I took a stroll down the dental hygiene aisle of my local drug store and spotted these familiar children's cavity-fighting mascots: Spider Man, Little Mermaid, and good ol' Snoopy. But the inspirational cleaning character that caught my eye was relatively unknown-endangered, in fact. Utah, the prairie dog, is one of three endangered animals highlighted on Preserve Jr toothbrushes, along with Grizzly the bear and Karner Blue the Butterfly.

Everyone has a secret splurge item, that one non-necessity you'll go to the mat defending your right to spend good money on. My friend Alison has been known to buy herself a good purse or three. My dad throws his wallet at tools and gadgets. My husband spares no expense on vented summer sneakers that look unfathomably like crushed bugs. Me, I've got it bad for jeans.

I walk, bike, or ride underground to my urban yoga studio twice a week. For far too long, I've crammed my mat, block, comfy clothes, water, and towel (essential for my heated class) into assorted sad sacks before schlepping from home to office to sweaty flow class and back.

If I wax poetic about how my cat litter smells like Christmas, would you think I was nuts? I have a very sensitive nose, and with two feline beasties I am forever battling that Two Cat House Smell. I can’t stand the heavy perfumes in most litters, and my cats have let me know in their own catty ways that they hate it too. And I don’t like the idea of using strip-mined clay litter from China that goes right into the landfill. So I am always trying something new – wheat litter, orange peel litter, newspaper litter. I am usually left sadly disappointed; scoop in hand, sticky, stinky mess in litter box.

With Labor Day upon us, backyards across the U.S. will host countless outdoor picnics, barbecues, and maybe a clam bake or two. But summer's winding down doesn't mean your plein air culinary pursuits must end this weekend, or even with the first autumn leaf. Au contraire--with a Global Sun Oven®, you can enjoy outdoor cooking whether your lawn's covered in snow or sprouting a badminton net.

The Frisbee has served as a flying summer favorite for man and his best friend. In 1958, Wham-O, the company that brought us the hula-hoop, first marketed the airborne toy. According to legend, the craze of tossing to canines began in 1974, when a man illegally threw his dog a disc during a break in a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game. Since that stunt, which landed the owner in handcuffs, canine competitions have leapt up around the world.

Okay, here's something I never thought I'd say as a new mom: "My baby's tush smells delicious!" Yes, really. We've recently started using a new diaper cream, VedaBaby Butt, (not the most tempting name, I know, but at least there's no mistaking it for something else), an all-natural, doctor-developed bum lotion, and we are complete converts. In fact, it is now the only diaper balm that my husband will use ("where's the ‘good lotion'?"), which is a testament to its fantasticness.

When I opened my box from The Crazy Baker, I was expecting to find some wacky products waiting for me, maybe some coiled felt snakes in a peanut brittle can. Instead, I discovered some thoughtful, carefully packaged treats. Made in small batches with artisanal methods, all of The Crazy Baker's goods contain great natural ingredients, locally sourced where possible. I held two tastings, a mid-afternoon snack at the office and a dinner party to try out the confections this family-owned company offers.

It's so nice to love a product, then do some research and love it more. After purchasing Earth Mama Angel Baby gifts for pregnant pals, I was fortunate to correspond with company owner, Melinda Olson. After talking to me about some problems I'd had with lactating, as well as my rambunctious almost-three year old, Melinda put together a delightful package that served my needs.

—In the introduction to the Healthy Pregnancy and Successful Childbirth CD, Belleruth Naparstek suggests, “Try not to have a fixed idea of how you think the labor and delivery should go. The more flexible you can be, the better off you are.”