A Family Affair

I was lucky enough to make a trip home to Chicago this past weekend. My days were filled with food, fun, friends and, most of all, family. I find I have come to appreciate (and miss!) my family more as I grow older, wishing I could spend more time with them than my vacation days allow. And even though I live miles away, I find that I grow more like the women in my family each and every day- something of which I am extremely proud.

There is something to be said of the women in my family. They have this indescribable way of making people feel comfortable and welcome in any situation. Whether it's throwing together an impromptu coffee and sweets party for 10 people on a Sunday afternoon, or planning and preparing a gourmet dinner in two short hours (I witnessed both of these miracles this past weekend), the strong women in my family have a real knack for welcoming people into their lives and homes on every level possible. People come over for a quick cup of coffee and end up visiting for hours. A casual pizza party turns into an all-night celebration and story-telling marathon. I can't exactly put my finger on what this gift is, but it is something I truly hope develops within me as the years go on.

Enough about my amazing family. While flipping through the latest magazines, I stumbled upon the Spring/Summer 2010 Missoni ad campaign. This truly unique spread features photos of the Missoni family together at home, an example of another truly gifted family of females. Below are a few of the photos. I absolutely adore the homey feel of the images, but these definitely weren't taken by an amateur: we have Juergen Teller to thank for this campaign.