The www.mori.us Web site, shown in Figure, features photos and stories from everyone in the Mori family, but there’s no question that the children are the stars of the show. In addition to a photo gallery and guest book, the Moris have included a section called Jared’s Anecdotes filled with fun stories about their son. Visit the site to see a great example of a clean, simple design, with lots of great photos and clever stories about the kids.

Martin and Emiko created a Web site (www.martin-emiko.net) to help keep their distant families informed about their lives and growing family. He’s from Switzerland and she’s from Japan, so they are always far away from someone in the family. In addition to a great collection of stories and photos, the use of a long image across the top of each page, shown in Figure, is a simple but dramatic design trick and an ideal way to showcase the many landscapes they’ve photographed in their travels.

Here are a few other family Web sites you may want to visit for ideas:

• The Demar Family Web site at members.cox.net/botiff features an animation on the front page that includes a recording of the voices of some family members. The combination of the mother’s voice welcoming you to the site and the kids making snide comments in the background as she talks provides a humorous introduction that draws you into the site and gives you a good idea about what to expect when you get there
• The Miller Family Web site at www.millfam.org boasts several sophisticated features, put together by using a combination of services. Check out the bulletin board for neighborhood and family events, and visit their content-managed site, as they call it, to see a family blog linked to a custom family Web site.
• The Bratz family Web site, at webpages.charter.net/bratz, features a fall sports schedule with a full calendar of games and other sporting events of interest to family and friends.
• Vicki and Tony’s Web site at www.geocities.com/vickips/ is an example of how much you can do with a good sense of humor, even on a free Web site like Geocities.

Travel sites around the world

The Mansz and McKerral family Web site at www.mansz.com, shown in Figure, is more than just a place to share photos of friends and family. They’ve created a site that’s a showcase of bird photos from their travels and a great resource for other birders. Whatever your hobby or passion, a family Web site can provide a great place so share your expertise and even make new friends.

Tribute sites to make you proud

Creating a Web site for friends or family members is a beautiful way to preserve their memory and pay tribute to their life. Figure features a simple Web page that my Uncle Tom created for my grandmother, Carol McCain. We all have fond memories of grandma’s house on the lake, where I learned to water ski and enjoyed sitting on the long deck staring out at the water and waiting for a chance to wave at the Dixie boat.