new Artistes to enjoy.
New Artistes belted out refreshing tunes & lyrics.
The Spoken Word Poets gave me chills & more.
It was the total package.

Toodles!XooX

UPCOMING EVENTS IN ABUJA (DEC)

Check out my previous posts on Events in Abuja.
Mark your Calendars once again ma peoples! Here are the events i'm excited about for December.
1. TAMERRI FESTIVAL {NOV 30-DEC 2}

2. ROC&RELIGION ABUJA POP-UP SHOP {DEC 2}

3. MUMSMEETABUJA {DEC 2ND}

4.. JAMROCK TROPICANA DECEMBER EDITION {DEC 9}

5. LIFE IS EAZI DETTY RAVE {DEC 9}

6. FUSION LIFESTYLE FAMILY FAIR {DEC 10} 

6. WIZKID LIVE IN CONCERT {DEC 16} 

Check out my post on interesting things to do in Abuja.

If i find out about events early enough i will add them here, otherwise Check out IG (Social Media) and the links below for other upcoming events, trainings and conferences in Abuja:

• VeryAbuja
• BellaNaija
• British Council
• EventBrite
• EventsNowNow
• AllEvents
• 234Events
• Planet Abuja
• Eventful
• Nigerian Seminars and Trainings

Knowledge is Power.

Toodles!XooX

How I Lose my Holiday Weight ASAP!

First thing anyone that knows me and reads this post will say is What!! Which Weight!! Please leave us that have weight issues with our struggles oo. lol. I totally understand where they are coming from though, to them i look like the perfect weight, majority of my friends beef me that i'm a foodie and never pile on the pounds. haha. they say it's the person wearing the shoes that knows where they pinch and hurt.

me tryna compress the CHEEKS

Honestly i rarely have issues with my weight, as far as i'm concerned, my BMI (Body Mass Index i.e the ratio of your weight to your height) is perfect. My weight is usually between 50kg (lowest)- 59kg (highest), it fluctuates depending on my meals, diet, stress, etc. I have discovered that my weight almost enters the 60s on the scale, in fact i'm sure it enters this range during the holiday season (Christmas/New Year/Sallah/Easter), i just refuse to climb a scale during this period and remain blissfully unaware of the numbers *wide grin*
When i do add the weight it starts showing first on my face especially my cheeks (note i already have naturally full cheeks) and chin!!! and these parts are the ones that get to me! that's when u see me taking all my pics at angles!lol; then slowly my clothes get really tight and since i have no plans of changing my wardrobe, the weight gats to go. 

Last year i got kind of an early start on piling on the 'holiday weight' when we went for our honeymoon in Zanzibar, Tanzania. We had booked our hotels online and they were 'All-Inclusive' i.e the room rates included meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, room service, etc). Oh my days!!!!! I ate like a glutton and piled on the pounds mehn!! Before i could say jack i had a double chin and full rosssyyyy cheeks (people started asking if i was preggers). Funny thing is before we went on this vacation, we had done serious workout to get in shape and have 'beach bodies'.

post-holiday fuller cheeks

Post-Zanzibar round face

Anyway enough of my stories ba, here is how i get rid of the weight ASAP after the holidays are over:

• Accept that it'll take some time to lose the weight
• Accept that you'll loose some goodies in the process (i.e. boobs, ass) *tears*
• Get ur family/friends on board-they'll motivate u n help/correct when u wanna cheat 
• Join a support group (mine was SYTYCC fitness group); you can also use an app for this
• Do not keep climbing the scale to see how much u've lost-You will be disappointed, instead measure ur weight loss by how ur clothes fit or by using a tape rule
• Stay Motivated by all means (it helps to work towards a goal weight or a dress you wanna fit in by a certain time, etc.)
• Meal plan, you can have a timetable or just make a list and cook from it. Planning ahead helps you not just reach for snacks,fast food or eat out so much
• Track your Meals-You can keep a food diary or picture log
• Stock ur fridge, freezer and pantry with the good/healthy stuff and snacks (Fruits, Veg, etc)
• Snack addict (snack healthy-carrots,tigernuts,dates,cucumbers, plain popsorn, etc.)
• Cook more instead of eating out especially veggies n protein meals
• Eat less carbs (Rice, Pounded Yam, etc). Take smaller portions and take more of the Veg and Proteins
• Cut out Soda & Fizzy drinks
• Portion Control (I use small bowls to help measure what i eat, white plates also help after a while ur eyes can guage what is ok for you)
• Eat smaller portions more frequently (easier for ur body to digest, don't overdo it) instead of one large portion that will send u to woonderland
• Eat fruits
• Don't overdo it, pace yourself and slowly but surely your body will start to adjust accordingly
• Use the white house (toilet) regularly
• Shower at night after eating (for me i feel more refreshed after a shower and get a few more hours awake for my food to properly digest)
• DON'T go to bed IMMEDIATELY after eating
• Drink lots of water (before and after a meal especially-you will visit the loo more often however)
• Exercise;know what works for you-power walking, dancing, moving around doin diff activities(climb staircases), skipping, stretches, squats, situps, legups, house cleaning (that sweat is calories being burnt, don't underestimate it)
• Keep a Workout Timetable (whatever ur form of exercise) to track your activities
• Be active (move around more). Having a pedometer or smart band to track your steps keeps you motivated
• Watermelons are your friend
• Detox once in a while
• Fasting (usually church prescribed but works for me)
• Facial Exercises (supposed to help us with full cheeks; thank God for 'contour' sha)

