Welcome.

Eliza Catherine Sapp

8lbs. 6oz.

My sister, Anna, and her husband, Ryan, had their second baby.

Two down... ??? to go.

Birthday in Pictures

Turning 21 is not really so "big" of a "deal" when you're LDS. It's true. It's also a good thing. 

Friends and family still made it an awesome time.

 Blowing out a candle is a two-step process. (The long sought-after 'Orange' cupcake)

Thanks to Jenna and Monica (classmates from dental school) for watching Beckett while we went out for a little celebration Brennan style. 

We paid them in cupcakes. 

If You Need Me.

Too bad.

 I'll be studying (actually cramming) for this:

Lots of school decisions to be made and SOON. 
Yeah, I'm addicted. 
No surprise, I am strongly considering applying for a Master's program for NAU. IN school counseling (not to be confused with school psychology).

Don't worry, I wouldn't turn my children into daycare cases. This program is short (meaning temporary) incredibly flexible and designed for people with full-time jobs--doable for me without extensive strain on my stay-at-home-mom life I cannot get enough of. Obviously there are little, but weighty details, concerns, feelings of excitement, pros, cons, payoffs and risks. 

Oh, and just kidding about the 'if you need me' thing. Part of what the word cramming means is to absorb a lot of information in a short amount of time because you need to have a real life too. I'm really not too busy. 

Don't leave me!?!

My Uncle's Art

My mom's brother, Rich, is a phenomenal artist to say the least. He has worked for decades perfecting a craft that so few have talent for. Early last year, he put a number of his pencil drawings online to show friends and family. I would often show Elliott and say how I would love to have a custom drawing of my own (one day) or even just copies of some of his work in my house. My grandparents have several originals and I find myself eying them a little too often when we go visit.

Last Christmas, my sister, Apryl, decided once again to put the rest of us gift givers to shame (well, I can't forget Pam, who gave us the nostalgic Spot's and Elliott's old Spot book I had brag--er--blogged about earlier). For whatever reason I am still unsure of, Apryl was extra thoughtful of me. My love for my Uncle's art unbenounced to her, she asked/commissioned him to draw a portrait of me. 

Thanks Apryl!! 

Enjoy.

Uncle Rich spent a number of years serving in the Air Force.

These two are my favorites (apart from the one of me of course). The work is stunning.

We all love cats. It's inescapable. This was for my great-grandfather. 

Me. 

Embarrassingly enough, we have yet to have it framed. It remains covered and untouched in it's own little drawer so as not to smudge the pencil! 

Why still unframed? 

We want to do it right (custom frame, matted, not your typical Ikea Ribba...)

 They're a little expensive but not to worry, the art will have it's home soon enough. 

Thanks again so much, Rich. I love it.    

Number 9.

from.

I think what is most fascinating about this picture is the impending doom that the plane off to the side will bring in only a matter of seconds. 
 

I was able to visit the "temporary" memorial in 2006 before they fenced it all off to build the "permanent" memorial.

 It was quiet, empty and consuming. 

It fascinates me that, for as  "civilized" of a world we live in today, brutality comparable to that of the Middle Ages still thrives. 
 ‎"We will never forget." 


ps, I am typing in Times New Roman today because I strongly feel that it is the American font. 

Not Sure How It's Done. An Overthinking Post.

I look at some blogs--and I won't divulge the names of these blogs--that have 30-40 some-odd posts in a single month. Now, I'm a pretty good month expert and know AT MOST there is a maximum of 31 days in a month. That means, these people blog on an average of once OR MORE a day.+++Good for them, I say. I enjoy stalking people and reading about what their family is eating for dinner, doing for work and planning for the future, and somehow I get it in my head that I really do know them like a creeper. Really, that is the true nature of the many blogs that circle around this loop of the blog world and really, it is mundane yet strangely addicting. Who doesn't want a peek into these people's lives to see whether or not they are better than yours and you can make your judgement anonymously behind your smug little laptop and no one will know what you think about them. It is the same concept with celebrity magazines and tabloids.+++


Sometimes I find myself wishing I blogged more; say, at least 5 times a week. Yes that would suffice, right? And then I realize I spend several hours a week thinking about what to blog for the two or some odd times I DO blog weekly. I spend a minimum of one hour each time I blog because I analyze every word, sentence and picture. Now, I am very proud to say that I enjoy my blogging hobby and it has been a creative outlet for me as I am not what you would call, "crafty with my hands" har har.+++That will hopefully change as I have secured two gallons of Silver Sage paint and am going to start painting my laundry room and bathroom ASAP. Baby steps, says Dr. Leo Marvin.+++


Still, I enjoy it when I have my many blog-worthy experiences and broadcast them out to the internet because that generally means I am living life in a way that is fulfilling and joyful and am EXCITED about it. At the same time, I feel a different sense of gratification when I am too consumed with errands, cooking, baby, and husband to blog. I feel busy and look forward to blogging later when there's time. Now, journaling on the other hand--much different. Always document, always put it into writing, always make time for it. I'm preaching to the choir. Blogging is similar but there isn't a subconscious pressure to put on a show for an audience. Blogging nation, keep blogging to your heart's content, I need entertainment, I really do love knowing "the updates" and there's nothing wrong with that! Just know that even if your life isn't blogged, it STILL happened.



 "Happy people learn that happiness, like sweat, is a by-product of activity. You can only achieve happiness if you are too busy living your life to notice whether you are happy or not."--Frank Pittman III


In other words, "lose yourself," as Eminem would say. Right? He would say that? He had that song..

Beckett Turns 4 Months. We Visit Storage.

This is Beckett in his "rugby outfit" that Gramma got him. Naturally, she saw it, was reminded of her rugby loving and occasionally playing son-in-law and got it for the next generation of potential rugby lovers and players. In other words, she thought it was pretttttty cute and so do I. Thanks Gramma. She and I have an eye for random, "This would be great for...!" moments. 

Since today was when Beckett and I made our weekly visit to where I used to work at the Polytechnic Campus (a swift 5 minute drive from home) I decided to document the visit for the special day. See, this magical land of books that I worked at many a semester is a graveyard for the old, neglected books from Hayden Library on ASU's Main campus. Here the books are dusted, organized by size, processed and given a new barcode/location and ultimately provided with a new home in here:

The Icebox. 

Why is it called the icebox you ask?

Alllll year long. This is especially nice in the summer. 

Don't mind the clock wall (Copyright Alisa Brennan 2009)... or the Michael Phelps poster. It took quite a few cereal UPC's for the bossman to get that little gem... orrrr the scanned picture of the baby's butt to forever seal his legacy as the "Storage Baby."  

The "Storage Baby."   

September; A Month In Future Review.

Autumn in New Zealand. 

from.

**Aside from what you may think from my last yogurt post, I do not have a digestive problem but rather was only trying to explain--visually--that I love yogurt, and I love yogurt that does more for my body than give it calcium and sugar. Plus I love lo-cal yogurt and these are the best of... those. I really don't have a problem that would require... that yogurt. SO LAY OFF ME I'M STARVING.**

Now. Onto a review of what this special month will bring.

Dove hunting:

Ammo.


Painting... maybe? Some of our house... maybe? 

 Paint samples from Restoration Hardware. Silver Sage (top center) is the obvious choice for laundry and bath rooms. Maybe I will just start and stop there so as to not wear out Elliott. I could probably paint the whole house in that color though let's face it.

A few albums:

^^more excited for this one!^^ 

(09/14)

(09/28)

A few tv shows:

(09/16)

(09/13)

(09/23)

And of course, the hope that just maybe Fall will start if I dress in Fall clothes.