Through Jam's Eyes

Ahh Springtime.

Spring is in the air and I am LOVING it! As long as I take my allergy medicine every day, I am great! Spring means flowers bloom, the trees sprout new leaves, the sky is blue and beautiful, and it just symbolizes new beginnings. Don't you just LOVE this time of year?

When thinking about new beginnings, you can't help but to think about ALL of the clutter in your home you have accumulated over the last couple months. You collect things all year, but it's something about October-January when you just end up with SO many new things that it leaves no choice but to deep clean and purge what's no longer necessary to keep! I don't know about you guys, but I actually really love cleaning, so spring cleaning is right up my alley! Don't get me wrong, I absolutely have to be in the mood to clean, but if I do some proper planning, spring cleaning can be fun because I just LOVE clean, smelling good spaces!

I am so excited to share 10 spring cleaning tips that I am sure will make your life much easier! For those of you who don't necessarily enjoy cleaning, but know it is a necessary evil, this will help you maximize your time and get it done quickly and efficiently.

10 Spring Cleaning Tips That'll Make Your Life Easier

1. Make A Schedule

Take a look at all the areas of your home and figure out what needs the most work. Think differently than you would during day to day cleaning

2. Make a List of What Needs to Be Done in Each Room

Once you have your schedule, then you need to figure out how you will tackle each individual room. Look deep in the corners that you may skip or behind the furniture and really figure out what you need to do. You don't want to leave any dust particles behind! Once you know exactly what needs to be done, then you will know everything you need and have it ahead of time. There's not many things worse than starting a cleaning project and then realizing you need something you don't have!

3. Declutter (aka throw stuff away)

That's right girl! You know those old Tupperware containers that no longer have lids and have permanent stains in them? Throw them away! I'm sure you don't use them anymore anyway. Those clothes you haven't touched in over a year? Donate them. Decluttering is probably my favorite part of cleaning because it always makes you feel like you have more space. Go through that junk drawer in the kitchen, organize the clothes in your closet, and get rid of things that no longer serve a purpose or if you're really being honest, it never did! :)

4. Have a Good Playlist Ready to Go

Nothing helps me get through my cleaning days than a good playlist! I have curated some that I love on Spotify, but most of the time I will just go over to Pandora and listen to one of my favorite stations on there. Some days I need Gospel music to get me through, sometimes I may need trap music. Always have to have balance!

5. Use Good Tools to Help You

So two of my favorite cleaning items are the Swifter Duster Super Extender Handle and the Spin Scrubber. I use the duster to reach my fan blades, in-between the stairs, floorboards and crown molding. I use the spin scrubber to clean my showers and tubs throughout the house! Both are lifesavers because they help me not have to reach and bend as much. Cleaning a shower is hard especially if you're trying not to get wet! The Spin Scrubber helps me to be able to stand outside the shower and barely use any energy at all. It's AMAZING! Whatever tools are your favorite, use them to make your cleaning quicker and easier.

6. Wear Protective Gear (especially if you have allergies like me!)

Cleaning disturbs dust before eliminating it, so a lot of times dust will be floating in the air and for people like me with bad allergies, it can really make you sick if you aren't careful. Wear gloves, masks, and clothes that cover your skin completely, and don't forget to shower right after you finish cleaning. Oh, and if you can open your windows or if you have a screen door, do that to let air go in and out to ventilate yourself from the cleaning product fumes.

7. Clean One Room At a Time

I don't know about y'all, but I get distracted SO easily! I can be cleaning one room and go into another to take something, get distracted and start cleaning in there! Don't be like me. If you start a bunch of projects, you'll more than likely end up tired with nothing complete and a bunch of projects started. This is when it is super important to stick to your schedule you prepared!

8. Work From Top to Bottom

This just makes the most sense. Start at the top of a wall or cabinet and get all that dust knocked down before you make your way to the floor and sweep. Sweeping, mopping, or vacuuming should be the last thing you do in a room. Trust me, if you don't do this, then you will end up doing double work in the end.

9. Change Your Air Filters

This is something people tend to forget about. Most air filters in your home should be changed every six months. If you aren't sure when the last time you changed yours, do it while you're cleaning this spring and then make note of it so you will change it again in the next six months. Changing your filter helps you to breathe healthy air that isn't full of dust and debris.

