Answers to the Quiz!

Here are the answers to my birthday quiz:

1. Creating Keepsakes was first published in 1996.
2. My former job was Editor in Chief of WordPerfect Magazine.
3. How did we get our cat? We accidentally stole it from the neighbors! We didn't know they had a cat and thought we were saving it from the cold.
4. What young gal did I meet this past summer? Elizabeth Smart.
5. We publish Creating Keepsakes, Simple Scrapbooks and Paper Crafts magazine at the Bluffdale, Utah office.

If you were one of the first 43 people to get the answers correct, I'll get your surprise sent to you at the end of next week.

Have a great week!

Lisa B.

Please Take Note!

If you're entering my little quiz contest (see entry below), you must submit your answers on the "clicking here" link. It's impossible to track your answers if you leave them in the comments section.

Hope you win and that you get a fun package from me in a couple of weeks!

Have a great Friday!

Lisa

P.S. I'll post the "real" answers on Monday however I think most of you already know them!

Happy 43 from Me!

Yikes--Is it possible that I'm really 43 today?? I know this sounds random but sometimes while I'm driving I look at my children in the rearview mirror and think, "Am I really old enough to be taking care of all these kids?" I often still feel like I'm in my 20s. But then there are days when I'm so pooped at night that I can hardly crawl into bed and I definitely feel my age!

I'm always so spoiled on my birthday. My dear friend, Kristy Banks (she's in the second picture with me), always takes me to a spa and we get pedicures and massages. (We do it for her birthday too.). So--yesterday was the spa day. Fun, Fun! She's one of those friends who I can talk and laugh with for hours and the time just flies by.

The first photo is of my friend and coworker, Vivian Grothe. Can you believe it--Viv and I were born on the same day in the same year! How often does this happen? She was born in California and I was born in South Dakota so we know we aren't twins (I guess we don't look alike either). Viv is a hero of mine. She tragically lost her husband over a year ago and she's handled it with such courage and faith. Happy Birthday, Viv!

Now for the fun part. Since it's my birthday, I want to send a fun surprise to the first 43 people who correctly respond* to this little quiz. I've answered all the the questions at one time or another in the magazine, on this blog or in my "Year in Review" video. Here are the questions:

1. What year did the first issue of Creating Keepsakes get published?
2. What was my former job before starting the magazine?
3. How did we get our cat, Lucky?
4. What young gal was I so excited to meet at a wedding last summer?
5. What three publications do we publish at our office in Bluffdale, Utah?

*I'll post the correct answers on Monday (Jan. 29th). Anyone that submits their answers - even if they're correct - after I post them here will automatically be disqualified to win. I will limit the number of winners to a maximum of 43 people (one winner per household). Send your answers along with your name and address by clicking here. Good luck!

I'm off to enjoy my birthday. I had so much fun at Color Me Mine (the store where you can paint pottery) for Sage's birthday so I'm taking my entire family (Steve and the kids) there this afternoon. We're going to paint our own dinner plate and cereal bowl while we watch Pride and Prejudice or Anne of Green Gables (I can't decide which one--the boys are going to be thrilled!). We're then going up to a cabin at Sundance for the night with a bunch of friends--we'll play games, eat lots of good food, then go skiing the next day.

Thanks for your continual love and support!

Sincerely,
Lisa B.

"S" is for Sage Party!

Can you believe my baby is SIX!! Yesterday was her birthday and last night we celebrated in "style." We invited the grandparents over and threw an "S" party for "Sage." The menu was "scrumptuous." We had "spaghetti," "seven layer jello," "sourdough bread,"
"salad," "Sprite," and a "snowman snickerdoodle cake." Of course we all munched on "Skittles" too (Sage's favorite). Brecken was a doll--she made most of the meal.
My mom threw me an "L" party when I turned 16. She made lasagna, lettuce salad, lemonade and lemon meringue pie. She then had everyone bring me "L" presents (I got a lot of lipstick!) and we played "L" games.
We also had a friends party on Friday. I took her and eight girls to "Color Me Mine." It was amazing--best birthday party ever. "Color Me Mine" is a store where you choose pottery, then paint it. They have tons to choose from and hundreds of colors. Everyone had such a great time! Even Kade who incidentally brought a girl!

