It's about that time. My daughter Jordan starts kindergarten on Tuesday, so I'm busy getting everything organized for her first day of school. Uniform, check. School supplies, check. Lunch box...er, still getting my act together on this one.

Buying Jordan's lunch box last year was the sort of mindless activity you'd think it should be. We whizzed down the aisle at Super Target, grabbed a pink Disney Princess number off the shelf, and continued shopping for lunchbox-ready foods to fill it up. For practical purposes, the pink lunchbox served her well. But on the last day of school, after surveying the frayed edges and stains that refused to be scrubbed off, I unceremoniously pitched the sagging satchel in the trash. "We'll buy a new one next fall," I promised her.