photo credit: jonycunha

GENERALLY SPEAKING,

YOU AREN’T LEARNING MUCH

WHEN YOUR LIPS ARE MOVING.

photo credit: Iain Farrell

Thanksgiving time is for families and friends to get together and be thankful for all their blessings bestowed upon them during the last year, and throughout their life.

I am very grateful for having a wonderful, loving family, and for all the blessings we all are enjoying.  Being a grandmother is the most rewarding experience in the world, and right now, my husband and I are blessed with two beautiful grandchildren, and more to come in the future.

I am also very thankful for all my friends whom I personally know, and all of my blog readers.

THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH for visiting my site, leaving comments, and being part of my everyday life, connected via Internet.

This December I will celebrate my 2nd Blogging Anniversary, and am very pleased to inform you that my readership started with 600 visits per month, and currently it stands at 4500, and growing.

ALL THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!

Besides  this blog, suburbangrandma.com is also actively connected through Facebook and Twitter.

I am equally thankful to all my followers from Facebook (95 as of this post), and Twitter (69 and growing).

If you enjoy reading my posts, please keep the list growing by becoming my follower, and spread the word to your family and friends.

My readers come from 89 countries, all over the globe, so today I would like to list the top ten, as per the Analytics Report, and thank everyone for their time and loyalty:

1. United States of America
2. Canada
3. United Kingdom
   
4. Australia
5. India
6. Philippines
   
7. Brazil
8. Ukraine
9. Germany
10. Netherlands

Seeing these results fuels me with additional energy, perseverance, and a definite continued dedication of my time and effort, to keep my blog going that much stronger.

H A P P Y   T H A N K S G I V I N G!!!

You already are familiar with the different aspects of the Ukrainian and Jewish culture and traditions mentioned in the Ukrainian-Jewish wedding post, which  I shared with you previously.

Today, I will quote from the Wedding Ceremony Program booklet, prepared by the Bride and Groom, especially for their wedding, to give you a better understanding of the similarities between the Byzantine and the Jewish wedding ceremony traditions.

Expression of Free Will

In Byzantine Rite, a couple seeking to wed must proclaim their free entrance into the sacrament of matrimony prior to reaching the tetrapod, the small table at the front of the church upon which the Gospel and the Cross rest.  After affirming their free will, the couple then proceeds to the tetrapod together, symbolizing their shared desire to be united as husband and wife.

Similarly in the Jewish tradition, the wedding couple proceeds down the aisle together side by side as their expression of free will.

In the Jewish tradition, after the wedding couple meets at The Huppah, they circle each other three or seven times.  The number seven represents the number of days in which the world was created and the number of blessings that are recited during the ceremony.  The circling represents the walls of protection the wedding couple is building around each other and symbolizes the intertwined nature of their lives from this day forward.

In Byzantine tradition circling is done later on during the ceremony, and it takes place around the tetrapod.

Prayer of Betrothal/Kiddushin

The Prayer of Betrothal, the Prayer of Engagement, or Kiddushin, derives from an earlier time in which the engagement ceremony was a separate ceremony from the wedding.  This occurred with both the traditional Byzantine and Jewish weddings.

Today, the two parts are joined together in a single service with The Betrothal immediately preceding The Wedding. The Prayers of Betrothal ask God to bless the engagement of the Groom and Bride and the sanctification of a man and a woman to each other.

First Cup of Wine

During the traditional Jewish wedding, two cups of wine are drunk. The first is during the Kiddushin stemming from the word holiness, and symbolizing joy. The second is drunk later during the wedding ceremony, and after the Seven Blessings are recited.  This second cup symbolizes uniqueness and the sanctity of marriage.  The Kiddush cup used at this wedding belongs to the Groom’s father, and has been used many times over the years during Passover Sedars and dinners. Included in the blessing of this cup of wine is The Betrothal Blessing and Bircat Erusin.

The Exchange of Rings

In the  Byzantine Rite, the exchange of rings takes place during the Betrothal, as followed at  this wedding. The rings symbolize God’s union with the marrying couple, an unbroken circle representing a pure and eternal union.  The Priest is the one to first place the rings on the hands of the Groom and Bride.  The Priest only slides the ring halfway down the hand, so the Groom and Bride may affirm their commitment to each other by completing the placement of the ring.  Once exchanged, the rings serve as a visible symbol of the endless love and union that exists between husband and wife, and God.  The rings further remind the couple that in married life, the weakness of one partner will be compensated by the strength of the other, that by themselves the newly betrothed are incomplete, but together, and with the blessing of God, they compliment each other, and are complete.