Hope you're having a great week!

Lisa

Has this Happened to You!

Okay--this was the FUNNIEST moment ever! My husband and I tucked our children in bed last Thursday night (the boys were in bed around 10:00) and we were just getting into bed ourselves (around midnight) when we heard someone clomping down the stairs. We ran to see what was going on and there was a very sleepy Collin, fully dressed for school (shoes and all), saying "I know I'm late; I know I'm late." He'd thought it was morning, had gotten up, gotten ready and was ready to go out the door to school.

We laughed so hard! Steve and I had a hard time going to sleep we were giggling so hard. The best thing about getting ready in the middle of the night? You can sleep in your clothes and you're ready in stellar time the next day.

Just had to share this hilarious moment. Of course I captured it on my camera!

Hope you're having a great week.

Lisa

Happy Birthday, Steve!

Today is my honey's 42nd birthday and I just want to wish him a Happy Birthday! Six weeks ago, Steve decided for health reasons to become a Vegan (no meat, dairy, etc.) and I'm super proud of him--he's stuck to it! So--I attemped to surprise him with an all Vegan meal!! It took me most of the day but turned out better than expected from a "medium rare" cook! I made vegetarian pizza with wheat crust (even grounded the wheat myself--my mom would be so proud!), a bean/salsa salad, and a red velvet chocolate cake from ground up beets, pure maple syrup and silken tofu. My husband thought it was the best cake he'd ever eaten--that's what happens when you haven't had sweets for six weeks!!!

I'm sitting here right now looking at our wedding announcement that apeared in the newspaper over 17 years ago. How lucky I am that I met Steven Roy Bearnson. I'd just gotten out of a heart-breaking relationship (I was even engaged) and Steve had just gone through a divorce after only two years of marriage. After so much turmoil, sometimes it's hard to find the faith that there's really "the right one" out there. I met Steve on a blind date on April 21st. When I saw him, I thought he was the best looking guy in the world. We had a BBQ in the canyon (he bought food for everyone which totally impressed me), then went and played three games of raquetball. I won by a landslide all the games (I used the play in tournaments) and he was a little pouty which then turned me off. By the end of the evening, I was impressed again--he was so genuine and "real." The hard knocks of life had definitely made him a humble, adorable person.

He always tells our children that he knew he wanted to marry me on our first date and that I knew I wanted to marry him a year after we got married (NOT TRUE). He then teases me that he had to "fight for my love."

This one thing I do know. I'm glad Steven R. Bearnson is walking hand in hand with me through all the challenges life brings. He's a wonderful support, the best dad in the whole world (I'll leg wrestle you on this one!) and a great friend.

Have a great rest of the day, Steve. And go ahead and eat an extra piece of cake! (I'm hoping it will be gone--it's really not that good. Come on--beets in cake?)

Hope you have a great night, too.

Lisa B.

One Proud Mom!!

My son, Kade, turned 16 on December 28th. He'd been waiting for this birthday his whole life--he was finally eligible to drive AND date. Three days before the blessed event, I heard him in the back seat of our car asking a girl out. My ears perked up (I thought he was on his cell phone)--I was curious who he was asking out on his first date. I heard him talk about miniature golfing and that he was going to take both of his "sweethearts." I heard shouts of excitment from my two little girls. I then realized what was going on--Kade was asking out his sisters, Brecken and Sage, on his first date. I got choked up and all teary eyed. Wow--what a neat experience for all of them.

Of course I had to follow them to Trafalga--this was too cool of a moment NOT to capture it on film. I took photos, watched them miniature golf for a minute, then left them to their date. It was so heart warming to watch Kade interact with his "sweethearts." Sage insisted on wearing a fake hair piece and crown so she could be Kade's little princess. (She lost her first tooth over the holidays.) As the song goes, "these are the moments I'll remember all my life!"

By the way, I actually was a nervous wreck the rest of the night. Kade drove the 20 minute distance by himself with only the girls in the car. He got his license on his birthday and this was a first without me or Steve in the car. I wouldn't let him go on the freeway--it was State Street all the way. I know I'm being too protective but this is very scary! Does it get any easier?

Have a great Wednesday!

Lisa B.