A friend of mine is going to help me with a website...I want to be able to sell stuff (actually, people are already buying it anyway) and have my own little name. So, of course I would like to have 'artsmith.com', but that isn't available. I'm afraid to use something with Lauri in it, because no one knows how to spell it right. Same thing with Panova, kinda. What do you think about 'smithpanova.com'?My mom and dad would call me Lu-Lu when I was a kid, so Steven suggested 'lulumakesart.com' or 'lulumakes'. What do you think about that? What about 'smithmakes'???Help me get a cool name, people!

So this is what I've been doing...

Bottle feeding a kitten!

Last Tuesday was like a day out of another universe. The Jeep (Cherokee) was in the shop, and a guy Steven works with was supposed to give him a ride to work. Well, he forgot. So...got the kids off to school, I got dressed and got my stuff together-because I had to stop by the post office and mail off an order, then be somewhere by 10:00-then Steven, Claire and I take off for Valero. While we are driving down Blanco Rd. (a very busy, main road, right before we get on the highway) we see this tiny kitten crawling from the sidewalk up into the grass, like she has just crossed the street...on her way to Super Target, cuz this cat knows where it's at! lol!

So Steven yanks the car over, tells me to get out and get the kitten and he will drive around and meet me in the parking lot. When I get to her she is about as scared as she can be. Her white parts are grey. I checked to see if I can feel if anything was broken, and it all seems ok, so I picked her up, brought her to the car, and we went back down Blanco road to the vet. We dropped her off there to get her all checked out.

Dropped Steven off at work, went by the post office, then Steven calls with news about the Jeep. It can be shocked back to life for $3500. Um...it's almost 10 years old and MAYBE we could get $800-$1000 for it on a good day. Steven wants to take out a loan to pay for the repairs. Um,again...it's almost 10 years old and MAYBE we could get $800-$1000 for it on a good day! If I'm making payments on something, it's gonna be new and under warranty! Because, make no mistake, there will be more going wrong with this car.

So...I went car shopping and...are you ready for this???

I GOT MY WRANGLER!!! *doing the Wrangler dance* The car I have been dreaming about for decades! Black Jeep Wrangler Unlimited-with a hardtop! And I cannot believe I haven't taken a picture of it yet! The kids are kinda freaked out though...Wranglers don't have electric door locks and windows and they have never lived in this kind of world. Claire still thinks if she can just push hard enough or in the exact right spot on the handle that you use to manually roll down the window, it will roll down itself! lol! And I have just really put Allison out by making her wait for me to get to it and unlock the door with the key, and not just unlock the door from half a parking lot away and let her get in first! This kids have absolutely no idea how spoiled they are! lol! But, they love it in spite of it's shortcomings, and I am now set for life! And I did it all before I turned 40! lmao!

I'll have to take a picture of the Jeep later, but, here are some of Molly the Kitten...

I love the little black smudge on her nose!

Here's a good one of her back, so you can see how fuzzy she is and all of her spots.

And one more of her face. Allison was trying to hold her so I could get a good shot, but she really didn't want any part of it...look at her legs, trying to get away! lol!

Just a teezer...

The last week of school is always the busiest, and this one is no exception. And, because you know my life never just runs smoothly, even when I know it's gonna be crazy, we were thrown a couple of big surprises! Nothing bad, really...just surprising. I'll be back with details and pictures later.

Today Allison and Ethan both have award ceremonies at their respective schools...AT THE SAME EXACT TIME! I have to go to Ethan's because he would be absolutely devastated if there wasn't anyone there for him. But then Allison was crying because no one would be there for her...and we really didn't think Steven would be able to make it. But, things have changed, so, he is going to hers, and I am going to Ethan's. And on that note...I must go get dressed!

Went to Austin on Saturday...

I had to check out a store I have heard about-Moxie and the Compound. Very Cool store! Ethan even liked it...he asked me if I could, "drop him a few bucks"! lol! Guess he found something he liked. And I found LOTS of stuff I liked, but didn't buy anything. Can you believe that?!?

Drove around and showed the kids where I was born and stuff-they thought that was really cool...especially how they turned a hospital into condos! lol! Almost 40 years of progression...anything can happen, I guess. lol!

Stopped at the outlet mall in San Marcos on the way home. Everyone got new shoes EXCEPT FOR ME. I even had some on my feet and was walking around in them. Then I put them back in the box and carried them around for a while. Then decided I didn't really need them. Can you believe THAT?!?

*Go ahead-I'll give you a moment to catch your breath and get your heartbeat back to normal.*

Sunday...well, I, ALONE, spent about 3 hours in JoAnn's. Then Steven called and needed me to get milk on the way home, so I had to stop at Target. There went another couple of hours, dontcha know. Then it was time to meet my friends at Starbucks, and we were there until 10:00. I think I saw the kids all of about 45 minutes yesterday.

This week is crunch time, though. The last 4 days of school. I'm trying to make something special for all of Ethan's teachers and therapists at school, so I've got my work cut out for me these next few days...in between doctors appointments, award ceremonies and other various school events. Two of which, one for Ethan and one for Allison are scheduled for the EXACT SAME TIME. How am I supposed to pull that one off???

Look at this!

