This week's finds

I've managed to stay out of Target for an entire week now...might be a new record! You'd think this would help curb my classroom spending...but no. Wherever I am, my mind somehow drifts to my classroom.

I was able to spend a few days out of town this week visiting my sister and enjoying the end of summer break. While we were out shopping one day, we happened to find this darling little apron!

And now for a close up (it's still a bit wrinkled from being shoved into my suitcase)

It was clearly meant for the classroom-I mean look at that cute print with kids swinging! I love how it has so many little pockets too! Do any of you wear aprons in your classroom? Please share how you use them! I have a basic denim apron I have been using for years during messy crafts-but no way do I want the kids and their projects to destroy this sweet little apron!

After I got home from my trip, I had many errands to do. My first stop was the grocery store...where apparently they now sell books?! And not just any books...but books about kindergarten. Seriously! So, of course, into the shopping cart the books went along with the milk, and the eggs, and the ice cream (because ice cream is a requirement when you're in the middle of a heat wave like this!).

The first book was A Place Called Kindergarten by Jessica Harper. It's no Pete the Cat, but it's still cute. It's about a little boy who lives on a farm. One day the farm animals can't find the little boy and wonder where their friend is. They soon learn he went to his first day of kindergarten. The farm animals have never heard of kindergarten and are very curious about it. When the little boy returns home he tells the animals all about what he learned in kindergarten.

The second book was Timothy Goes to School by Rosemary Wells. Rosemary Wells is one of my absolute favorite authors! I thought I had almost all of her books, but apparently not! I had to get this one to add to my collection since I always do an author study of her books in the spring. My students just love her Max and Ruby books! Of course this book might be better to read the first week of school since it is about a little raccoon's first week at school. At first Timothy has a hard time making friends at school. However, by the end of the story, Timothy is loving school and his new best friend.

Ok, so I know I said I didn't go to Target this week...but that doesn't mean I don't have any Target finds to share with you. I got these sparkly little zipper pouches on one of my trips to the Target dollar spot a few weeks ago and completely forgot about them! Any ideas for how to use them? I'm imagining some sort of math or literacy game.

I also picked up this cute apple tablecloth at Target a few weeks ago. I think I'll use it to decorate the table outside my classroom for kindergarten orientation. Of course tablecloths always come in handy inside the classroom too-I love being able to lay them on the floor and create an instant activity area.

So, what have you found this week? If you've been to Target, link up for Fab Finds Friday, over at the Target Treasures blog.