10. Pace Yourself

Take your time! Don't try to clean your entire house in one day. Also, be sure to use your time wisely. If you have deep stains, let them soak while you do something else. You'll be so happy when you have a cleaner, more functional home for the warmer months!

When are you planning to do your spring cleaning? I will probably do some this weekend because my husband is going out of town. Is it just me or is it easier to clean when everyone is out of the house? Haha :)

Thanks so much for reading! xo

Hi guys!
I'm super excited about this post because today I'm going to be sharing how you can explore the UAE in 6 days. A couple days ago I shared the Dubai, UAE Travel Guide, but since I've had so many questions about what to do in Dubai, I wanted to break down the trip a little bit more. Putting together the itinerary for our Dubai trip back in January was so much fun for me. I wanted to make sure that we saw as much as possible without being too overwhelmed and I think I did just that.

I was super excited because all of the people who traveled with us had an amazing time and fully trusted me to put together a great trip. One thing I would like to point out, I'm not going to link any of the companies of the excursions we did, however, if you guys would like the information of costs and companies we went with, you can email me personally and I would be more than happy to send it to you!

I hope you guys enjoy this post!

How to Explore the UAE in 6 Days
DAY ONE
For the first half of the day, do things at your leisure.
Go to the beach, walk around the area where your hotel is, get some good breakfast/brunch. Whatever you want to do.
Dubai City Tour 2pm-7:30pm
We thoroughly enjoyed this tour! We were able to see so much of Dubai in a short amount of time. Doing it with a tour, we were able to see some major Dubai landmarks including the Jumeirah Mosque, hear a lot of the history of Dubai, not to mention we had transportation! Did you guys know Dubai was only 15 years old? That is so crazy to think about!

DAY TWO
Leisure for the first half of the day.
Desert Safari 3:30pm-10pm
Definitely another highlight! During the desert safari, you will be picked up from you hotel, driven into the desert where you can purchase abayas and hijabs, you will be taken on a crazy fun sand dune ride, camel riding, dinner with a show, and henna tattoos, plus so much more! Literally the ultimate experience. We had a blast! I smoked Shisha for the first (and only) time because we were in Dubai during this excursion.

DAY THREE
Breakfast @ Eggspectation
Ziplining Across Dubai with XLine
(we actually didn't get to do this, but it was planned and you guys should definitely do it if you have the time!)
Go to City Walk
Dinner @ Prime68 Steakhouse 7:30pm
This was my favorite meal from the trip! Such amazing views, such great food, spectacular ambiance. Definitely make reservations to eat here if you have time!

DAY FOUR
IMG World of Adventure
This was an indoor theme park and so much fun! It has four different worlds to explore and I believe there's rides for all ages. Also great food options here too! If you can go on a week day, do that. No lines!
Dhow Dinner Cruise
We didn't get to do this, but I found a great one! Let me know if you want the information!

DAY FIVE
Abu Dhabi for the Day
This is an all day excursion and honestly the best day! Marcus says that this day was his favorite memory from the entire trip. We were picked up early in the morning from our hotel and we were off to Abu Dhabi. We started the day at museum and then we went to the Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque and it is absolutely stunning! The pictures do it no justice at all, you just have to see it to believe it! After that, we went down and saw some Abu Dhabi landmarks and had lunch across the water from the Emirates Palace. We ended the day at Ferrari World and we had a BLAST! Ferrari World is the home of the world's fastest roller coaster and it was INTENSE. We had to wear goggles! I could honestly only handle it once, but my husband and two of our friends rode it a second time. Nevertheless, I had an amazing time this day. Be sure to visit and if you can stay longer, do it! The next time we visit the UAE, we will be staying in Abu Dhabi for sure.

DAY SIX
SHOPPING DAY!
We explored the Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates on our last day. We went to the Mall of the Emirates first. This mall has the indoor ski place in it and it looks really nice! My cousins did it and had a wonderful time. After that mall, we went to the Dubai Mall and y'all it is HUGE! There's an aquarium in there plus the entrance to Burj Khalifa. This is also where the water show is held outside. Such a great mall! It honestly overwhelmed me though from a shopping standpoint. You would be surprised to know I didn't really buy anything. I still can't believe it! :)

EXTRAS
**We went to Club White one of the nights we were there and it was so much fun! Definitely go if you have the time! Be sure to dress up because if you don't, you may not get in.