In the Jewish tradition, this is the central act of the Kiddushin, where the husband “gives” the ring to the Bride who “accepts” it.  The husband would place the ring on the bride’s right index finger.  By taking the ring on her most active finger, the bride demonstrates that she accepts it not as a gift but as a binding transaction.  The bride would then reposition the ring on the finger and location of her choosing.

The Prayer of Union/Nissuin

Both the Byzantine and Jewish weddings have two distinct parts.  The first part is known as The Betrothal. In Byzantine weddings , The Prayer of Union, distinguishes this first part from the upcoming second part called The Wedding.  This Prayer recalls the origins and meaning of marriage.

This second half of the ceremony in Hebrew is called Nissuin, which literally translates as “marriage”

The Exchange of Vows

Prior to exchanging their vows, the Groom will place his hand on a prayer book used by his father, and the Bride will place her hand on the Gospel.  By doing this, they emphasize that their wedding is not strictly between them but also it is a promise to God.

In a traditional Jewish wedding, a Ketubah, or marriage contract, is signed.  The Ketubah outlines the rights, privileges, and obligations that the Groom and Bride assume toward each other as husband and wife.  An interfaith Ketubah will be signed today as symbol of the Groom and Bride’s commitment to each other.

The Crowning

The crowning in the Byzantine Rite is the pinnacle of The Wedding.  The wreaths symbolize an eternal circle, eternal life, unity, and oneness.  The wreaths are made of or myrtle.  Since myrtle is always green, it symbolizes that the marriage is eternally alive.  The wreaths are woven together symbolizing the lives of the Groom and Bride are now woven together, starting at the marriage, into something new.

During crowning, the Priest places the wreaths upon the heads of the Groom and Bride, to signify that they are the King and Queen of their new kingdom – their new life together.  Accepting the crowns, the couple promises to live a life of honor and love in God.

In the  Jewish tradition, the Bride is considered to be the Queen, and the Groom to be a King, as written in Psalms(45:10): “The queen stand on your right hand in fine gold of Ophir.” The “fine gold” refers to a wedding band which was traditionally made out of gold.  And like this Psalm, the Groom and Bride will leave the church with the Bride on Groom’s right side.

Bestowal of Candles

The Priest hands the Groom and Bride each a candle to hold.  The candles symbolize God’s light in the world.  The Priest will punctuate this by blessing Groom and Bride with the signing of the cross.

Sharing the Common Cup

In remembrance of Christ’s first miracle a the wedding at Cana, Groom and Bride share a wine from a common cup.  The wine symbolizes the sweetness of God’s love.  By drinking the wine, Groom and Bride acknowledge their intention to share everything in life, and bear one another’s burdens.  “Their joys will be doubled, and their sorrows halved, because they will be shared.”  This cup of wine will be drunk after The Seven Blessings are recited.

The Seven Blessings (Sheva Brachot)

The Seven Blessings celebrate the creation of the world, Israel and the Jewish people, and Groom and Bride’s happiness together.  After the blessings, Groom and Bride will drink the second cup of wine in celebration of the blessings of The Common Cup, and for the Seven Blessings.

These Seven Blessings locate the Groom and Bride under the Huppah within the whole flow of Jewish history and theology including creation, Eden, Zion, redemption, and Jerusalem. The wedding becomes a fulcrum of time defining the center point between creation and redemption. All three of these “moments” -the beginning, the wedding, and the end, all share the same wholeness, sweetness, and the unambiguous presence of  God.  Judaism has no concept of individual redemption; we will each find Eden only when all human beings find Eden.  The Sheva Brachot beneath The Huppah provides a glimpse into that redeemed, peace-filled, love-blessed place and time.

The Ceremonial Walk

The ceremonial walk, also called the “Dance of Isaiah”, celebrates the first steps of the young couple as husband and wife. The Priest binds the right hands of the Groom and Bride with a ceremonial towel, known as “rushnyk”. Led by God in the person of the Priest, Groom and Bride then walk around the tetrapod three times.  These three circles symbolize the unending journey of husband and wife guided by  God.  This also symbolizes the circling that is traditionally done in the Jewish wedding when the Groom and Bride first enter the Huppah.

