The Big Move approaches…

As I sit here my mind wanders to a place far, far away, my new home to be exact! All the searching is over, but the journey has just begun. Who knew the process of applying for a mortgage could completely suck the life out of someone?  Bank statements, pay stubs, employment verification, home owners insurance; just to mention of few of the in- depth paper work that is required from the banks. This has been an exhausting process, we have made thousands of copies it seems and signed document upon document to no avail. As we sit in our tiny little cramped apartment, waiting to hear those few important words: “you are approved”, our patients grows thin. But soon it will happen and we will pack our accumulated possessions into boxes and relocate our little family to expanded horizons.

Vocabulary:

Searching: to look for

Journey: to go form place to place

Applying: to request

Employment: a place of work

Required: needed or wanted

Cramped: confined or small space

Accumulated: to gather or collect

Vocabulary Activity: 

Write an application letter to a bank, employer, or school telling them why you are applying for a loan, job or placement. Use at least 3 of the vocabulary words listed above as a part of you application.

Grammar point:

Adjective clauses work like multiword adjectives in the sense that they describe whatever is to the left of it. Adjective clauses usually are introduced by relative pronouns such as who, whose, whom, which, that and where.

Grammar activity:

Underline the adjective clauses in this paragraph then try to find them in your own paragraph.

Dylan Turns 0ne

What an event it is to turn one, to celebrate the first year of your existence!  As a first time parent, not only are you celebrating the joy of your son turning one…but as a survivor of the first year!

I am lucky enough to say that we sailed through the first year pretty unscathed. A few bumps and bruises here and there, but overall we are happy to say we succeeded as parents (for the first year!) And what to do for a one year old birthday party you may ask? Well invite 60 of your closest friends and family to eat and drink the night away. So much fun and so many presents with nowhere to put them, guess they will have to be opened in our new home!

Vocabulary:

Celebrate: to observe with festivities

Existence: to live or be alive

Survivor: someone who remained alive

Unscathed: not affected by something

Succeeded: to happen as desired

Lucky: to have good fortune

Vocabulary Activity: 

Look at the vocabulary words above and create new words using the existing letters from each word. Do not use any letters twice!

e.g. 1. Celebrate- tree

Grammar point:

Verbs are “doing words” or “action words”. Although many verbs may describe actions (e.g. hit, sit), some verbs describe oher meanings such as existence (e.g. be, become), mental conditions and processes (e.g. believe, think) and relationships (e.g. depend)

Grammar activity:

Look for all the verbs in this paragraph. Now see if you can define/categorize them using the grammar point above.

Victoria Bay

This is a picture of Victoria Bay, a small cove beach on the coast of South Africa on the Garden route where I grew up. The warm water washes up on the white sand beaches and coral filled rock.

If you drive up the small, windy road to the top of the hill, the views will take your breath away. Every year the whales return during mating season, and you can sit on the porch watching this spectacle of nature.

Vocabulary:

Cove: small indent on the shoreline of the ocean

Coast: land next to the sea

Season: one of the four periods of the year

Coral: hard, brightly colored marine life

Porch: exterior covered area leading to front door.

Spectacle: impressive view

Vocabulary Activity: 

Use at least two of the vocabulary words listed above and write about a place you remember going to as child.

Grammar point:

An adjective clause works like a multiword adjective. It modifies the word to the left(usually a noun.

Grammar activity:

Pick out any adjective clauses from this paragraph. Now pick out the adjective clauses form your own writing piece.

The Best/Worst experience in my life

I would have to say that the most amazing experience in my life was the birth of my son. Although the individualized experience of childbirth itself was traumatizing to say the least, the bond between mother and child is instantaneous and most gratifying.

As a mother my life has made such a dramatic switch, this is not easily described in words. Some adjectives that come to mind are as follows: amazing, exhausting, painful, exhausting (repeated due to exhaustion), gratifying, joyful, happiest moment on my life, and the list goes on.

I remember something my mother had said to me a long time ago, in one of our many conversations about children and how it would one day change my life completely. She told me that from this moment on I would never be alone again…this turned out to be very true as life is certainly different and I do feel as though I have not been alone, not even in the bathroom!

THE HAPPIEST DAY OF OUR LIVES...

This also brings me to the worst experience of my life, Childbirth. This was most definitely not something that someone can ever be fully prepared for. There is no certain outcome; there are also no definite answers to the many questions one might have. I was able to come to only one conclusion after the birth of my son, every birth plan will be different and every mother will have a different ability to tolerate pain, but the pain will be washed away by the bond and joy that is delivered that day.

Vocabulary:

Childbirth: when a woman gives birth to a baby

Traumatizing: something that is scary or upsetting

Instantaneous: immediately or at this very moment.

Gratifying: makes one happy or gives pleasure.

Conversations: dialogue between two or more people.

Conclusion: the end or final

Bond: something that binds or holds together.

Vocabulary Activity: 

Use the vocabulary words above to write full sentences of your own.

Grammar point:

Coordinating conjunctions are linking words that combine two or more independent clauses. Some examples are as follows: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (FANBOYS)

Grammar activity:

Write  a paragraph about the worst or best experience of your life be mindful of the conjunctions you use in  your story see if you can underline all the conjunctions you use..