Well guys! That's it! If you made it this far in the post, you are the BEST! I hope you enjoyed this format. Please let me know if you do. Also, if you have any specific questions about the UAE, please reach out to me personally and I will be more than happy to share with you.

Thank you so much for reading! xo

Traveling on flights can be super uncomfortable, especially when the flights are long! Unless you are able to shell out the big bucks for first class every time you take a long trip (lucky you!), you'll more than likely be in economy or economy plus for the majority of your vacations. Not much room for movement, sometimes you'll be sandwiched between two people, and is it just me or do the seats not recline much at all?

No matter how uncomfortable a flight may be, we still fly because we want to go to cool destinations and honestly, a couple hours of discomfort is ALWAYS worth the fun I have on my vacations. So, I have comprised a list of 10 items I consider my essentials for traveling on long flights. So let's get into it!

10 Essentials for Long Flights

1. Headphones

On a long flight or really ANY flight, you have to have a nice set of headphones! Not only can you listen to music, but a lot of planes have the TVs in the back of the seats and you can watch movies and TV shows. Now, some airlines will give you some headphones to borrow while on the flight, but I just love having my own.

2. Cozy/Compression Socks

Not only are socks important for comfort and warmth because no one wants to spend a long flight with bulky shoes on, but compression socks are important for circulation.

3. Sleep Mask

A sleep mask will change your life on a long flight! I love the ones with extra cushion or the ones with the cooling gel, but honestly the complete darkness just makes me sleep much better. If you want to drown out noise AND lights, get some ear plugs too!

4. Blanket

Another essential piece for a good sleep and just being comfortable is a nice soft blanket. It's so funny because every time we travel, my husband always forgets a blanket (so he says) and he always ends up wanting to share mine with me. I think he might be doing it on purpose, what do you guys think? :)

5. Refreshing wipes

There's nothing like being on a long flight, waking up from a nap, and then feeling dirty. That's where these wipes come in. You can freshen up your face, under your arms, and.. other places to help with that yuck feeling after being on a long flight. I don't know about y'all, but I just feel like planes are full of germs so not only so I travel with wipes to refresh my body, but also disinfecting wipes for my seat and surrounding areas.

6. Portable Charger

This is KEY! Now, a lot of planes do have charge ports at your seats these days, but it's always good to be prepared anyway! I have been on a plane when the outlet was there, but it didn't work. Thank goodness for my portable charger! It's also good for layovers in the airport so you don't have to fight for one of the few outlets at your gate. My husband and I have an Anker portable charger and it works really well! We get about four full charges out of it before we have to recharge it.

7. Snacks

I'm a HUGE snacker by nature, so of course it is essential for me to have snacks on a long flight in order to be comfortable. Again, airlines give out some things, but nothing like having your favorites within reach. I have to have pretzels on a flight and gummy candy!

8. Mouthwash

Okay friends, after you have woke up from your good sleep with your blanket, eye mask, and neck pillow, you're going to need to refresh your breath. Sure, you can chew some gum, but if you have a chance to get up and rinse with mouthwash, that's even better! :)

9. A Book/Kindle/iPad

When you need a break from the TV, it's always good to have a nice book on hand. I am currently reading 'Becoming Michelle Obama' and I love it so far. I don't really like reading books on my iPad, but I'd rather have a hard copy when I read a book. I guess I'm old school in that regard.

10. Neck Pillow

This really should have been first, but this was in no particular order. A neck pillow is the last essential to a good sleep. I have had severe neck pain after a flight from not having a pillow so I truly think it is important to have. There's so many different types, so do your research!

What is your number one essential you HAVE to take on long flights? I'd love to hear about it!

Thanks so much for reading! xo

Want to visit a place where it is so serene that you feel completely at peace, where the weather is at the most perfect temperature, and where the locals are extremely nice? Then let me tell you, Maui, Hawaii should be at the top of your travel list! Out of all of the places I have visited thus far, Hawaii was by far one of the most relaxing trips I've ever been on. Up until our Maui trip, my most relaxing was our trip to St. Croix, Virgin Islands back in April of 2016. Now don't get me wrong, that trip is still one of my absolute favs and I cannot wait to go back, but Maui was just different! It's really hard to explain.