The Removal of The Crowns

The Priest removes the crowns/wreaths, blessing the newlywed couple.

Blessing of the Newlywed Couple

The Priest bestows a culminatory blessing upon Groom and Bride.

Churching of The Newlyweded Bride and Ave Maria

As Ave Maria is sung, the Bride walks over to the icon of the Virgin Mary. The Bride offers The Mother Of God a gift of flowers, thanking her for the Bride’s husband.  Then the Priest says a special prayer just for the Bride.

Breaking of the Glass

At the end of the ceremony, the Groom will step on a glass, breaking it.  This Jewish custom dates back to the writing of the Talmud, a holy Jewish text, and there are many different meanings and symbolism regarding it.

A bittersweet explanation is that even on this joyous occasion, we cannot forget the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem, and must be mindful that there is still destruction, war, and hatred in our world. It’ s our responsibility to help bring healing, and the breaking of the glass is at this time an expression of hope for a future free of all violence.

A more personal explanation is that the breaking of the glass reminds us that like the glass, human relationships are fragile, maintaining marriage requires great care, and the hope for a marriage that will never break.

A more whimsical interpretation is that this is the last time the Groom gets to “put his foot down”.

The meaning that we like the most is that this marriage can only be dissolved when all the pieces of glass are glued back together, meaning never!

When the Groom breaks the glass, everyone shouts “Mazel Tov”, which means Congratulations!!

photo credit: cdsessums

I enjoy reading about natural ways of helping our body to stay healthy, heal itself, and even cure itself of various ailments.  The pharmacists in my family do not support my theory of homeopathic treatments, and have a rather very strong opposition towards these type of remedies.

However, I came across an article once, which stated that grapefruit juice does not mix well with some medications, and here is what my daughter told me from her professional medical knowledge:

“It is true that Grapefruit and grapefruit juice prevent metabolism of many medications and it would make sense that it also inhibits metabolism of other things.  However, I don’t believe that estrogen is metabolized by the CYP450 enzyme system in the liver as there are no food-drug interactions of estrogen replacement medications and grapefruit products”.

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice, being natural food items, are good for you for one thing, but could also be bad at other times.  This type of news  makes me think twice about other natural ways of healing, but then again, one should always check with a medical professional, before trying to treat themselves in any way, whether is it naturally or chemically.

My parents and grandparents had a broad knowledge of numerous herbs, and their myriad applications to treat the common cold, soar throat, headache, backache, skin conditions, and even prepare natural hair coloring products.

I am a strong believer is the power of garlic, and a bowl of homemade  chicken soup, plus lots of hot herbal tea with honey, to help the system fight the common cold.   If it will not help you,  it sure will not hurt anything.

Actually, my own pediatrician told me that the best cough syrup for children over 12 months old (children under 12 months should not consume honey), is a mixture of 2-1 ratio of honey and fresh lemon juice, administered by 1-2 teaspoons every couple of hours. I used this natural syrup on my children, and it was quite helpful, and it tasted good as well.

My mom would always prepare for us some hot Chamomile tea with honey, to sooth an achy stomach, or to calm us down before bed time.

A friend of mine from India, suggested a tea made out of hot water and 1/8 teaspoon of Turmeric powder, to get rid of laryngitis. It is not the most tasteful mixture, but I used it for about 3 days, and it definitely helped me to get my voice back.

Vick’s Vapor Rub is another “friend” of mine.  When my sinuses are really bothering me, I massage it gently, before bed time,  into my sinus area in my upper cheeks, cover that area with a warm, damp wash cloth and a heating pad, and it feels very soothing and relaxing, and definitely helps to clear the air passages, thus relieve stuffiness.

My neighbor told me that she chews on Peppermint leaves, rather than chewing gum.  I does create a nice refreshing feeling you your mouth.

Also, to prevent motion sickness, it is helpful to chew on fresh ginger root. And when flying with small children, to prevent their ears from popping, due to the change in air pressure, let them suck on a pacifier.  Chewing gum,  helps adults to avoid this temporary annoying discomfort.

My grandmother had a Linden tree in her yard, and picked off the blooms, sun dried them, and made tea from these,  to sooth an annoying dry cough.

