Craziest Holiday of US-Thanksgiving day!

What a fantastic holiday this was!..Last year, I was here for Thanksgiving, but I found the whole idea of getting up at an ungodly hour in the morning and running for deals and standing in a long queue a bit foolish. Also arnav was too small and it was too cold and windy so we were looking only for online deals.people were purchasing at so very fast rate that till we think and decide to buy it... its over....items were out of stock!

I don't know what brought about the transition, but We were quite excited to do major shopping this year. For all those who don't know, Thanksgiving is the biggest holiday in the US. We get 4 days holiday! The limelight of this holiday is the Black Friday Sales.Major shops all over US offer items at cheap, discounted prices. Most of the shops open at 6am Friday morning and offer early bird sale.Few open at 12 AM like macy's,Kohls.JC penny, Sears etc However, people who want to buy costly items such as laptops, stand in the line from Thursday evening or early night.Crazy na? But I think it's understandable. I mean, if I am getting a 800$ laptop for 500$ bucks, even I would stand in the line.The details of these deals are released on certain websites such as this and this. Your local newspaper sold on the previous day also contains details about all the deals.

We purchased the newspaper Thursday eve weighing around 3kgs from walgreens. I even took a snap of the width of the paper. We sorted out all needed deals and jotted down what we wanted to buy from where. While browsing on the bestbuy website, I came across a cool deal for a lenova laptop. We immediately bought it for the gift for mom and dad.

In walmart event 1 was going to open at 8PM.Nikhil was in shop from 6.PM only as we had heard when deal opens people immediately runs and grab it.If you will reach by 8 then everything is over.Also we wanted to purchase TV and deal was going to open by 10 PM but line started from 7PM only so nikhil again came home to pick me and arnav as it was impossible from him alone to run everywhere...Finally at 8 we got vaccum cleaner,slow cooker, Mini chopper,few rubbermaid utensils and big collage frame...

At 10.PM event 2 was open and finally we got 40 inch big LCD TV....that was most happiest moment for us...we also purchased 2 digital frames,1 portable DVD player,Game-Lego for arnu,nice pair of winter shoes for me,a pair of CD's,Blu-Ray player,1 TB hard disc and HDMI cable....We thoroughly enjoyed shopping and running here and there....I was planning to buy towels as they were just for 1 dollar but till I reach there all were gone!...I was bit disappointed but considered myself lucky as we got big Emerson TV at very good price.

We were planning to at least drive to Best Buy, toys R us ,and oxmoor mall at 12am,to see the line as we had heard that people actually put up tents outside these shops! but were totally exhuasted as were standing in long queue at walmart for billing.

Next on the list was Cyber monday...Again cyber monday is like only online deals mainly on amazon are opened from sunday evening or night which continues till early morning of monday but here also you need to decide fast and book it immediately otherwise everything is gone! We picked up a MP3 player, Ipad Accessories.. I was eagerly eyeing the Fabberware 14pc non-stick cookware set sold for 50$,and pressure cooker indian style sold at macy's when Nikhil reminded that we possibly couldn't carry all the items to India whenever we went. I was really sad to let such a fabulous deal slip out and also health of nikhil was not good...but yes next year will surely plan for buying it!

It was very, very cold the very next day...otherwise was planning to visit winter wonderland parade,christmas celebration at Galt house in downtown... but instead we visited kohls and macy's clicked few snaps shopped miscellaneous items and returned home...that day rush was so much that  it was impossible to find parking. We shopped for 6 hours...We both were very happy with all the shopping and most importantly we didn't buy unnecessary stuff. Over all a great shopping experience that I will never forget. :) Eagerly waiting for next thanksgiving to shop little more and have lots and lots of fun.....

Letter to husband on 3rd wedding anniversary....

Today is my three year wedding anniversary with my wonderful husband, So I wanted to take some time to thank him for everything he has done for me and continues to do for me.The simplest way of expressing love to him is by penning down a beautiful love letter conveying all my heartfelt emotions.He may not always think so, but I love him fiercely and appreciate everything he does for our little family.

