This week has been tons of fun! We’re making progress unpacking and decorating our apartment in Nairobi, which means I’ve gotten a LOT of exercise this week. Here’s what else is new and interesting in these parts.

In the six (what?!) years since I’ve had this blog, it’s evolved in many different ways but I’ve noticed that what people really want is a more intimate peek into the regular going ons of my life; even more so now since I’ve finished my PhD, am now working for myself, moved to another country, and am expecting a baby. I’ve decided to call it Thursday Tea because I’ve been consuming inordinate amounts of chai (Swahili word for tea) since I got to Kenya, and nothing is juicier than some piping hot tea! So every Thursday I’ll be sharing a little weekly life update alongside some recommendations, advice, and things I’m currently loving!

1. Boll & Branch Bedding

I shared this on Instagram already, but the Boll & Branch 100% organic cotton are hands down the very best bedsheets I’ve ever slept on. Jonathan is surprisingly really picky with sheets (for someone who doesn’t care about anything for the most part), and he immediately gave them the thumbs up! Boll & Branch even has flannel sheet options for those about to embark on winter, but the ones we have are the Solid Hemmed Sheet Set in Natural. They are pricy, but seriously worth it (and you can save $50 with my code 50IJEOMA). If they’re out of your budget, then here are our second favorite sheets (1/2 of the price).

2. Nubian Skin Slip

I feel like I’ve talked about this before but got a lot of questions about this slip dress. It’s the Nubian Skin slip in Caramel that I bought to wear under white summer dresses. It’s become a wardrobe staple and I wear it ALL the time – the gentle compression helps support my belly and makes me feel comfortable wearing some of my shorter dresses. If you’re in Kenya, apparently My Curves at Two Rivers Mall sells Nubian Skin lingerie, but I’m not sure if they carry the slips so call and ask!

3. A New Wig

So I’ve got a new wig! Since I started my pregnancy swim workout classes, I figured it would be much easier to care for my hair if I wore wigs than if I wore another braided protective style, because I could easily rinse/cowash my hair weekly after each class. This wig is the Sierra wig from DIVASWIGS and it is 14 inches Italian yaki with a superfine swiss lace. I’m not at all a wig pro, especially lace front wigs, but I will say it looks way better right off the bat that some of the other wigs I’ve tried (like this, yikes!). I had it colored by Nyasia at Neal Farinah Salon before I left, and am actually thinking it’s a bit too blonde, so am considering coloring a bit darker myself. The wig itself is great quality, with minimal shedding, and the packaging was rather impressive (it came with wig caps, combs, an elastic band, and a pretty storage bag). My only gripe is that I thought the hair would be slightly kinkier so it could pass more closely as my own hair, but it’s possible the color took away some of the curl.

4. Sugaring vs. Waxing

So I’ve been waxing my body – legs, underarms, and bikini – for YEARS now and people kept suggesting that I try sugaring instead of waxing. But I was so used to European Wax Center’s amazing hard wax technique that I had no reason to investigate otherwise, but when I got to Kenya, finding a wax specialist who used hard wax was tough. I gave up my search and asked for generic wax recommendations, and a college friend recommended I visit Anne at Aruna’s Hair & Beauty at Kasuku Center. I didn’t even realize that Anne used a sugar based wax until I praised how gentle the wax formula was, even though she uses strips. That’s when I found out she uses a sugar wax made in house (though they also have a regular one) instead of a commercially produced one. It’s been super gentle on my skin so I’m now a fan!

5. Fighting Mosquitos

My pain point for the week is a nightly fight with mosquitos! I refuse to sleep under a net because they aren’t aesthetically pleasing to me and don’t fit our bedroom decor style. I know, I’m being super stubborn! On the other hand many mosquito repellants have a slew of weird chemicals that I’m not sure are pregnancy or baby safe, so I feel like I don’t have many options. Although I haven’t tried it yet, someone recommended this product as a pregnancy safe repellant. Another recommendation is to buy a lot of citronella or clove plants or use essential oils around the house. I’m planning on going plant shopping next week so will hopefully find some!

Those are my updates for this week – feel free to share any special requests in the comments for what I should discuss next week!