Lots of you are sending kids back to school this week. And I envy you.

No, not really. But the way Baby A has been acting lately—so full of sassy two-ness that I just want to lose all my Love and Logic cool and yell right back at her—has made made me entertain the thought, for a few seconds here and there, of herding her onto the school bus with the older neighborhood kids.

She'd probably like it, actually. And the day it happens, for real, I'll be a mess. Believe me, I'm treasuring these days, even when they involve massive whining and hitting (hers), occasional tears (mine), and shoulders smeared with guacamole and Coach purses filled with rocks from the front walk (mine and mine...don't ask, and, no, I don't think these are problems...they're just part of life with a preschooler).

To the point: It's back-to-school time, and I've been surprised by the number of stories about improvements in school lunch programs. From pilot programs to vending-machine makeovers, there's a small tide of change this year, thanks in part to federal requirements that schools create wellness guidelines. Critics say simply asking for guidelines isn't enough. I'm inclined to agree. But thank goodness some school systems are seizing the chance to make changes.

A smattering from around the country:

> Kids, Meet Veggies: I lovelovelove the image of the roving Sweet Potato Lady in this New York Times piece. The same story is covered, with some good commentary from parents, at Blogging Baby.

> Oven-baked, not fried: A Florida school system makes some key changes, according to this local NBC affiliate story.

> Changes are afoot, too, in the Appleton, Wisconsin, school system. I loved this quote: “We keep things balanced,” Martin said. “The menu is an indirect teaching tool, and we balance things throughout the week.”

> A San Franciso mom struggles to find the right lunch ingredients for her daughter. Then they both find a solution in Kid Chow, a new school lunch service.

Have your kids started school yet? And have you seen any changes in the quality of your school's lunches? Please comment and share....