Skype Shower

So my overachieving lawyer turned yoga instructor sister is having a baby.  Last year, she and her husband moved to Boulder, Colorado.  While we are very excited she is having a baby, it is difficult having her so far away.

Over Christmas, she and her husband, Dylan came to New York and stayed with me.  And then they extended their stay.    The day after Christmas snowstorm left them stranded in NY.  While I enjoyed having them with me for the extra five days, they were quite frustrated with the situation.  Because of this situation, she decided she could not come back to NY for a shower before the baby was born.

This left my mother and I in a predicament.  How were we going to have a baby shower without my sister?   The answer to our predicament…SKYPE.  We decided to have a luncheon at my mom’s house with all our family and friends.  During the luncheon, Jean will appear via Skype to open her gifts and say hello.

The shower is scheduled for the end of March.  After we have the virtual shower, I will write another blog to tell you how it went!

To learn more about Skype or download the software, click the Skype link below. 

Skype

Vocabulary

shower (noun) – a party given to a woman before getting married or having a baby

yoga (noun) – a type of exercise that involves stretching and relaxation

lawyer (noun) – someone who is an expert at the law and can counsel others about the law

stranded (adjective) – stuck or unable to move

frustrated (adjective) – feeling upset or impatient because you cannot change a situation

predicament (noun) – a situation where you don’t know what to do

Skype (noun) – an Internet telephone and videophone service

Cloze Exercises

We had a wedding ____________________ for my friend before she got married.

________________________ is a form of exercise that involves stretching and relaxation.

____________________________ are experts at the law.

We were _________________________ when we ran out of gas on the highway.

The students were __________________________ when they did not know the answer.

We were in a ________________________ over what to have for dinner.

Even though she lives far away, we can use __________________ to see her on a regular basis.

Grammar Point

We use the future tense in or writing to indicate an event that will happen sometime in the future.  Can you find all the verbs that I used in the future tense?

Isn’t it funny how food can bring you back to a totally different time in your life?  I was thinking about this because last night I was at a Super Bowl party and saw something that reminded me of my childhood.  The moment I saw the Swedish meatballs in the crock-pot, all I could think of was the Fourth of July.

Every Fourth of July, my Aunt Rhonda and Uncle John had a party.  Every year the party was a blast.  They had the best set up for a summer party.  Their backyard had an in ground pool, a half basketball court and a clubhouse.  The backyard was great, but it was especially great because I got to spend the day with my cousins. 

Those Swedish meatballs brought me back to so many memories…Uncle Angelo diving off the diving board, fully dressed while smoking a cigar, lighting firecrackers on the basketball court and the dog jumping in the pool.

The scent and taste of food can truly transport us to a different time and place in our lives.  Sometimes the memories are wonderful, while other times they are painful.  In any event, it is important to remember that the senses impact learning and memory.

Vocabulary

Super Bowl (noun) - The final football game of the season when the two best teams compete for the championship title.

crock-pot (noun) - A special cooking device that allows you to cook things low and slow.

Fourth of July (noun)- The day Americans celebrate their independence from the British.

blast (noun) - great time

memories (noun) -  events from the past that you remember

firecrackers (noun)  - small explosives that sometimes makes noise

transport (noun) - bring you back to another place 

Cloze Exercises

This year the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers played in the ____________________.

Many people celebrate ________________________ by having a party.

The ____________________ can be used to cook stews, soups and roasts.

We had a _______________________ at the party.

_______________________ help us remember the people we love.

It is safer to view fireworks than to try to light __________________ on your own.

Foods can _____________________ us back to a different time in our lives.

Grammar Point

Commas in a series are used to separate words and let the reader see that you are listing items in your writing.  Can you find two places in my writing where I used commas in a series?

Check out the link below to learn more about comma usage.

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm

Running

I love to run.  I can't say that I've always loved to run, but I love it now.  When I was younger, I hated running.  I was slow, and it was embarrassing.  In high school I joined cross country and began to appreciate running, but I still didn't love it. 

My love for running really began when I was living in the city after college.  When I finished college, I moved to the city where I had a job that paid very little.  I made enough to pay my NYC rent and that was about it.  I knew I needed to stay in shape, but I couldn't afford to join a gym.  Running is cheap...all you need is a pair of sneakers.  So I started running again, and I haven't stopped.

Running allowed me the opportunity to explore areas of the city I never would have explored.  It has also given me the opportunity to explore other places I have visited.  When I used to visit my sister in Boston, I would run along the Charles River.  Now when I visit her in Boulder, Colorado, I run along the Boulder Creek Path.  When I was in Paris I ran through Parc Monceau and along the Seine. 

My all time favorite place to run is at the beach.  I love running on the Long Beach boardwalk.  Aside from the beauty of the ocean, it is the best place for people watching.

I have been running for a long time.  Over time, I have been able to increase my distance and improve my time.  I continue to run because I love it and it makes me feel great.

Vocabulary

embarrassing (adjective) - uncomfortable

distance (noun) - a long way

cross country - type of long distance running

improve (verb) - make better

increase (verb) - become greater in size or number

allowed (verb)  -to give permission

boardwalk (noun) - a walkway along the beach
opportunity (noun) - a chance

It was _______________ when I fell off the treadmill.

The ________________ between New York and California is more than 2,000 miles.

I ran ______________ ___________________ in high school.

Practice will help you ____________________ your grammar skills.

Doubling a recipe will _________________ the number of people it will feed.

Are you __________________ to go to the movies?

I had the ___________________ to go to France to study abroad.

Grammar Point
I used the verb to run in many tenses throughout my post.  Can you identify all ways in which I used the verb to run?  Why would I use so many tenses of the same verb throughout the posting?


http://www.runnersworld.com/

I just made a new Voki. See it here: