Gus the Great

This picture was taken when he was 4 days old. I challenge you to find another newborn picture with as much personality and more importantly, cuter shoulders. I dare say - it ain't out there folks.

So, officially (since this blog is the next best thing to a public record)

Introducing:

Augustus James Zins (his parents report that he will mostly be called "Emily's Nephew")

Born: 8:54 pm October 30, 2008

Critical Specs: Scorpio with a Sagittarius moon (and don't try to deny that you were dying to know this bit of information)

Playa del Ilya

The majestic beauty of birds like Ilya only comes around once in a while. Check her out.

Solid Gold

This is my girl Amy, on Halloween 2007, dressed in such a way that her outsides match her insides. Here's some more: Halloween 2007 pix: http://picasaweb.google.com/emilyausbrook/Halloween07#

Enjoy!

The best godson ever

Try not to be jealous. It's not good to compare youself to others, studies show that it leads to unhappiness. But if you're asking yourself - 'why don't *I* have a godson this cute?' or even - 'why isn't *my* godson this cute?', just remember, not everyone can have a godson as cute as Ilia. They're just not all born the same.

the 13th time

I was a bridesmaid for my lucky 13th time (as luck would have it) in Luck, Wisconsin (or very close by). I think the universe is telling me something. And I'm not suggesting that the universe is telling me to get married, so don't let your imagination run away with you. :) But I did just move to LA and absolutely everything you could think of associated with a move has gone beautifully and luck seems be on my side. Anyway, here's some pictures from my lucky 13th time being a bridesmaid near Luck, WI, with my lucky camera.

Love and Luck, Emily
http://picasaweb.google.com/emilyausbrook/The13thTime

teeth and noses

man or beast?

This is my bro on his home mountain, Snowbird, in his favorite Apres Ski lodge, next to what I thought looked like his next of kin. I went to spend a few days with him and his girl, Morgan in March of 08 and we had so much fun. We skiied, slept and ate. Pretty much a perfect vacation.

Some serious thought

At a musem with my Mom and her friend Candace, I spotted this guy. He just seems to be thinking extra hard about something and he's doing it naked, which makes it an extra special moment.

parenting

Here are some more pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/emilyausbrook/SouthAfricaSummerOf2007#

I took this picture in the township of Alexandria in Johanesburgh South Africa. This township was created in the early years of Apartheid for black Africans. Africans living in the coutryside, in tribal villages were brought in to the city to do manual labor and live in Alexandria. Resources in these villages were and still are very meager. Clean drinking water, workable land and cattle were, and are, hard won. Black South Africans would work and send money and other necessities home to their families. It was mostly men that came to work in these towns, leaving their wives and children at home for months and years at a time. Some families did come together but it was a very difficult existance. During Apartheid they weren't allowed to be there or leave unless they had work permits. Unfortunately, the government made acquiring a work permit difficult and for a lot people, almost impossible. It was a wild goose chase and you usually had to pay off several government workers in order to get a work permit, which would then allow you to work to make money. It was a catch 22 in a couple of ways. As we know, Apartheid has now ended but the residents of this township are still 100% black Africans. I'd read a lot about the township and wanted to see it for myself. I told some South Africans when I arrived that I was going to Alexandria to look around and I was told that it was very dangerous for me as a white person (from any country) to go their on my own. I really wanted to go so my boss arranged for me go there with our driver, Joseph. Joseph laid out the ground rules early: 'he said he was delighted to show me around Alexandria, that he lived there and that it was his home but he said, I was not to get out of the car for any reason.' I asked him if it was rude to take pictures, he said, 'no, people love to have their picture taken.' He actually said 'they hope that the person taking the picture will share the pictures with the world and tell their story.' He also said that people taking an interest in their community, brings them hope.

I fell in love with Alexandria. For the limited resources that this community has to work with, they're truly rich. The sense of community and connection was overwhelming. Everyone knew their neighbors, their names, families and stories. The children played with each other in large and small groups in the streets and the adults stopped to talk to each other on every corner. Children play with bits of plastic and metal and are as engrossed in their imaginary worlds as western children with large inventories of Lego's and Bratz dolls. They don't have Whole Foods or Trader Joes. They don't have Targets or Big Lots. There stores don't have long, well lit, numbered isles or boxed risotto and organic vegetables. You can't choose between Cotonelle and Charmin or Dannon and Horizon. But! They have butchers for red meat (cow) and chicken (and all its parts). They have produce stores and bodegas stocked with all kinds of intersting goodies. There are plumbers and mechanics fixing bathrooms, bikes, scooters and cars with all sorts of creative parts. There are phone vendors, tailors and cobblers. Everything you need, all without walls and all using everything in nature you can imagine to get their respective jobs done.

This picture is one of my favorites from the day because it shows an average, every day moment in the life of a South African mother. With her child strapped to her back (not made by Bugaboo or Graco, but from fabric fashioned into a sling by just tying a knot) washing clothes, by hand, while her toddler watches from the doorway.

I was honored to be there.

caught

whipper will

Envy

Beach Bug

Belly Roll

Pebble Well

Pretty in Pink

Wonder Spot