Tag: travel

My Favorite Baby Essentials ! Travel + Everyday <3
Hey guys, I am so excited to finally be able to share this with you guys. So, you guys probably have a good idea that we travel a lot and I mean A LOT! I am pretty blessed to have a child that stays so calm and does absolutely amazing in airplanes, I guess he gets it from his parents or mostly prayers lol . Azlan is about to be 2 years old in November InshAllah and he has traveled quite a bit already ! The first time we traveled with him was from Dallas to Michigan and he was only 2 months old at the time.He has traveled Internationally and Nationally now, i will try to cover everything I have used and loved until now so let me begin.

Nuna MIXX Stroller 499$
So before deciding to purchase a stroller , I did a lot of research and it was so hectic. I ended up going for this because first of all its originally a European brand from Amsterdam but they are global and ship all over the world.When I went to Europe few months ago I saw the most stylish strollers and I was just like uh wow! Its not just the design but the quality of the products is amazing and they will definitely last you longer. I purchased it when Azlan was 3 months old and I ‘ve been using it since and haven’t had a problem once. Took it with me to Europe , traveled to 3-4 different countries with absolutely no worries. Its really hard to talk about but I will just share another instance of how strong this stroller is. Back home in the US, I went to the mall and was crossing the road that clearly had a pedestrian sign on the side and two STOP signs on both side of the road. There was a car on the other stop sign which I thought would obviously stop and let us pass but unfortunately that didn’t happen and I am not sure if he struck us on purpose or a mistake but he didn’t stop until he struck us and it felt like he actually sped up in the end and made sure that we were hit. The whole incident was just terrible and the only thing is that I am so thankful to God that both of us were scratch free and absolutely okay physically lol I am emotionally still definitely scared and shocked. By Law, nothing much could be done because according to the cops no one died lol.. So unless you die or are hurt no one can get a ticket or go to jail for almost running you over but all I could do was file a claim for my stroller which is ridiculous.

My point being that as bad as this incident was , I think a lot of credit goes to a good stroller too because the stroller survived the impact with a dent on it and kept my baby safe. Alhamdulilah. This is when I realized that I made a good decision making this purchase even though it was a bit on the pricy side. Back to the stroller , I am just gonna share some main points that I love about this stroller below:
1. Comes in different colors I went with Black because black is always classy!
2. Tires Come Off If you ever need it to make it fit because the tires are quite big and take up space.
3. Big tires mean they hold up pretty well in snow, rain, sunshine where-ever I have used it in all these weather with no problem at all.
4. Seat bends all the way so your kid can easily sleep.
5. With a slight push off buttons seat can be turned outwards on inwards in case if you want to keep an eye on your little one.
6. Storage place at the bottom is quite spacey.
7. Comfortable for kids , Azlan loves his stroller and is always ready to be in it.
8. Purchased it at Dillard’s because they didn’t have the black color available on their website.
9. Comes with a rain cover.
SKIP*HOP® Chelsea Diaper Bag $99.99 BuyBuy Baby

I am just gonna say it that basically everything that I was buying was a hard decision to make LOL. Just because you have so many choices and you don’t have time to waste money and you just want to buy something that you love and that ‘ll last. This diaper bag has done just that for me I love it , I always get compliments on it and Its definitely lasting seeing that all the chaos it has been through. Lots of pockets to keep you organized and it looks great. Its not only great for putting baby stuff but its got plenty of pockets to keep your essentials and stuff in place as well. I went through two different diaper bags before I invested in this and both of them had starting tearing up and they weren’t even this spacious. Having a spacious, good looking and lasting diaper bag is definitely a necessity and this was it for me.

Munchkin Arm and Hammer Diaper Bag Dispenser 4$

So before I found this “GEM” I used to keep grocery bags with me in a case of emergency where I am not allowed to throw diapers. Of course that is still a bit of weird thing to do to pull out Walmart or Target grocery bags out of my diaper bag lol. So when i found this I was like why didn’t I know that this existed! Seriously, if you are a mom to a newborn or a toddler you better buy this if you travel a lot or even if you go out a lot with your baby , this will really come in handy trust me. Its really easy to use and it smells amazing. I just have it inserted like a keychain onto my diaper bag and its very lightweight you wouldn’t even know its there! Once you run out of it , they sell refills separately which are a lot of them for only about 7$. I love it and it comes in handy every-time and nobody will ever know that there is a diaper in the trash. 🙂 This is available at Target, Walmart etc but I bought it at BuyBuy Baby !