I made a business card/label to sew onto things I make or to add to the back of art stuff. Cool, huh?

So about Mother's Day...

Oh. My. God! How sick was I??? It started on Friday, and Sunday morning was the worst! I finally started feeling a little better Sunday night. Still not 100%-if I eat, I still feel really bad-but much better than yesterday.

I actually did get a gift, though. But only because my mom took the kids out shopping while she was here. When asked, repeatedly, by Steven, what I wanted, I told him, repeatedly, the only thing I wanted was blueberry muffins, orange juice and coffee in bed...as in breakfast. Breakfast in bed. Blueberry muffins. That's all. Nothing else. Really! That's the only thing I request.

He forgot.

Weekend Word Challenge

These were not taken this weekend, but I'm entering them anyway...

Mothering: When we brought Frida and Remy home when they were tiny kittens, they immediately took to this wooden chicken I had on the table, filled with apples, as a centerpiece. They would cuddle up against it and sleep with it all day and night. I finally decided they had adopted it as their 'mother', and they needed it more than my table did. I took the apples out and took it off the table, named it their "Chicken Mama" and gave it to them. Since the apples were out, they could curl up inside of it and sleep that way. They LOVED that chicken! This is a picture of Frida in her Chicken Mama.



Wonder: Hmmmm...I wonder what this button right here does...*FLASH!*

Oh. Okay.

So I'm curling up on the couch with her, 1) just wanting to sit down for a few minutes and 2) trying to get her to stop crying because she has been crying all morning, and 3) watching ER. They bring in this woman who was all beaten up and bloody.

Claire: What happened to her?

Me: Some mean person beat her up and hurt her.

Claire: Well, I know it wasn't me, because I was never in Hollywood!!


ROFLMAO!!! Like if she WAS there, or if it happened in San Antonio, it's a possibility.

Lilly's such a good kitty!

Thank goodness Lillian is so easy going! Today, Claire has her in a little rolling, plastic bin, and is pushing her all around the house.


Such a good kitty!

Weekend Word Challenge

OK-so it's way past the weekend. Sue me.

I did manage to get a photo for one of the words: Peace


This is Ethan, playing in peace. I think this is the first time ever that Ethan has actually gotten to play outside in the "fort" alone. He was just sitting and playing...moving so slowly and gently. Very rare event for him. Just watching him I got that hypnotized feeling. It was nice.

Shopping with Mom

I've never really done the 'antiqueing' thing, but lately I've been very interested in things like vintage aprons...and teapots (?). I don't know...

Anyway, last Wednesday, the first thing we did when she got here was go to this little place that is probably about a mile from my house. It's a shop called Handmade somethingorother, and I thought it would just be some handmade toys, jewelry, stuff like that.... But, it's one of those places where people rent out little booths and keep their stuff there. It could be anything! And not even hand made! But I found a lot of old, crocheted (is that how you say it?) doilies and things, and several vintage aprons. I did good...all I bought was 3 aprons, but I'll probably have to go back for more! lol!

All of the aprons are my favorite for different reasons. I love this pink one with the little orange flowers, because it looks so dainty, yet everyday. It must have been for a lady who was very petite and tidy...probably didn't even need an apron because she never made a mess, and cleaned as she went along. Just minimally practical-only one pocket, and I really think she only wore this just in case she actually spilled a drop of something. (This must have been my mom's apron! lol!)

This white one with the purple flowers is nice...things like these are usually saved for special occasions, but nothing special enough ever REALLY comes up so it's never worn, but this one does have some use. I'm thinking it was used on Sunday's, or any day she just wanted to feel pretty. It's so sheer! And there aren't even any pockets!

This green one was quite the workhorse! It's made of a heavy cotton fabric, and the bottom is a row of 3 pockets! My kind of apron-I LOVE pockets...on anything! This one was worn all the time-day in and day out, only taken off long enough to wash and dry. It even has a couple of holes! Very worn and, if not loved, very appreciated. It really reminds me of my grandma. She ALWAYS had on an apron, and they usually looked something like this one.

Introducing Lillian!

Oh my goodness! So much is going on right now it's not even funny! Things are happening faster than I can blog about them! Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up eventually, but I am going to start here, with Lillian (Lilly), our/MY new kitten...

I have always wanted a little white, brown, black and orange calico, and I finally found her last Thursday at San Antonio Animal Control. They said she was 6 weeks old, but I'm wondering if she is younger than that, because she is such a baby. I've had 6 week old kittens before, but she really reminds me of a newborn human baby. She loves to cuddle up under my neck and sleep for hours. When I put her down so I can eat, she will sit on the floor next to the chair and "cry". It's so funny, yet sad! lol! And, she will actually groom me! My neck and ears and hair. I think she really thinks I am her mommy. (I hope she does, anyway! lol!)

This is Claire holding Lillian while I was trying to get a good shot of her face, but Lilly wasn't being too cooperative.


As soon as she could get herself loose, she jumped down from Claire's arms, turned her back to me and just sat there. I think she was making a statement, but, the joke's on her, because I got a great shot of her back!

Mom's here...

So...I may be away from the computer, since there is so much shopping to be done! lol! We're going to the new mall tomorrow! :)