Tippy Toes and Tantrums

Coming Up for Air After Maker Faire 2012

We're in Maker Faire recovery today. We had a great day at the Maker Faire, but for the first time, I don't think that I saw nearly everything. I mean, it's almost impossible to really experience everything the Maker Faire has to offer in a single day, but I missed an entire outdoor area. 

Time moved really fast this year for some reason. Another limit was that we went on Sunday, which closes at 6 p.m., and several exhibits packed up early. We usually go on Saturday, which ends at 8 p.m. Sunday felt less crowded than Saturday (except in the Expo, which was a madhouse) and it seemed like there were more families on Sunday. The bummer was that it felt like there were fewer Maker Faire characters, the ones who come dressed up, fully into it. The ones who make it feel like Burning Man on pavement. Every year we pledge to return for both days the next year, but life gets in the way, this year in the form of softball playoffs. 

Lost in a light up forest that smelled like pot.

Combat gnomes!

My first computer looked just like this, without Woz's signature. 

Sadly, Eddie the Yeti did not go home with me...

...but we did take home a pet rock and an egg from NifNaks. We've bought something from Nifer's exhibit for the last two years. I love her work. 

There's a lot more to say about the Maker Faire, but it was, in one word, awesome. 

Awesome Last Minute Gifts with a Wow Factor

Because Amazon Prime has been my best friend the past two weeks, I've mastered the art of the last minute gifts. Clover has a Kindle, which means I have a list of books ready to order the night of Christmas Eve, and there is always iTunes, because while Rocket has neither an iPod or iPad, he loves using ours, so much that he calls them "ours," casually adding himself to the mix of owners. But even without Amazon Prime or iTunes, there are still ways to get great gifts quick, while making it look like you put tons and tons of thought into it.

For mobile devices beginning with an i:

The Amazing Spider-man: An Origin Story. I put this on my iPhone to occupy Rocket during Clover's piano lessons and this not only had him enthralled, I was intently following along from the front seat. It's narrated by Stan Lee and the whole app is incredibly professional. I am so happy to have downloaded this, and Rocket asks for it all the time. It's currently at a special $4.99 price for the holidays and will return to $6.99 on Dec. 31.

Hard-bound, actually feel the paper books:

The Cult of Lego. This book is beloved by all ages of Lego-lovers. My kids love this book. We keep it out on an end table because it's beautiful, but also because people will pick it up and thumb threw it. Clover spent afternoons studying the book, remarking on the different scenes. At one point she said, "Look! Hahaha! Fy-dil Castro! Hahahaha!" When I asked why the picture was funny and how she knew Fidel Castro, she gave me this story of persecution and run ins with some person who she assumed I knew. When I asked about the person, she said, "You know! From..."

Spy vs. Spy. No surprise, Antonio Prohias was the guy who had some issues with Castro. Actually, it was more Castro had issues with Prohias. My kids both have the Spy vs. Spy anthologies and they love them. They've owned them for years, and they still read them again and again. (Rocket calls it "Spy vs. Spy vs. Spy," and I don't correct him because I think it's cute.)

The Manga Guide to Biochemistry. This may not sound like a great gift, unless you have a nerd child, and I do, so The Manga Guides are a great gift. Clover's a little on the young side for the series, but she still got something out of it. It's entertaining and makes a complicated subject much easier to understand, making a great book for a high school kid struggling with the subject in school or an eager young kid, like Clover.

Gifts for a baby that win points with the baby's mom:

Citrus Lane. I love this company and their quality products. It's a monthly subscription service, sending the loveliest gifts to the mom and baby each month. A short-term (even single) subscription is possible too. My nephew had his little monkey lovey with him the other day and after I commented on it, my sister told me it came from Citrus Lane. The boxes really make a fabulous gift.

Legos, for adults

Lego's Architecture line is perfect for adults who haven't quite let go of building with blocks. Kevin owns Fallingwater, and I'm surprised by the number of people who comment on it, because, yes, it is in our house, despite being purchased for display at work.

Stocking stuffers

Anything Lego, anything Nerf that shoots, Hexbugs, and even this year's surprise entry: school supplies. I heard that Santa went to the local teacher supply store and loaded up this week on metallic crayons, colored pencils, rulers, white paper, construction paper, and (this was bought in bulk from Costco) scotch tape.

 

Disclosure: The Spiderman app, The Cult of Lego, and The Manga Guide to Biochemistry were all given to me free for review. My kids loved them or else I would not be recommending them.

