Can you believe it’s May?
I’m still wrapping my mind around it, and we’re already a week in. This year seems to be zipping past. Or I’m getting old. (If that’s the case, please don’t tell me.)
We spent the past week doing our state-required standardized testing. That’s always a joyful time around the house, I’m sure you can imagine. (Hint: that was sarcastic. There is very little joy associated with standardized testing.) It’s the first year my youngest has had to do any (he’s in Kindergarten) and, technically, I don’t have to test him, but I like to see how we’re doing. So even though I won’t submit his scores, it’s been a good pulse check for me to see how he did. For those wondering, I’m quite pleased with how both of them did on their tests — but I wasn’t expecting anything less. They’re good kids who apply themselves to their schoolwork.
Even though the public schools around here still have a solid six weeks left in the year, the start of May always gets my brain in the “school’s almost out!” mode. Does it do that for you at all?
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New Releases
April 2018
Joy of My Heart (Romance from the Heart 3) (Arcadia Valley Romance 16) by Lee Tobin McClain
Love’s Choice (Belikarian Weddings 3) by Ginger Solomon (re-release)
A Royally Beautiful Mess (Crowns & Courtships 3) by Carol Moncado
That’s Amore: That’s Love (A Tuscan Legacy 1) by Marion Ueckermann
Luna Rosa: Blushing Moon (A Tuscan Legacy 2) by Elizabeth Maddrey
A Heart Reclaimed (Peacock Hill Romance 2) by Elizabeth Maddrey
A Single Spark (The Spark Brothers 1) by Liwen Y. Ho
Heart Unbroken (The Potter’s House Books 3) by Alexa Verde
London Loves (Love in Store 2-4) by Autumn Macarthur
May 2018
Harvest of Love (Garden Grown Romance 3) (Arcadia Valley Romance 17) by Valerie Comer
Rapsodia (A Tuscan Legacy 3) by Alexa Verde
Ti Amo: I Love You (A Tuscan Legacy 4) by Marion Ueckermann
Bella Notte: Beautiful Night (A Tuscan Legacy 6) by Heather Gray
Solo Tu: Only You (A Tuscan Legacy Book 7) by Narelle Atkins
Wemble says
Hi Elizabeth, I’m with you on the standardised testing!!
The year has flown by- my youngest son turns 8 at the end of May and that just blows me away! We are in Term 2 of the school year- this is our long term, 11 weeks, so while it is a busy term with a lot of activities, by the end we are pretty ready for a break.
Blessings:)
Paula Marie says
Don’t worry, Elizabeth, I must be getting old too! I cannot believe how fast the time goes anymore! Enjoy your little ones because it feels like they grow up in a blink!!
Lila Diller says
We also did our testing this past week, and it was also my youngest son’s first time! My kids actually like doing them, because it’s different from their normal routine, and we space them out over the whole week so that they usually get done before they normally would.
Elizabeth Maddrey says
Oh wow – 11 weeks is a long one! Do you have year round school there? That’s mostly how we operate in our little homeschool, along with a shortened week (generally we take Friday off).
Elizabeth Maddrey says
Some days it feels like half a blink! My 6 year old has his first loose tooth and it makes me weepy.
Elizabeth Maddrey says
Yes! Different is good. We took the whole week to do ours too — 1 or 2 sections a day is plenty!
Yay for having it out of the way!
Becky Smith says
Good Morning, Elizabeth! I always liked testing my kids to see if they needed more help in another area (Geometry was one I found that they needed more). Even though our children are older, we still think of May as the end of the school year, and know there will be more kids at the zoo, movies, etc. Have a restful Sunday!
Elizabeth Maddrey says
More kids everywhere thankfully doesn’t happen here until June, but yeah, the traffic is already picking up with colleges getting out etc.
And yes! I love knowing where we need to work a little more.
Colleen says
Oh yes my son is in Kindergarten too and he’s looking forward to the field trips and school ending soon. He’s are doing a standardized testing also. Have a great Sunday.
mimionlife says
Yes, May always brings thoughts of school being almost finished. Here in SC, weather has been so nice and the pool has been open since late April. Beautiful sights of families walking, biking and even riding golf carts to the pool and other activities. :-)
Elizabeth Maddrey says
Field trips are the best!
Elizabeth Maddrey says
Yay for the pool! None of them open here until Memorial Day weekend.
Shannon Taylor Vannatter says
We only have 2 1/2 weeks left of school in Arkansas. I used to put whatever book I was writing in high gear and get it finished before school was out, so I could spend summer being mom. But my son is 16 now and driving. And starting work soon. I still plan to have my writing and any other projects done when he’s home. But it’s not like it used to be since he’s older. We have an above ground pool since we both love to swim and my husband doesn’t. Over the years, we’ve had the best conversations in the pool. I hope he’ll still want to swim with mom this summer.
Elizabeth Maddrey says
Aw, I hope he still wants to swim, too! :) That sounds lovely.
MJSH says
Our school’s not out until second to last week of June. My older two just finished state-wide testing and my third is in the midst of it. My kindergartener is free for another few years before testing begins….
Elizabeth Maddrey says
That sounds like here. It’s a long time til they get out after they finish their testing.