For this travel post, I wanted to do something a little different and I wanted to share my most memorable Maui moments with you guys! Before I get into that, I will share a little bit about where we stayed!

Where Did We Stay?
We stayed at a BEAUTIFUL Westin property in Ka'anapali. It was the Westin Nanea Ocean Villas and it was to DIE for! Everywhere I looked had amazing views. This property has a hotel area, but my sister actually owns timeshare in Hawaii here, so we stayed on that side and it was amazing. Our villa had three bedrooms, two baths, a full kitchen, and ocean front views. Seriously one of the most comfortable accomodations.

The property had two pools, tons of cabanas, restaurants, access to a private beach, plus much more. They even have grills throughout the property so one night we had a steak dinner that my sister's boyfriend prepared. Honestly, I have zero complaints about this place! Would you if you woke up to a beautiful ocean view and sunrise every morning?

Now, let's get into my most memorable moments! I'm so excited to share!

My 8 Most Memorable Maui Moments

1. Road to Hana
This was such an amazing experience! If you have no idea what the Road to Hana is, let me briefly explain. It is often stated that the Road to Hana is about the journey, not the destination and I have to 100% agree with that. Basically, the Road to Hana is a scenic drive on the Hana highway in Maui. The drive is filled with many beautiful and interesting places to stop, take photos, grab food, and just fully indulge yourself in the culture. It is an all day adventure, so be sure to have your schedule for the day cleared and you start EARLY in the morning (you don't want to be on those winding roads when the sun goes down!). We saw so many amazingly beautiful places on this drive! Quick tip, if you decide to do it, there's an app for that! We downloaded the Road to Hana app and it was AMAZING! It talked to us the entire time and told us interesting history about the island as well as where we should and should not stop. It was kind of like a tour guide! Gosh, gotta love technology! You can get that app here.

2. Black Sand Beach
So we actually saw this beach on the Road to Hana and it is a huge part of the journey, but it was so memorable that it deserved it's own space. You guys, it was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! The sand was actually black and so soft and just a sight to see! Also at this beach, they had blow holes which I got some amazing videos of. Funny story, I went up to the blow hole with some other touristy people to get a closer look/video. The water went up and completely splashed me and only me! I will never understand how out of all the people, I was the one that got soaked, haha! Great experience nevertheless!

3. Zip lining with the BEST views
This was so much fun! I love going zip lining, but it was something about zip lining next to the ocean that just made the experience that much more fun! Have I mentioned how the views everywhere in Maui are just perfect?

4. Eating Mango Strawberry Bread & Shave Ice
Curious how obsessed we were with this mango strawberry bread? Let's just say we bought one to taste, and ended up stopping back at the bread stand on the way to the airport and we bought four more loafs. Please hold your judgement, haha. The shave (not shaved) ice was really good too! It was so soft and they put gummy bears on the inside of it!

5. Finding a Christmas Ornament Store
Would I be Jamaria if I didn't buy a Christmas ornament in Hawaii as soon as I saw an ornament store? No, I would not. (: My day was officially made after this!

6. Drinking Out of A Pineapple
I was determined to drink out of a pineapple while in Hawaii and it wasn't until the day before we left and I finally found a place! Now, it wasn't anything fancy. Just fresh pineapple juice, but I was happy! My next goal will be to get a real drink in a pineapple!

7. Trying Pineapple Pizza
Keeping with the pineapple theme, I HAD to try pineapple pizza in Hawaii where the pineapples are the absolute best in the world! I am still so sad that I didn't get a chance to buy any to bring home with me! We went to a place called Prison St Pizza and we actually tried a couple different kinds and it was delicious! As for the pineapple pizza, it wasn't terrible, but I haven't added it to my regular rotation or anything. Do you eat pineapple pizza?

8. Attending My First Luau
This was such an awesome experience! It was right on the beach and we actually had a whole show while we had our food. I was able to see the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen and unlimited drinks were included. Can it get any better than that? I will say the next time I go, I would love to experience a more traditional Luau, but this was great also!

So there we have it! 8 of my most memorable Maui moments and I am actually shocked I was able to condense it down to 8! It was such an amazing trip and I cannot wait to go back.