Hope This trick will work excellently in our wedding life to keep the flame of love burning with love. If you are also planning to surprise your husband with a sweet gift like me then, like this letter will serve your purpose in the best way....

I will say, the moment I met him for first time, is as fresh in my memory as when it happened.I hope that I will always be able to remember it this way!It seems like an eternity ago when I first heard his voice on the other end of the phone line. A short time after that first phone conversation, we met and the rest is history. I didn’t know that after marriage god will immediately gift us with a beautiful baby boy, but I’m sure glad that God had that planned for us.Every day since then has been simply amazing and different.We don’t have a fairy tale romance and our life isn’t perfect.We fight and argue sometimes, but we get through it and at the end of the day we love each other and that’s all that matters. I’m not sure what the future holds for us, but at least we will experience it together.

I just want to thank you for the things you do.  You work so hard to support our family and I just want you to know that even though I may not say it, I do appreciate it.

Thank you.For being my husband, for being a hard worker, for being supportive, and most importantly, being a wonderful father to our son.He adores you and that makes me love you even more.

Dear hubby,

I clearly remember...When I was a little girl, I played make believe.

I pretended to cook and clean and to be a Mamma to my baby dolls. (I did not role play walking around Walmart with a screaming toddler,because there are some things that you must experience to truly appreciate).
But in my naive mind, I imagined a man, a husband. He was brave and strong and very handsome.And he loved me.
It was a dream.
And some might call this a silly fairy tale or the immature longings of a girl.....
But I call it my life....real truth of life...
Because you are the man of my dreams.
You are the first to hold me when I am afraid.
You are my encourager when I doubt myself.
You are the one who made me a Mother.
You are also the one who still leaves his clothes on the floor. he he he.. (Just keeping it real).

Now I am not a little girl anymore. I am a woman and you are a man.
But I can’t help but think of the things I didn't dream about….
I didn't dream that I would hear my husband praying over me, feeling sad when doctor informed me that I suffer badly with hail lot of things.....
I didn't dream that my husband would take care of my baby far more than me besides working in office for hours together...
I didn't dream that my husband would face his own personal battle without uttering a single unwanted word to me even though I get angry on him "n" number of times for silly reasons....
I didn't dream that my man would be an angel for me, delivering sweet tea in my moments of need....

Today is our 3rd anniversary..And more than anything, I want you to know that I love you more than I ever dreamed.
You are a man among men.You stand out as you lead our family.You are my heart, my life, my best friend, my soul mate.
You are unique and beautiful.
And you are mine.

Happy 3rd anniversary dear... I cried today and felt shameful regarding my everyday irritating behaviour with u still how can u be so very nice and kind hearted person ever met....
And this reason alone, makes you a hero in my world. I am so proud of you.
Thank you for making my dreams come true....

Here’s to many more wonderful anniversaries together.

I love you.
I love you because you make me smile.
I love you because your eyes shine when you look at me.
I love you because you mean the world to me.
I love you because every time I look your way my heart misses a beat.
I love you because without you I would be lost.
I love you because you have taught me the true meaning of love.
I love you because you are you. I love you because..........

Truth is I could fill a million pages of reasons I love you, but I rather be spending that time with you.

You are the man beyond my dreams, the man I wanted to marry, the man I would marry again, the first one I think about when I wake up and the last one I think about when I go to bed.

Thank you for being there with me through the very thick and thin moments of life, I cannot imagine a life without you.

Thank you for always being by my side through life creating journey's we will some day tell to our kids as big adventures.. I know when I need someone you will be there. Thank you for being the one I can count on and trust with even my darkest fears and biggest dreams. I would pick no one besides you to be my partner in life.---thanku for being there 4 me!