Moms Night In: The Cocktails and Sugar Cookies Excuse

Thanks to Duncan Hines for sponsoring my writing. There's no limit to the baking possibilities, so grab your favorite Duncan Hines mix and Comstock or Wilderness fruit fillings and Bake On! www.duncanhines.com

The holiday season is my favorite time of year for many reasons, one of which is that it's the one time when a cocktail and sugar cookies make an acceptable dinner.

I've always wanted to do a cookie exchange, but why ruin a perfectly good night in with friends by adding competition to the mix? I'd go insane trying to make the best cookie, then I'd be annoyed by having to take home something with nuts that looks like it rolled around in the back of a minivan. One year I knocked myself out trying to make red and white swirled cookies rolled in colorful sprinkles, but as the cookies expanded in the oven, the swirl unraveled on some of the cookies, leaving me with a few that resembled the gorgeous ones in the magazine, and a handful fit for only my children. The same goes for a white elephant party where one person leaves feeling robbed. I prefer get togethers that are warm, relaxed, and without an agenda.

Instead of a cookie exchange or a white elephant party, a casual moms night in is the better way to go. There's cheese and crackers, dips and veggies, at least one great cocktail, and a variety of desserts because everyone will bring one without being asked. My go-to winter cocktail is presecco, pomegrante or cranberry juice, and a squeeze of lime. It's fruity, bubbly, light, and oh so yummy. Best of all, it works with sugar cookies.

For heartier desserts or to warm up on a cold nights when kicking it old school, a Coffee Royale (decaf!), which is what my grandmother would serve at some of her parties, perfect for dipping biscotti.

While many people are traveling and busy leading up to the holidays, the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve is a surprisingly good time to get mom friends together. Many people are at home, but with work usually on hold and kids out of school, friends seem eager for a night out to reconnect. The stress is off after Christmas and get-togethers have a much more relaxed feel. I already have one moms get together on the calendar with the menu of chips, salsa, and a cranberry margarita. That is holiday bliss.

Remember to check out Duncan Hines' website www.duncanhines.com to find some great recipes for your holiday get-together! I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective.

It's Not Too Early for Warm, Holiday Comforts

This post is sponsored by Tempur-Pedic, the brand millions of owners trust to deliver their best night’s sleep every night. Enjoy our Buy 2, get 1 free pillow offer now and give the gift of custom comfort to someone you love.

People started complaining right after Halloween when Starbucks began using their red and white holiday cups, but I was thrilled. I love all of the minute festive touches to the holiday season, and - this is embarrassing - but I get sad when the normal, white and green coffee cups come back into circulation on Dec. 26. I make drink size decisions based on which size still has holiday cups left because I hate letting go. While most people complain that holiday decor goes up and on sale too early, my concern is that the holidays will pass before I had a chance to enjoy them.

I started to feel like the holidays were passing too soon on Nov. 2. November 2! This is crazy talk! But I know how our schdule turns from busy to crazy busy, and even on Christmas Eve, we're frantically putting things together or ironing napkins, and suddenly, it's Dec. 26 and our tree is shedding and Starbucks is back to white cups.

When I started my November freak out, I stopped to ask myself how I can change things. I take comfort in the small things, means taking time to notice them. This means saying no to extra activities to preserve family time and maintain traditions. It means movie nights in front of our tree, holiday-themed Lego, spending time with family, watching football with hot chocolate.

I decorate for all of the major holidays because it's fun for the kids, but it helps us all take on a festive mood. Our Thanksgiving decorations are going up today, which doesn't take long because finding Thanksgiving decor beyond cornucopias is no easy task. We've got some turkeys and some pilgrims, dried corn and gourds, and the smallest touch that the kids love the most: holiday plates. Each year, I bring out the same melamine Thanksgiving plates for the kids, just like Christmas has its plates, as do Valentine's Day and Halloween, but for the kids, they never get old.

Fall has finally shown up, which means the throw blankets and pillows have reappeared because relaxing on the couch is really the best place to enjoy the holidays, especially with warm coffee in a red and white cup.

Comfort is the perfect gift for everyone on your holiday gift list, so be sure to take advantage of Tempur-Pedic's Buy 2, get 1 free pillow offer! I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective.