'Regular weight' face

'Perfect wedding weight'{After 100day church fast}

I watch a lot of 'Fat Shows' on TLC and i learn from them, the habits to cut and how to be aware and control what you eat in order to reach/or maintain your desired weight instead of fighting to lose weight. Weight loss is hard especially after a certain stage, it is better to work towards not even reaching such a stage.
I maintain my current weight by cooking what i eat, portion control, indulging my sweettooth once in a while, being active and very little exercise (mostly walking, house cleaning and dancing).

Slow and Steady wins the race, just keep at it and eventually you will see results (clothes start getting loose, etc.). Hope this helps anyone that overdid 'small chops' during the Easter.

Toodles!XooX

Au Revoir 2015

"I love December, its the month of Christmas, hubby's birthday, my birthday, holiday from work, last month of the year and usually full of weddings and events. *bigGrin. This December though, the Nigerian people and Economy is suffering from 'Buharitisis' a.k.a money no dey in circulation. Since Buhari became the Presido, contracts haven't been issued (people dey fear), sack letter dey flow like water, $ rate don almost reach 300 naira (lets not talk about Pounds), thieves have been caught (i like this sha, the Dokpesi's, Dasuki's and their fellow barawos-i just hope justice prevails eventually), fuel scarcity, etc."

Its the last day in 2015, with all the good and bad the year dished out, i'm grateful to be alive, healthy and to have been able to tick some things off my To-Do list. I already have a list for the new year. When there is Life, there is hope. I am able to count my many blessings and thank God for them and my friends, family and relatives. Hubby & I celebrated our birthdays this month and got to celebrate Christmas with family and friends which i loved. I also attended quite a number of events and weddings {u guys know i love weddings :)}

I wish us all a great 2016, may our dreams become reality and the purpose of God for our lives; i pray for peace in our lives, cities & towns, countries and the world at large. 

Happy New Year in advance!!! Stay safe.

Toodles!XooX

Safety in Abuja-December Holidays

Hallo ma peoples!!! Been a Minute ba, no vex biko, i've been swamped with so many events and work and have sooo many draft pending posts... *sigh. Anyway, back to the matter, we are in December, the last of the 'Ember Months' signalling the end of the year, like play like play 2015 don dey waka go .

I love December, its the month of Christmas, hubby's birthday, my birthday, holiday from work, last month of the year and usually full of weddings and events. *bigGrin. This December though, the Nigerian people and Economy is suffering from 'Buharitisis' a.k.a money no dey in circulation. Since Buhari became the Presido, contracts haven't been issued (people dey fear), sack letter dey flow like water, $ rate don almost reach 300 naira (lets not talk about Pounds), thieves have been caught (i like this sha, the Dokpesi's, Dasuki's and their fellow barawos-i just hope justice prevails eventually), fuel scarcity, etc.

Country tight now as you can see from the above, the streets are not smiling and those that are not making an honest living have become more desperate. Everybody wan go village do yanga and celebrate this Christmas, by fire, by force. God help us that are working hard for our income and bless the work of our hands and keep us safe. There is more insecurity during this period and i'm just going to write below a few pointers to help us stay safe especially in Abuja.