As the years go by, I stop and think about all the memories we've made, the good times we've shared and the love between us that keeps growing. You are a blessing from above - one that I do not take for granted. I thank you for all the things that you've done for me and the kid. Not only are you a wonderful husband, you're a terrific father, provider and caregiver. You give so freely to all those you know in such a loving way. Your generosity is inspiring! I love you, .. more than words, more than life. I'm forever grateful for your love and proud to be your wife.

Yours and only yours...
Supriya...

Travel down memory lane....Dear me at sweet 20

Today morning had chat with my college friend....my mind travelled back to those golden days....remembered,laughed on stories and life when I was 20 years old....so decided to write letter to myself so as to cherish my life when I was 20 as blogging activity.

Dear self at sweet 20,

You are going to hate me for this. I have put on 30 to 40 pounds since I was you... Well, it wasn’t all those lovely samosas I gorged on in college, nor the yummy masala pav,pav bhaji and dabeli along with goli vada pav near station..I met this really cute guy three years back who took me to all those lovely cafes. I had nice chubby cheeks when I got married.very happy and contented to marry with nikhil....relaxed and thought all my dreams have come true! If that wasn’t enough, I befriended all the foodies in the world.  And now my post pregnancy weight refuses to vanish....and hail lot of problems now Iam suffering badly being overweight since 16th-oct-2012 and doctor has strictly adviced me to reduce my weight.

However, you will be proud to hear my accomplishments.I selected a good career for myself and worked at Infosys for almost 3 years. I earned a decent income. That must be a relief to hear. I mean, when I was you, I would ask for pocket money every single day to my most lovable dad.I was quite shameless.

I got married in 2009 and was blessed with a prince in 2010. We named him arnav. He is a cute monster. I and my husband often worry how he will turn out when he’s a teenager. If he becomes anything like me, I am in for trouble.he he he just joking! Iam not that bad!

Thanks to Arnu and my marriage, I am more attached to my mother. I still dote on my father, but it’s mom’s voice I want to hear first on the phone, it’s mom to whom I want to tell all my complaints of my son. And I know she understands just as I understand her much better. A rebellious 20-year old always got angry when mom told her to do something; but the mom in me now empathizes with my mother.

I clearly remember that age 20 was dangerous apart from being sweet...I used to worry with hail lot of problems...about exams.about whom I will be getting as life partner and about future...still would be full of fun and Joy...

Do you remember how I never, ever set foot in my mom’s kitchen? I was determined that I would earn well enough to hire a cooking maid. God, I still shiver remembering my mom’s fits when she would proclaim that I would never find a good groom or kill my family due to hunger. Well, I was headed along that path but something changed in me. I guess I wanted to cook for the man I love. But you would be shocked to hear that I started a food blog sometime back. Though it has attained bit of dormancy now, it still has a good number of visitors and recently Iam planning to start it once again and participate in blog events with onset of this auspicious occassion of deepavali.

I am now in the US with my family. I have a set routine and responsibilities. My problems are very much different from the ones I had when I was you. Back then I would worry about completing assignments at the nth hour, KT’s, getting caught by putting someone’s proxy, convincing parents for staying out late at night. Now, my problems include what to cook for dinner, planning my baby's food and related habits, nagging my husband to complete his chores. You would think that my life is quite boring. But I like it the way it is. I am happy and content.

When I was you, I wanted life to continue the way it was for the rest of my life. I didn’t have a care or worry in the world. Life, as I knew it, meant college, friends, bunking lectures, using four letter words, throwing rockets on professors, watching movies in really cheap theatres, teasing each other silly with some cute guy, calling friends the minute after reaching home to “discuss something important we learnt that day”, going to vidyavihar station for xeroxing entire books a month before the exams, studying till late hours preparing for exams, wearing the same dress for all papers because it proved lucky, and then biting our nails while waiting for the results,worshiping god during exam day and hail lot of things.

If I could turn back time, I would love to relive just another day, any day from my 20 year life. I would love to wake up one day and discover that I am 20 and be able to do all the things I did in college.

So adios, my friend. It was good being you. I don’t have a single regret.

Luv,
The spirit of you, but a teeny bit mature