Our Terrorific HEXBUG Nano Halloween party

My kids went bonkers last month when they saw a magazine ad featuring the larger HEXBUG creatures. They didn't even bother making a list because both yelled out, "THIS! is what I want for Christmas!" Then they nearly lost their little minds earlier this month when a giant box of HEXBUGS showed up at our door for a special HEXBUG Nano Halloween party. It was delivered while they were at school, but I left the box out (slightly worried it was going to get poached), just to see their reaction as they walked toward our door and saw the giant sticker on the side announcing the HEXBUG Halloween party kit. They pawed over the box's contents and carefully planned the party with as much interest as they put into their own birthday parties.

This week, a group of friends came over, ghost cookies, mummy hot dogs (I cannot believe I did not take a picture of these because they were awesome), and zombie punch were served, while the kids were each given a few HEXBUGs to keep and let lose on the habitat.

The party featured limited edition Nano Halloween Zombie bugs (that come in a coffin-shaped package and have a glow-in-the-dark exoskeleton), glow-in-the-dark HEXBUG Nanos from the Galileo collection, glow-in-the-dark habitat, and...the big surprise: HEXBUG Larvas. I think the Larva is a little creepy, but this only makes the kids love it more. My kids treat their Larvas as pets, playing with them, petting them, and calling to them, as if they would respond like a dog.

(While the glow-in-the-dark feature adds some fun for the kids, I have found it incredibly helpful. At night, walking through the family room in the dark, the Habitat and the HEXBUGs stand out. No fear of tripping over or crushing anything because their location was clear. I love that.)

The kids had great fun, one friend even went home to say it was the best party she'd ever attended. (She's my favorite.) Some of the kids were reluctant enough to part with their HEXBUGs that they took them to school the next day.

The party does not mean HEXBUG products are off the Christmas list, but the list has gotten more refined. There's the Crab, the Spider, and even the Hive. Now the kids just need to stay off the naughty list.

The food

The ghost cookies were Milanos dipped in white chocolate with gel frosting dots for eyes, but mini chocolate chips work too.

Mummy hot dogs were Pillsbury Crescent rolls sliced into strips and wrapped around hot dogs (the hot dogs were cut in half before wrapping because this was an after school snack). I used mustard dots for eyes.

The Zombie punch was two parts limeade mixed with one part ginger ale. The recipe called for lime sherbet as well, and while I think it would have tasted better with the sherbet, I didn't think the kids needed the extra sugar because I included ginger ale ice cubes with gummy worms to up the freaky factor. The kids drank up the punch as it was.

Disclosure: All of the HEXBUG items were given to me for free by Innovation First Labs in order to hold the party. The opinions are my own.

Welcoming Fall with a Brightened Makeup Routine

Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://moms.dailybuzz.com/channel/style.

Soon after my son was born, I hated my tired face and sought help in cosmetics to hide the dark circles. It was smart decision because even if it only helped my tired skin a little, it gave me a huge moral boost. My son turned five this summer and during the same week, while on vacation, my under eye concealer tube cracked wide open. The tube was tired from being used years beyond its prime. My makeup was old. The colors were wrong. I did replace my mascara regularly, but the rest of the stuff dated back to just after my son's birth, which is both gross and embarrassing.

I confided in a friend, who flat out told me that now that I'm 40 (sigh), I need new makeup designed to help an aging face. All of this bad news at once: my makeup was old and so was I. My friend used a cream and powder combo that she raved about so much, she wrote down the name for me to take to the makeup counter. Once there, sitting on a stool under a bright light, the 20-something cosmetics employee kindly told me the same product would not work for me because my eyes have too much...(she paused while carefully picking a word)...texture. I have wrinkles! So much for laugh lines, these are deep crevasses. I imagined James Franco as a mountain climber with no chance of escape, getting trapped in the deep, dark, scary texture under my eyes. The cream and powered may highlight the wrinkles/texture, rather than conceal them, she said as she went to work, showing me a different product and how to apply it, and sure enough, I looked much more awake and less textured than before. Tinted eye brightener is my new hero.

Unfortunately, I never outgrew my combination skin. I still have oily and dry skin, just like when I was a teenager, but sadly, that doesn't mean I have teenage skin. During the fall, I can feel my skin tighten if I don't moisturize, and while I like not having an oily summer sheen, if I don't moisturize, the texture will win. During the summer, I moisturize for sunscreen, but in the fall, even though my moisturizer still has sunscreen in it, I moisturize so that my fact doesn't crack open like the old concealer bottle.