• Try not to stay out too late especially if you do not have a car and if you have to, have a friend or 2 with you
• Be aware of your surroundings
• If you own a car and reside in Abuja (especially around Wuse 2), please try not to park in areas without proper security (especially @night) and even when you do, please do not leave any valuables in your car or boot. (Our car was robbed sometime in October, the back window was broken and they were able to open the car and stole my handbag from the boot; luckily i got my bag back, but that's story for another post)
• If you own a car, please always lock all your doors at all times, especially when approaching a speed bump or at a red light. It has become common practice for thieves to run out of nowhere, open car doors and grab what they can within reach (your bag, phone, etc.) in a flash and dash off into the blue before you even comprehend what even happened. Sometimes they (heard sometimes they are oiled up) will even try to drag things out of the hand of the person in the passenger seat (this happened to my friend)
• If you are entering a cab, please be extremely cautious and try to evaluate the personality of the driver while pricing, when a price is agreed on,ask him to open the door from inside (this is to ensure that the child lock is not enabled and in case of any issue, you can get out ASAP). 
• If you are entering a cab, ask to check the boot, to make sure there's no one hiding in there, some cars have back seats that fold and open into the car and quite a number of people have gotten robbed in this way
• If you are entering a cab, i'd advise you seat in the back seat, preferably directly behind the driver, its harder for the driver to attack you in this position if he has such intentions and you can easily tuck and roll out of the car in such a situation
• If you are entering a cab, check to see that the door locks are present and if they are automatic and the type you can manually open if necessary
• If you are entering a cab, please evaluate the cab even from afar even before stopping it, check that it has a proper plate no; the necessary cab no.s painted on it, etc. An unpainted cab (not green&white) can be riskier to take
• If you want to take a cab, you can use the Easy Taxi or Uber app to get one from the comfort of your home, though the prices may be a bit higher that if you get one by the roadside, it is wayyyyy safer. Their drivers are registered with them and can be traced if anything goes wrong.
• If possible, have a pepper spray or small tazer on you at all times in case of an attack, so you can defend youself
• I do not advise entering cars that already have passengers (a.k.a 'Along') especially if they are all men or only one female in the car, i believe buses are actually safer for such trips
• If you are walking on the sidewalk, keep your bag, etc. properly closed and on the shoulder away from the road, hold on to it tightly to avoid having something stolen from it (pickpockets) or having it snatched from you 
• Do not sleep in cab and mind d convos (phone calls) u have,
• Do not leave ur bag/valuables to step out for a bit, use an ATM, etc. and come back. You can end up having something stolen or he zooms off with all ur stuff,
• Keep ur belongings closed n out of arms reach of the cab driver
• If possible have a consistent cab guy with a detailed record of his car and personal data in case of any issues
• Keep you house gates and doors locked and try to avoid crowded places (Boko Haram is still active)

Stay safe my peoples, country hard but by God's grace e no go hard for us and we will be out of the reach of these desperados.

Toodles!XooX

23 on the 23rd of December (II)- Super late post

 

I turned 23yrs old on the 23rd December, 2012. Whoop Whoop!! oh thank you all, you are far too kind *curtsies and bows...ignore me abeg *giggles. Allow me revel in the awesomeness that was my birthday via this post. Merci, as you oblige. I celebrated my birthday in December (did a quick post here, 'cos i knew it'd take me a while to do a full post; did not tink it'd take me this long though *Covers face*) and my age and date of birth happened to be the same number 23. Yes i'm one of those people that note things that have the same no. #judgemoinot. I had the most awesome birthday ever or shall i say birthday week!! I got loads of gifts and was able to have a small get together with my friends which is what i have been craving for a couple of my birthdays now without actually getting it. I got a Nexus 4 android phone from le boo, a beautiful abaya from one of my friends that travelled to Dubai earlier, a cake, a set of make-up brushes, 2 NACK dresses, a NACK top, alcohol (White wine & Amarula which are still in my fridge, i'm not a fan of alcohol), perfumes, earrings, necklaces,cards, chocolates a red & black, bodycon gown, money and the gifts are still rolling in from people that were not in town during my birthday. I can't even start to quantify the calls, text messages,Facebook posts/messages, Tweets/DMs, BBMs, DPs & PMs, etc. I felt too too loved! This was definitely not like my other regular birthdays.
God definitely always makes a way, i had been looking forward to my birthday since December began, i wanted to have a get together and do something different from my usual birthday which normally just entails me chilling at home with my family, i get a cake and a few gifts, most of my friends are usually outta town for the holidays. I was that kid that never got to celebrate her birthday in School 'cos we were always on vacation by the time it came around and because it's Christmas period, there's usually so much preparation for that, that my birthday gets rolled over, which i have never liked! but i learnt to live with it, cherish the few gifts i get, phone calls, texts, etc. Woe betide u if u are my friend and forget my birthday!!lol, but that was back then anyway, in the years of recent, i don't even stress about people forgetting my birthday. Oya o, back to my birthday.

