List: Ways to be prepared for anything at your kid's game!

Lacrosse has been a lot of fun, but lately I started reminiscing about the first season she played.  We loved watching her learn the sport and even though they lost all their games back then, they had smiles on their faces and determination.

But for a new parent, things were different.  My memory of me and my husband, proud parents, included pulling up our hoods, zipping up tight, wrapping our arms around ourselves, and praying we didn't freeze to death.

Because some days it is really warm at your house, but the game is at a higher elevation and an open field so the wind whips right through you.  Other times, you feel cool in the shade, but out on the field, the sun is burning your skin.  Then there are the days where you forget it's a double header, plus warm-up time, no trees in sight, and you come home looking like a lobster.

So while we started out by carrying a couple canvas folding chairs and a jacket, we ended up with a nifty little bag that has kept us comfortable.  I've watched other seasoned parents carrying armloads of gear to the field, bringing other kids to help them carry and I think maybe I've figured out the right mixture.

1. I started with this (diaper) bag because, well, I sell Avon so I got it really cheap. I gave away the insides to someone I knew who just had a baby.  It's been perfect (for two)! It's about 17 inches wide, 12 inches tall.  You don't need anything enormous.
2. Buy two 1-yard pieces of polar or cuddle fleece at the fabric store. These make great warm blankets and they're pretty adorable.  Make sure the pattern will embarrass your athlete. In December and January that fabric goes on sale really cheap!  Roll them up.  Two fit perfectly in this bag.
3. Tuck in two umbrellas.  Much like soccer, they only cancel lacrosse if they see lightning strike the field or the snow is deeper than an inch.  Umbrellas protect you from those rainy days, but also help cool you off parasol-style on the relentlessly cloudless, sunny days.
4. Slide a zipper case first aid kit down one side.  I know they have first aid on the field, but it never hurts to have your own, right?  I tucked some allergy pills in the kit.  Sometimes you find yourself at a field near farms and those allergies you think are mild can act up quite a bit!
5. In one pocket we carry tissues and I stick Avon's bug guard / sun screen (two birds, one spray bottle!) into the same pocket.  
6. We can get two water bottles in there, too.
7. Strap a couple baseball caps to the handle if you don't wear one regularly.
8. Throw an old jacket or extra blanket in the trunk of your car just in case.
9. One folding chair per person. Over at Home Depot, they sell these things for less than $10 - I even picked it up on a rare $4.88 sale! - they hold our (not skinny!) weight, they are light to carry, and they happen to come in orange (my daughter's team is orange and blue).
   

Seriously, this is all we have needed for three years (starting the fourth season in the spring).  It's small enough that I carry the bag in my trunk all year (you never know!) and it's convenient to carry out to the field.

What about you?  Do you think there should be more on this list?