Mommy’s Bliss Gripe Water $9-$10

Usually available at Walmart, Target,Whole Foods. I’ve found it to be the cheapest at Walmart by a $1 not a big difference. I’ve used another brand too but this is my favorite and it works great for Azlan.I’ve been using it since Azlan was an infant still use this even at 22 months , sometimes he eats something such as chickpeas they are known to be gassy and by taking this he stays asleep and doesn’t wake up with tummy aches or gassy tummy.This is a natural product so nothing harmful for your baby. A definitely must have for new moms because if not everyday , there are definitely some days your baby might have a colic or just normal gas problem and this comes really handy.

Babo Botanicals Soothing Diaper Cream $6.65

This is the best rash cream out there. I have tried a couple of different ones but after i tried this never had to buy another one. This seriously works in hours and is formulated with natural ingredients. This is definitely a must have , I bought it at Central Market , I believe its available at Whole Foods as well but if none of those , its available on amazon too. I hope you give this a try , you will not be disappointed I am sure.

Little Martin’s Drawer Baby Nail Trimmer File with Light $29.95 on Amazon

So when Azlan was born, I was really scared of trimming his nails.I was scared that he is gonna move and we are going to be in trouble. This actually really helped me during the early months , I would say until about 4-5 months after that I stopped using and was confident enough to do it without. It actually works pretty good but still if you are not careful it can hurt his skin that comes after when the nail is trimmed.It happened to me once , but if you are new mother and scared like i was definitely give this a try it ‘ll ease your stress. :p

BABYBJORN Baby Carrier Original – Black, Cotton $45.89

This was also one of the purchases I am really proud of . It helped a lot in cold winter Michigan days to keep Azlan warm and right next to me when he was a baby. I used it in Europe as well even when Azlan was around 15 months . The weight limit is 25 lbs so it was working fine for us but not anymore since Azlan is past the weight limit. So with the amount of traveling we do , I think I need to purchase something new because it really helps a lot and makes carrying your baby easier. It washed easily and by itself didn’t weight a lot which made it easier for traveling and very easy to put on and take off .

Car Back Seat Organizer with Tablet Holder by Spinscher $40.47

I purchased this from Amazon a while back before we headed out for Europe. We actually took it with us to Europe as well and it really helped out with the long car trips around. Plenty of space for your kids to keep there stuff and it easily folds and fits anywhere in your luggage and will definitely keep your kid entertained ( with an Ipad inside lol ) for long trips. It even got really dirty at one point because Azlan spilled his milk in the pocket and I washed it in the washer and it has been absolutely fine with no problem to the quality. So, I believe those $40 were totally worth it. It installs in seconds easily around the front seat. Its currently out of stock though. :[

Good luck to all the mamas out there , I hope you guys enjoyed this post and it helped you make some decisions. Post your comments and feedback below if you have any ! 🙂 I will do another post all about how to prepare for traveling with your child soon !

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September 28, 2018
Easy Daal Gosht دال گوشت | Mutton With Gram Lentil
Hello Everyone , Its time to try a new recipe and today I am sharing my recipe of Daal Gosht aka Mutton With Gram Lentil. This is a great recipe for meat lovers and people who love healthy food because gram lentil ( also known as chana daal / split chickpeas ) has tremendous benefits. Majority of lentils are high in protein and also a great source for vitamins and minerals. The sum of protein that exists in lentils is up to 35%, which is equivalent to red meat, fish, poultry as well as dairy products. I hope you try and enjoy this recipe. Don’t forget to watch the video below.