I left the store with a bag full of new cosmetics, all in flattering shades of brown that will give me a more natural autumn look. No more cakey cream to blot on my face. My new program goes on fast (my request as a mom) and is light enough that I don't feel it. Gone are all the dark colored eye shadows of my 30s (where was I going with the sparkly green eye shadow anyway? Oz?) and in is the more natural colored look of my 40s, with plenty of eye brightening tricks to make me look like I came close to eight hours of sleep. I promise myself that this time around, I'll replace the makeup before the packaging breaks open from age. I need to stay on top of the texture as it slowly takes over my face.

Thank you to Walgreens for sponsoring this blog post. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.

How to Pick the Right Holiday Card

Christmas lights have gone on display at my local big box store, making the holiday season fair game. It's always out there early and people complain, but that doesn't stop the hordes from buying gifts or thinking about holiday menus. This is clear by the amount of holiday-related content on Pinterest, making it pretty much a scientific fact that we like to get a jump on the holidays. People don't want to zoom past the Fall, but they're eager to look ahead to the fun to come too. This is my favorite time of year. I love the change from hot to cool weather (yet to happen here), the crispness of the cool air (also, coming soon?), the smell of fireplaces in the distance, and knowing that the big three - Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas - are soon to come. It's no coincidence that my photographer friends have been booked for weeks as families pose for the perfect photo to adorn their holiday cards. 

Some people (my husband used to be one of them) think of a holiday card as just that, a card, a social obligation, but they are really little works of art that reflect you. Roll your eyes all you want. I'm not saying your family is a brand and you are the marketing exec in charge of the account...but you kinda are.

How to Pick the Card Size Right for You

First, go through your photos for the year and pick out favorites and the ones that best define your year. Everyone loves to see a photo, unless it comes from a certain relative of mine who uses pictures from about 10 years ago before old age kicked in. To that person I say: we are all on to you! For the rest of us, sometimes that means a crying, full freak out tantrum picture. These don't have to be color coordinated, perfect smile goodness. Natural photos are always best, and everyone will appreciate your inclusion of less than J.Crew catalog perfect photos. I am toying with the idea of using a photo of my kids' dirty feet after they return home from school, but it may be more frightening than entertaining. Last year I included a photo of my son standing next to a bathtub full of gum balls with a look in his eyes that says everything he was thinking. The problem was that his hair got somehow parted in front, making him look something like this:

I'm glad I got over the bangs and went with the emotion of the photo. It worked well in the card.

Next, trim down the list. Pick the best of the best. Do they reflect what you want to communicate? Are they high enough quality for printing? Do any necessary editing or cropping. Once you have your picture or pictures, it's finally the fun part.

If you have one photo that you love more than all others, or if you have a cohesive theme, go with a flat card. This isn't a low quality, one-sided photo card that gets dinged up in the mail. The Tiny Prints flat cards are beautiful. I expect that as my kids get older and less inclined to let me take their photos (bribes only go so far), we may use a flat card instead. The flat cards have a lot going for them, including price and ease of display.

If you have a few photos and you like the feel and look of a traditional folded card, go for it. They have tons of personality, they provide plenty of room inside for a note, and they stand up on their own, which is how people display their holiday cards. Many of Tiny Print's flat cards can be ordered as folded cards as well, so don't worry about falling in love with a design for fear that you can't use it.

 

If you have multiple photos, especially multiple large photos, and if you want to show off some great picks, or create something unique, the tri-fold is the winner.

I couldn't find one picture that said everything I wanted in a holiday card last year. I wanted to tell the story of the year, through pictures and text, but I couldn't with a standard one or two photo card. Then I fell in love with Tiny Print's tri-fold. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was the right card for me. I put in a lot of photos - 12 in all - plus text reporting what the kids were up to, what we did as a family, and ending with well wishes for the season. Nearly a year later, I still love that card. My mom would call asking me to send one to this or that friend, one of whom kept it on her refrigerator beyond the holidays despite the fact that I haven't seen her in over 15 years and she's never met my kids. A friend of mine contacted me after receiving the card to say that she felt she caught up with us through the card, which was exactly my intent.

I've picked out some favorite tri-folds for this year, although many of these work best for a few, larger photos. Since I may have a high number of smaller photos, I may go with one of these. After I go through the past few months of my photos to pick out ones that represent the year, then I'll know which card to pick. Last year I fell in love with a tri-fold featuring a few bigger photos, but when I plugged my pictures in, it didn't work. I ended up changing to a different card and photo layout that worked beautifully. Even though I'd ruled the card out before, once I got my pictures in, the colors matched so well that they looked specifically tailored for each other.

