Why do kids like to run around naked? Ever since we potty trained my two year old, we can’t seem to get her to keep her clothes on. I swear every time I turn around, the kid is streaking around the house in her birthday suit. What’s worse, both my girls have been obsessed with the Hannah Montana movie lately, and watch it at least once a day. So more than once, I have walked into the TV room to find my child, nude, standing on the table and singing the “Boom-Boom-Clap” song from the movie.

Table dancing at two. Do you think I should be worried?

Packing lunch is probably one of the last things on a Mom’s to-do list each day, so it’s easy to see why PB&J makes pretty regular appearances. Don’t get me wrong, I love peanut butter, but if you are looking for a way to liven things up — and maybe even add a few extra nutrients — I have some ideas for you:

Upgrade the bread. Switching to a whole-grain bread can make a big nutritional impact. Shop carefully though, making sure the packaging says “whole grain” and not just “100% Wheat.” Labels can be deceiving; if you’re not sure how to spot the real whole grain read this. Also consider switching to whole-grain pretzels, crackers, etc.

Try tuna sandwiches. Of course there will always be a few picky eaters out there that won’t take to tuna, but a lot of kids enjoy the mild and satisfying flavor. Plus tuna sandwiches are the perfect hiding place for veggies like cucumbers, celery and carrots. If you’re worried your kiddo might object, don’t mention anything about “fish” — for all they know, it could be chicken. Speaking of which, if the tuna isn’t working out, chicken salad sandwiches provide a lot of the same benefits and might be easier for your child to swallow.

Forget the fruit snacks. Although they are called “fruit” snacks, there is not much fruit in them. Plus your dentist will thank you for leaving out these sticky numbers. Give your child fruit snacks the way Mother Nature intended. Some kid-friendly favorites: grapes, blueberries, bananas and cut-up melons.

Watch the juice. Packing a juice box is a good idea — especially if you freeze it beforehand so it can double as an ice pack to keep the whole lunch cool — but you need to be picky about which juice you choose. Look for one that contains no added sugar. Since a child’s recommended daily intake of juice is fairly low (for kids age 6 and under, it is just 4 to 6 ounces a day), try watered down juices like R.W. Knudsen’s Sensible Sippers (with the Berenstein Bears characters on the box), which have a nice flavor but a lot less sugar. Better still, you could try good old H20!

Pack some love. Including a note from Mom on the napkin is a great way to help your child feel loved, which might be just the reminder they need if they’re having a rough day at school.

What are your sack-lunch tricks?

A pacifier keeper never looked so good! Binkies are known to stray so keep yours on a tight leash. Lots of cute and unique designs only $8 at cuckooboo.etsy.com

Living in a place where Autumn is fairly non-existent I have to rely on other signs of Fall, like receiving my Halloween edition of the Pottery Barn Kids catalog.

Flipping through those catalog pages takes me back to the four years I spent living in Virginia. Fall was my most favorite time — the weather is not too hot or cold but just right, and the tree-lined neighborhoods boast the most amazing shades of orange, red and yellow.

We moved to Phoenix soon after having our first child because we wanted to get back out West where we would have a little more wiggle room. This time of year, though, I secretly wish we had never moved, and I contemplate flying my family out to Alexandria, Virginia, to go Trick or Treating the right way. The charming colonial architecture, winding roads and gorgeous fall colors have a fairy-tale quality that on Halloween night is so spooky in an absolutely wonderful way.

Maybe someday we’ll make it out there, but this year I’ll have to settle for the catalog.