WHAT YOU NEED ( Serves 4-5 people )
- Mutton 1 lbs ( estimate ) (pre-boiled)
- Onion 1 Medium (chopped)
- Gram Lentil 1 cup (pre-boiled)
- Tomatoes 2 (Organic) (chopped)
- Ginger/Garlic Paste 2 TBSP
- Sunflower Oil 1 Cup
- Green Chillies 5-6
- Cilantro For Garnish
- Spices
  - Red Pepper per taste or 1 Tbsp
  - Himalayan Salt per taste
  - Cumin Powder 1 Tbsp
  - Coriander Powder 1 Tbsp
  - Turmeric 1/2 TSP
  - Cumin Seeds 1/2 TSP
  - Black Pepper Sprinkle for Garnish
Instructions
1. Heat oil in pan
2. Add onions fry until golden brown
3. Add green chillies
4. Add ginger/garlic paste
5. ( sprinkle water whenever needed )
6. Add meat
7. Fry meat for 5-10 min
8. Add tomatoes
9. Add spices
10. Fry on medium heat until tomatoes dissolve
11. Add gram lentil
12. Add desired water for gravy
13. Cover pot and leave on low heat for 10-15 min.
14. Garnish with Cilantro and Black Pepper
15. Enjoy with fresh roti or rice.
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June 28, 2018
Tasty Refreshing Lemonade Recipe | Secret Ingredient 😉
Hello Everyone , Summer is almost here on top of that my fellow muslims all around the world are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan so here is a quick and easy recipe of how I make lemonade in my home. The secret ingredient we will use is the black salt and it is what makes this lemonade so good.If you don’t have it you can use regular salt but this is what brings the taste so make sure to buy it later.

Some great benefits of lemonade includes weight loss, detoxification , hydration , helps with indigestion and great source of Vitaminc C.

WHAT YOU NEED ( Serves 4-5 people )
- Lemon Juice 1/2 Cup
- Sugar 1 Cup
- Black Salt 1 Teaspoon
- Water 6-7 Cups
Instructions
1. Add Water To A Jug
2. Add Lemon Juice, Sugar and Black Salt
3. Mix Well
4. Serve Chilled
Don’t forget to watch the video below

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May 31, 2018
Travel : Camping Jungfrau Holiday Park, Lauterbrunnen

Camping Jungfrau Holiday Park

Hello everyone and welcome back. In this post I ‘ll be sharing my experience of our stay at the Camping Jungfrau Holiday Park in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland.

So before I go into details I would just like to stay that when you are in Switzerland , you want to be as close as possible to the nature , open air which is why I would recommend not to go looking for high end hotels. When I found this gem , I thought to myself this is going to be the best trip ever. I have always wanted to camp in a place that offered breath taking views when you wake up and trust me this is it and it ‘ll be worth every penny of yours. Another thing I had to keep in mind was my 17 month old , I obviously couldn’t go in the middle of no where with him and Camping Jungfrau is absolutely child friendly. If that isn’t enough for you then let me just say that Camping Jungfrau received a 9.4/10 on booking.com 2017 Guest Review Award , 4.5/5 on tripadvisor.com 4.6/5 on google reviews , I mean basically everywhere you ‘ll look you ‘ll find nothing but excellent reviews and once you are there you ‘ll see why.

Arriving

We arrive at Genève Aéroport early morning around 7:00 from Belgium. We got our car and left right away for Lauterbrunnen , drive of about 2 hours 20 minutes. There are plenty of fast food and healthy food options along the route but they ‘ll end about around 30 minutes before you are in Lauterbrunnen. You know you have reached Camping Jungfrau Holiday Park when you see the Staubbach Falls. We parked in front of the reception located right next to the restaurant Weidstübli Lauterbrunnenon on site. We arrived around 1:30 pm the reception was on lunch break so we had to wait outside. Luckily somebody came, asked us our information and showed us to our bungalow and kindly asked us to check in once the reception opened around 2:30. That was really nice of them because traveling with a child can be super tiring and that gave us some time to settle in and get some rest. When we went to check in the super friendly staff checked us in as well as helped us decide what to do and see the three days we were going to be there.

Bungalow Details

We got a fully equipped bungalow which included one bedroom with a queen sized bed ( i am guessing ) , the other room had a bunk bed , bathroom with shower area and a full loaded kitchen which included utensils , pots , coffee maker, toaster and a fridge. I think the kitchen was such a great addition for us I was able to warm Azlan’s milk ( my 17th month old ) , make breakfast and tea whenever we needed to relax.

Nearby

Inside the reception there is also a grocery store which has everything that you might need for your stay from fresh milk , eggs to other needs as well as souvenirs. Right next to it there is wonderful restaurant as i mentioned before called Weidstübli Lauterbrunnen. They have a pretty diverse menu to choose from so, I am pretty sure you can find something for even the picky eaters. There is a playground right on property near where the RV’s are parked for kids , which is a great thing if you are traveling with little ones like we did. I think its important to find time to just walk around the area , there is a lot to see as you keep walking obviously the Staubbach Falls is the first thing you’ll see but if you walk towards the left side you ‘ll small family farms along the way take deep breaths and just enjoy nature like its meant to be enjoyed.There is a train station nearby about 10-15 min walk that can take you to nearby towns.

