family time

it's hard to believe that my family has never been to la casa de gino and erica. well, except for mama (but that's a given). so these past two days were particularly exciting since my aunt heidi and cousins brooke and kristen came for a visit.

to be honest, i've never considered inviting aunts/uncles/cousins over because a.) our studio is rather tiny b.) the drive to la is cumbersome and c.) schedules never seem to match. but when my aunt asked if she and the girls could visit for a couple of days, g and i welcomed the opportunity with open arms (and bottles of wine).

it was such a heartfelt experience, sharing my life with g in our home in los angeles. we chatted, ate, and drank at our dinner table. we cozied up by the fireplace in our patio. we lounged in the morning, pj's and all. and then we hiked at one of our favorite spots in the santa monica mountains.

out for ice cream

bums

i feel so thankful to have shared this time with my family, to have given them a glimpse of my life here and now. it's one thing to tell stories during family gatherings, but it's infinitely better knowing they have an idea of where i'm coming from. 

so, family, if you're reading this, please come by. you are always welcome.