However, once should be very cautious about herbs, and learn its origin, as some of these might be grown in less than healthy or even sanitary conditions, thus exposed to contamination.  

Herbs are not controlled by the FDA, so you have to do the homework before you buy them, and use them.

Your own herb garden is the best place to get your herbs from.

I would be curious to hear about your home remedies, which you have used and found helpful.  Please share them with all of us.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mothers and Mother’s-to-be.

Please enjoy this breathtaking poem.

A baby asked God,

‘They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow,

but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?’

God said,

‘Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you.’

The child further inquired,

‘But tell me, here in heaven I don’t have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy.’

God said,

‘Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel’s love and be very happy.’

Again the child asked,

‘And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don’t know the language?’

God said,

‘Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear,

and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.’

‘And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?’

God said,

Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.’

‘Who will protect me?’

God said,

‘Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life.’

‘But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.’

God said,

‘Your angel will always talk to you about Me

and will teach you the way to come back to Me,

even though I will always be next to you.’

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven,

but voices from Earth could be heard

and the child hurriedly asked,

‘God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel’s name.’

God said,

‘You will simply call her, ‘Mom.’

photo credit: worak

There are those of you out there who actually enjoy organizing, sorting and cleaning, and I am a member of your club.

I remember back from by younger years, how I just loved helping my mom with folding laundry, washing windows,  and gardening.  This habit stayed with me all these years, and still going strong.  You probably will think that I’m crazy, but I get such a great feeling from finishing a cleaning task I undertake.

I don’t obsess with cleaning, by no means, but I have a favorite slogan, which I love to share:

“This house is dirty enough to be happy, but clean enough to be healthy”.

My spring cleaning usually starts a few weeks before Easter, another habit passed on to me  by my mom, and it includes washing all the curtains and all be bedding, rearranging of the furniture,  vacuuming meticulously with attachments into all the corners missed during regular cleaning, vacuuming the upholstered furniture, cleaning out closets, and filling up bags with items to give away, or to ship to relatives abroad, and of course, washing windows.

Washing windows and sliding doors is always such a challenge, because it looks like you have done a great job, until the sun hits it just so, and shows you all the nasty streaks you left behind.  Don’t you agree?

Well, this year I splurged on a very useful tool to help me with this job, and it was wonderful.

Not only I was able to finish the job in half the time, there were hardly any streaks left behind…I was so relieved!

This simple tool, is a squeegee which I purchased at a local grocery store:

It is not a very sophisticated tool (I wish I invented it), but it was my best friend during this year’s spring cleaning.

It’s actual name is “Shower Squeegee”, manufactured by Quickie Mfg. Corp, and best of all, the cost is under $5, so how can you go wrong with that?

My windows came out great, and I use it regularly to clean  my sliding doors.  I even tried it on my bathroom mirrors and shower doors.

My daughter owns an upgraded version, one with a telescopic handle (f0r those hard to reach areas), a sponge on one side and the straight edge on the other side.  Hers is more expensive, but money well spent.

So, if you dredge doing windows, as they need to be done more than once per year, I recommend investing in some type of a squeegee, and your job will be a breeze.  Believe me, you will come back and thank me!

This is a must have tool not just for cleaning regular  windows, but also car windows, and shower walls.

If you have a favorite tool to ease your spring cleaning job, please feel free to share it with us.

 photo credit: Torley

Experience

is something

you don’t get

until

just after

you need it.

Wow….it seems like I was just working on my first post about The Fat Smash Diet, introducing you to the whole routine, and now we have completed all the most important steps, learned lots of great lessons about food and portion control, got into our daily exercise routine, and posses some great lessons for life.

That is a sure thing.

Don’t you agree?

These are our accomplishments:

• We have Detoxed our body
• Laid a super Foundation
• Constructed a routine
• Built a Temple for Life

All is left to do now is to “Practice what we Preached“, and if we slip and fall occasionally, we know that is fine and totally fixable.

We have the tools we need, the willpower to do it, and the determination to keep it up.  We already know the rewards.

Enjoy the New You!

Happy trails!

Stay happy and healthy!

Share all you have learned, with your family and friends!

photo credit: UggBoy ( have fun doing it )

On St. Patrick’s Day EVERYONE feels Irish, especially those who like to drink beer, since  green beer is plentiful that day.