Kevin said he knew I'd never be able to go back to a standard card again, but that's not true because I love the beautiful simplicity of flat cards just as much. My biggest problem is that I'm indecisive.

Disclosure: Tiny Prints is giving me 50 free cards in exchange for my holiday card review. I've been a huge fan of Tiny Prints for years, well before I was ever given a free card. Tiny Prints quality is high and their customer service is top notch. I am a paying Tiny Prints customer outside of the free holiday cards.

Time for New Crocs: One Click Back to School Shopping

Thank you to Crocs for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Crocs’ new Back to School line. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own.

*************************

Many people may complain about back to school shopping, but I am not one. First, I love shopping. Second, I love shopping online. Third, the hippie school kids have pretty low standards (as a friend described the unofficial dress code: "They all look like they're in recovery."), so I don't need to worry about name brands or the new must-have item determined by a group of 10 year old girls. I can focus on buying clothes that hold up to tree climbing and dirt stains worse than I ever thought possible.

The kids don't even need school supplies. They need only two back-to-school items: a new lunch box and new shoes, but both require massive negotiation.

My fight with Clover over her shoes has been mentioned before. She will only wear Crocs because they are comfortable and she needs shoes that come on and off easily. I don't think it's the case in her classroom this year, but in the past two years, students were asked to take their shoes off before entering the room. With all of the in and out of the classroom, the girl didn't want to waste a second with laces. I've gotten over being upset about her one shoe devotion, but that still doesn't mean buying new shoes is easy. Clover insists on having the right color. This year, after many talks over a few days, we finally agreed on aqua.

Rocket is a little less picky, but he doesn't let me order without a small fight. I picked out a pair of banded Crocs, kind of a punched up version of his current banded pair, but he balked. We went back and forth (he wanted black, I flat out didn't), and two days later, he saw the original pair I'd picked and said those were the ones he wanted. Once it seemed like his idea, the banded Crocs were winners.

The winner!

Now we wait. The shoes should come today or tomorrow. Yesterday the kids saw a package being walked up to the door and they ran around the house like little alarms, yelling, "FED EX! FED EX! FED EX IS HERE!" I opened the door to a saddened looking UPS driver who had clearly heard the kids and sadly said, "It's okay."

The kids were still excited, arguing over whether it was her shoes or his, and they crowded around me as I opened the box, soon to be disappointed. Did I mention that I bought some shoes for myself when I was supposed to be shopping for them? Because mama got THREE new pairs of kicks.

We own nine pairs of Crocs, but it's not what you think. I have a pair of the most comfy heels that are Crocs, but you'd never know unless you saw the name on the strap. Non-clog Crocs are for kids too, including 13 new style "school approved" shoes, which means your kids can wear Crocs year-round, even if their school isn't as open minded as the hippie school. The school approved line gets a nod of approval from school administrators for being nonmarking, closed toe and heel, but also from kids, for being easy off and on, and maintaining the Crocs comfort. I love these because they're cute, but the name is especially clever:

This shoe is called Dawson's Sneak! Like Dawson's Creek. I love them! And I'm only slightly ashamed to admit that I loved Dawson's Creek.

While your at the Crocs site, enter for a chance to win a free family vacation to San Diego. For more fun, check out the interactive video, find the hidden Easter egg (for a hint, see the image on the left), and click on it to see what happens.

A Perfect Summer Day at Disneyland

I did it. I overcame my fears by going to Disneyland during the summer. I've been to Disneyland during the summer many times before, but not since having kids and becoming old. As a parent, I'm a huge advocate for school year vacations. I'd rather take the kids out of school for a few days then spend most of my vacation in a massive, never ending queue. Not to mention, Disneyland is perfect in the off season. The weather is perfectly warm, plus in the fall, the park is decorated for the holidays. A win for everyone.

But, it's pretty much inexcusable to take kids to Southern California and not go to Disneyland. We had one day for Disneyland - on our way to San Diego - which was another concern: is one day really enough? I'll be honest, only Kevin was saying that, mostly because he is an example of what happens when parents refuse to take their kids to Disney parks. He likes - he needs - to be in the park as much as possible.

