Expensive orzo

And people say Johnny's Foodmaster is cheap!

I noticed this little slip of the pricing gun as I started making lunch today.

This is kind of a bittersweet post because Junebug J's entire family is going on a gluten-free, dairy-free diet starting July 5th. Just in time to eat the hamburger and hot bug buns and ice cream on the 4th. But if orzo is going for over a hundred dollars a box, I might be going gluten-free, too!

- B

My favorite CD of the moment

You know when a CD begins to define a moment in your life? That's what I'm feeling right now with Patty Griffin's Children Running Through. This album is amazing. It's great to sing along to, (always an important requirement for me), and the imagery is just fantastic. There are great rockin' songs that make you want to get up and dance (Getting Ready, No Bad News, Heavenly Day) and there are lullabies that are just beautiful (Railroad Wings, Burgundy Shoes) and an amazing tribute to MLK (Up to the Mountains).

I've been listening to at least a little bit of this CD almost every day for the past few weeks and I haven't gotten sick of it yet. I feel like in 10 years I'll hear this music and think of this time in my life. Kind of the way Counting Crows' August and Everything After will always be associated with high school for me.

What CDs are defining your life these days? Let me know in a comment.

- B

Banana face

Maybe it's the lack of caffeine combined with my early mornings these days, or the hot, humid weather, but this morning, when I cut the little top off of my banana, I looked down and saw a little face in the cross section of banana. Let me know what you think...

I only stopped long enough to take some photos, then that little face became part of my breakfast: a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Breakfast of champions.

- B

Juggling Kit required; dvd of camp too

Junebug J here. My 5 1/2 year old son, Nathaniel, prepares for Circus Arts Camp for the next 5 days. An email from his teacher/camp instructor sent tonight has told me the glorious news of a "car drop off line" which I have salivated about for years-- no need to awaken or mess with Sebastian or Emerson in their respective car seats! Had I known about the car drop off line, I would have signed him up for all three weeks! The email explains that I am responsible for purchasing a "Juggling kit" for camp. The kit costs $20 and includes juggling beanbags, juggling scarves, a peacock feather for balancing, and a spinning plate. It's best if you are able to purchase them so that your children can continue practicing at home! I will also be offering a DVD for $25 that includes video of our week of camp and the final show on Friday at 2:00 pm. I will give you order forms tomorrow." Hmm, maybe these incidentals neutralize the aforementioned bliss of drop off line....

Gorilla! There's no bananas here!

Junebug B here. I'm on the phone with Junebug J trying to explain how the blog works. While I'm in mid-sentence she says "Hold on..." and all I hear in the background is "Gorilla! There's no bananas here!, What do you think you are? A six month gorilla? What is mommy going to do with you? Love you that's what!" Then she gets back on the phone and starts asking me where I am in Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas, the Tom Robbins novel that strangely relates to my work with African Art and J's love of Tom Robbins. When I say that I'm only 3 pages in and that I've been using it as a prop under my fan she tells me that Gwedolyn wants to be released from the binding like a genie. And she's outraged that such a good character is stuffed under a fan.

Immediately following this she asks how mom and dad are doing. She's breastfeeding Emerson and trying to connect to her computer so that she can actually see this blog for the first time. Oldest son Nathaniel is laying naked under his covers watching Mary Poppins, just waiting for Supercalafrajalisticexpealidocious, where he will just leap from under the covers and do his amazing dance to this song. Middle son Sebastian is already bored with the movie. Meanwhile, I'm sitting here ignoring homework and trying to figure out what to do tonight. Yes we lead different lives.

I was just about to sign off on this, but J just told me that one of her friends has a native american spirit guide stuck on her spine. In context, J was trying to compare her husband's (my brother's) friends to her friends and trying to decide who was weirder. Tough call...

Why Blog Now?

Well, us Junebugs have to stick together. We are sisters-in-law who lead very different lives. Junebug J is the minivan-driving mother of 3 boys and lives in a cool suburb just a train-ride away from NYC. Junebug B is a hip single gal, working full time, going to grad school and learning the ins and outs of living in Boston. She is also the Aunt Extraordinaire to the above mentioned 3 boys. This blog will be filled with everyday anecdotes, cute kid stories, book recommendations, and any other goodies that come to mind. Hope you enjoy!

- Junebugs