My son-in-law is of Irish and Dutch decent, so he and my daughter always host St. Patrick’s Day party for their family and friends.  My husband and I also attend, and enjoy spending some fun time with everyone (there is always lots of great food and plenty of drinks).

I bet you thought I will post another recipe, but this time I decided to post this wonderful poem:

AN IRISH FRIENDSHIP WISH

May there always be work for your hands to do

May your purse always hold a coin or two

May the sun always shine on your windowpane

May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain

May the hand of a friend always be near you

May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!!!

photo credit: joannapoe

Super job!!!!

We are about to complete the Construction Phase of The Fat Smash Diet.

Time to compare notes with our conscience, and pat ourselves on the back for doing a great job, eating healthy and keeping in motion, and most of all feeling so much better.

We have been doing so well with all the fruits and vegetables, and controlled food portions, so in this phase it is time for some rewards.  Enjoy some of the SWEETS we have been avoiding.  However, we still need to keep in mind the portion size.  Instead of eating 5 cookies we should allow ourselves only 2-3.

Also, those of you who missed their alcohol, check out the selection below….surprise….you can now enjoy a glass of wine, or a beer, or a mixed drink.  Watch the volume!

Now that we trained our body to require smaller portions of food, but receive it more often (4-5 times per day), there is no need to go for the super-sized portions, seconds, or fill our plate to the rim.  Now we need to keep up with everything we learned and discipline ourselves not to fall back into the trap of bad eating habits.

If for any reason, you had some weak moments, and stopped following the plan, thus gained some weight back, do not panic, it can be fixed.

All you have to do to get back on track, is to go back to Phase I until you have lost the weight you gained back, then go an extra day on Phase I, then go back to Phase III.  Can’t get any easier!

In this phase, Dr. Smith is suggesting to dedicate one day per week to foods from Phase II, just to shake your body from its comfortable routine, which may also contribute to a greater weight loss.  He also suggests to do a “two-a-day” routine, which means double your daily exercise routine, one in the morning and one in the evening, to burn more calories.

In case some of you still did not decide to buy the book, I am providing you with a new list of foods for this phase.  Just remember that all the foods from previous phases are staying, and we are adding new ones.  That is the whole beauty of this Fat Smashing Diet.

Here are the additional selections of daily servings:

MEATS:
(portions are 5 oz, which is equivalent to a deck and a half of playing cards.  All these meats and fish are baked or broiled, NOT FRIED)

• Chicken without the skin
• Turkey  without skin
• Ground Beef:  EXTRA lean or ground sirloin
• Sirloin steak
• Lamb
• Turkey Sausage – 1 link
• Turkey Bacon – 2 slices
• Regular Bacon – 1 slice

SEAFOOD:

• Halibut, Tuna, Salmon, Snapper, Striped Bass, etc. – 3 oz. servings
• Shrimp – 4 large
• Mussels – 3 oz
• Oysters – 6-12
• Clams – 3

EGGS:

• 4 egg whites or
• 2 whole egg- scrambled, boiled, or poached

MILK and CHEESE:

• 3 cups of low-fat, skim, or soy milk
• 2 oz. of cheese (2 slices)

PASTA and BREAD:

• Whole wheat pasta – 1 cup
• Whole wheat/whole grain/pumpernickel bread – 4 thin slices
• Whole wheat/multi-grain English muffins – 1

DESSERTS:

(one dessert per day.  Cookies at the silver dollar size)

• Chocolate chip cookies – 3
• Gingersnaps – 4
• Oatmeal raisin cookies – 2
• Peanut butter cookies – 2
• Whole graham crackers – 2
• Low-fat ice cream – 1 scoop
  

AlCOHOL

(one choice of one serving per day )

• Wine – 6 oz
• Beer – 12 oz
• Mixed drink – 4 oz

SNACKS:

• Small brownie – 1
• Licorice – 1/2 of small pack
• Sherbet – 1/2 cup
• Chocolate Pudding, sugar-free, made with low-fat milk – 1/2 cup, plus 2 Tbs whipped topping
• Melba toast – 4 slices

EXCLUDED FOODS:

• White rice
• White Potatoes
• WhiteBread/English muffins
• White pasta
• White flour
• Pasties, donuts, Danish
• Cake
• Regular Soda
• Milkshakes
• Frappucinos or cappuccinos
• Cafe latte