The super happy exciting news is that Disneyland was awesome during the summer. FastPass has revolutionized waiting for rides, so even though it was August and both Disneyland and California Adventure were full of people, everything moved smoothly. With everything moving smoothly, we had a full, fun day that wasn't overstressed, and looking back, I only remember waiting in one big line. Even Kevin said that one day at Disneyland was much more "satisfying" than he'd thought.

Here was our plan: check in Monday afternoon, sit by the pool, eat dinner at Downtown Disney, and Tuesday, hit the park from opening until sometime post fireworks, leaving for San Diego Wednesday morning. The plan was simple, and it was even easier in execution.

Read the thrilling conclusion at Silicon Valley Mamas. Actually, it's more a of play-by-play because I love when people do that on their blogs. Seriously! It makes planning my trips easier...and I'm fairly noisy. Don't worry, I left out the four frozen juice drinks I bought in the parks. Cherry lemonade, so yum.

In addition, want to win a free trip a trip for four to the opening of Cars Land and a private Jungle Cruise tour skippered by John Lasseter? Yes, you do. Start searching those old photos from Disneyland. More info is available on Facebook.

For the Times When You're So Firsty

The minute that I pick Rocket up from camp, he always makes his request for "something cold." Last week it was especially hot, and I felt it too because I was at the camp, taking pictures out in the hot sun. We were drained. Rocket, looking like a wilted flower, said, "Mommy, (big sigh) I'm so hydrated."

"Oh good news!"

"I'm hy-drated!"

"I get it. It's good to hear."

"I'm so firsty..."

"You mean dehydrated."

"Yes!"

It was one of those days that I regretted not getting Gatorade into the refrigerator.

My kids were born on Gatorade, Clover, quite literally. I was exactly 35 weeks pregnant to the day and the end was near, if not for the pregnancy, than for me. I couldn't pee, which along with other problems, meant my organs were closing up shop beginning with my kidneys. My doctor sent me across the street to walk, eat and drink as a last chance to get my body righted again. I got a giant Gatorade because I'd felt so dehydrated. I still couldn't pee, my ankles and feet were painfully huge, and preeclampsia was winning. Clover was born hours later via an emergency c-section.

While this isn't my favorite subject, urine was a big part of that pregnancy. I had to do a couple of 24 hour urine tests, which requires filling a gallon jug with pee collected over a day. Once, while on hospitalized bed rest, the jug was lost. How someone in a hospital misplaces a giant jug of pee is beyond me. The upside of all this pee talk was that I learned how to tell if I was hydrated or not based on color. Gatorade breaks it down easily: lemonade colored pee means hydrated, apple juice means dehydrated, Guinness means get to the hospital.

Like most, my kids love Gatorade. We always have it around, but that doesn't mean we're drinking it. It's saved for times of exertion, dehydration, or special occasions (we take it on our annual camping trip). I hate it when I see kids flop around, drinking it like a soda, yet they somehow act like they're drinking a health drink that's helping them build muscles.

The surprising thing is that Gatorade, the company, feels the same way. They became more of a beverage brand in pursuit of sales volume, losing innovation, and failing to meet the needs to true athletes. Gatorade has spent the last few years turning that around, getting back to science and meeting the needs of athletes, from teens to professionals to fitness athletes - including moms - and this goes beyond brightly colored drinks.

With the talk of sports nutrition, it all came back to pee. Kids can check their own hydration by looking at the color of their pee, unless you're lucky like me, when any trip into the kids' bathroom allows me to check hydration. Some day, I'll break down and install an automatic flushing toilet, like we're at the airport.

I took Rocket's word on his dehydration. We put the G2 Natural in the refrigerator. With no artificial colors or flavors, (and Gatorade does not use high fructose corn syrup in any of its products) G2 Natural is natural enough that it's sold at Whole Foods, making it a great option when water is not enough. And water is not always enough. When you work out hard, recovery requires more than a fluid boost. Salt and carb grams lost need to be replaced too. All athletes need carbs, fluid, and electrolytes, but in different amounts depending upon age and intensity of exercise. After exercise, everyone needs protein to help with muscle recovery. Water alone cannot do that.

The G2 Naturals has chilled, so the next time we nearly melt into a sweaty puddle, it'll be ready.

Disclosure: Gatorade sent me to Chicago in May to learn more about sports nutrition as part of their Sports Mom program. I went in skeptical, but I came out waving a G towel. All opinions are my own.