My week began with me stressing over what to do for my birthday and my broke state, before i knew it Friday was upon me, i got my beautiful Abaya from my friend, Habib, on Thursday so i 'launched' it to work on Friday, lol. After work hours another friend, Bolaji, took me for ice-cream (Blue bunny- birthday cake flavor) and pancakes @my fave ice-cream place Dunes!! We chatted, ate and he dropped me off @home, i saw le boo later in the day and we chilled and jisted about my birthday plans.

Saturday, some friends came to visit me and one of them came in from Zaria to pass the night @my place, i cooked Jollof Spaghetti, watched some series, jisted with my friend and just chilled wondering if my birthday would be like any other regular day that would just pass by. Saturday evening, le boo and my very close friend ND, called me up to get dressed that we were going for a dinner. YAAAaaaayyyyYYY!! (My friends are the best). We went to Uptown Asian Cuisine & Lounge, some people were also having a suprise birthday party there, it was really cool. I wasn't so hungry though + i was upset with le boo at the time (can't remember what it was about though) so i had some WonTon soup, we jisted and took loads of pics, i had a really good time and got back home around 11 pm.

Sunday was upon me!yikes...still no plan, but i had decided to cast all my worries away and let the day unfold itself. I went to church full of joy that came from somewhere i honestly do not know. I woke up early, got dressed for church and my friend dropped me off close to church, i sang songs of praises and thanks as i strolled the remaining distance to church. It was the first service and it was a swell one!! I had just 3k on me at this time but i wasn't even worried about that. I gave out of it for my offering to show my appreciation to God for all he had done for me thus far and all he will still do for and allowing me to see another birthday hale and hearty. I danced well well during praises and thanksgiving, the highlight of the church service for me was when some elderly people and youths came to dance 'azonto' and 'etighi' at the front of the church, it was hilarious although one elderly lady got it to the T. After church i strolled back home, singing and full of even more joy. I rested a bit, ate and my friend travelled back to Zaria.

I was home alone, enjoying my series and responding to calls, texts, chats, etc. when two of my friends came around separately. We jisted a bit, then one of them told me to doll up that we were going to Transcorp Hilton to have lunch, as i should not be at home dulling on my birthday...lol I Agree!! I got ready and i had a swell time! i had mashed potatoes and Stake and a Peach Melita for dessert *bliss with 2 Chapmans (i love chapman and *btw rich people dey enjoy o!!).
He dropped me off @my close friend's place where i played with her niece and nephews and they gave me a card with the sweetest wordings (dose kids just know how to light your world), we watched some cartoons and i gave my friend some money to help me get 2 packs of canned coke in case anyone came around to greet me when i got home.

I received a call from eju while there that she was baking me a cake as my birthday gift (awwwww), i felt so loved and then i got a few more calls from Mandie and his 2 bros and Saidat that they were on their way to my place (oh oh). I said my goodbyes to the kids and my friend promptly dropped me off at home. Lucky for me they had not waited too long. Le boo and i made up and he also came over, Eju came over with the cake and Josi ,Esiri, Francis and Ma bday mate Chinedu joined us. We chilled in my small room, jisted, ate the cake and had drinks and everyone left with a slice of cake. I also gave my neighbours and the guards some cake. I was super happy when the day was ova and slept with a smile on my face.

I had a brief embarrassing moment though, the Jollof Spaghetti i had made the day before had gone bad because i did not heat it before storing it (it had fish in it) and i had no clue it was bad 'cos it dint even have an odour!!! I warmed it when my guests were around and served it to 2 of dem, just for them to taste it and tell me it had gone bad!!! I cringed, apologized profusely and took it away to trash it. *shrug-these things happen.
All in all, it was a great birthday week and holiday :D

Toodles!XooX