I hope this article helped you guys , if you have any further question while you are planning feel free to ask. Enjoy the photographs and the video tour below.

Photographs have been reduced in size for faster loading.

Jungfrau Holiday Park Video Tour

April 24, 2018
Travel: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel de la Paix, Geneva, Switzerland
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel de la Paix

Arriving

Bonjour tout le monde! On our recent trip to Geneva , we had the pleasure of staying at the Luxurious Ritz Carlton Geneva. My husband and I were trying to decide between Ritz Carlton or The President Wilson hotel, we ended up choosing Ritz Carlton because they always have amazing service. Our last stay at Ritz Carlton was when we went to Honolulu, you can read that post by clicking here.

So the hotel is located on the Quai du Mont-Blanc street , right in front of the Jet d’Eau which is Geneva’s most famous landmark and is easily accessible from the hotel on foot. The location is particularly wonderful because you are in walking distance of plenty of things such as shopping, high rated restaurants , boat rides, cruises , parks etc. Traveling with our 17 month old , ease was always our priority.

Checking In

As we arrived the super attentive and friendly staff checked us in , the manager came and welcomed us as well. Our suite wasn’t ready when we arrived so we had to wait 15-20 min and traveling with a young child is already tough enough but the manager and their staff made sure we were comfortable until our suite was ready, they settled us in into the Living Room Bar & Kitchen which is right across the lobby and offered us free snacks and coffee.We did get a Garden Suite which was nice but we wanted something with the view of Lake Geneva. Unfortunately, they had some tour group coming the same weekend and all of those rooms were booked.

The hotel is very clean, all of their staff is super friendly and always ready to help you out.The hotel is child friendly , we were offered a crib but my son doesn’t really like sleeping in new cribs because he so used to the one at home so we were okay. We had a king bed which was enough for the three of us. I also ran out of whole milk for Azlan and was too tired to go looking for a grocery store so I asked in the lobby instead if they would be able to provide us with a bottle of milk , they did bring us a glass of milk but they didn’t have any bottles which worked out okay for us.

Bed & Bath

In the bathroom Asprey bath amenities are available as well as a hair dryer, scale , robes and slippers. Toilets are separate , Bidet/Muslim shower is also located in the toilet room. Bathroom is equipped with a bath tub and a shower area. Bedroom has a big cozy sofa and the second room also has a sofa bed. Working desk with stationary set , coffee maker and in-room bar is also available in the second room. Other things included were:
- Full-length mirror, iron with ironing board
- Complimentary Wifi was also provided
- Two LCD Televisions With Cable
- Complimentary bottled water is provided daily.
- Room service done twice a day. morning/evening
Getting Around

Just another fyi , there is no ramp at the entrance so you actually have to pick up the stroller to take in and out of the door , the doorman actually helped us pick it up every time we had to go out. Since , we did have a car your only option is to valet park at the hotel, no self parking available because parking is so tight around this area. The car parking costs extra $45 per day which can be pretty expensive. If you have older kids who are good with public transportation then its your lucky day , Ritz Carlton offered each of us a free pass to use for public transportation which can save you a lot of money. Shopping at Rue du Mont-Blanc is only a 5-10 minute walk from the hotel , plenty of restaurants as well as high end brands are available here but obviously a lot of walking is required you can easily spend half or a whole day here. ( To name a few: Louis Vuitton , Hermes, Burberry , Zara , H&M , Guess , Souvenir Stores etc. ) Visit the famous landmark of Geneva located right across the hotel Jet d’Eau or take a stroll in the park. Boat and Cruises are located along the Jet d’Eau park as well , walk around to find the option that fits your schedule the best.

Overall , It was definitely a great experience and stay. I am always in awe of how amazing and helpful the Ritz Carlton staff is , it leaves me speechless every-time. Scroll below to see of my photographs and video tour of the hotel as well as our room. Thankyou for reading if you have questions don’t forget to comment below.

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Watch The Full Video Tour

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April 21, 2018