Picture Perfect

#1. "Bluebird" Frame (5x7 photo)

#2. "Lorraine" Frame (holds 4x6 photo)

#3. "Paris" Photo Stand (8" tall)

#4 BATHtime Frame (4x6 photo)

I could use some help figuring out pricing for each item. Do me a favor and give me your opinion on a dollar range for each item. Thanks!

For Rent

Our ground level 2 bed 1 bath apartment is available. Send us your nice, gainfully employed, clean and responsible tenants!

Seriously. Send them.

Countdown

10 days left until our vacation to Disney World!

chicken ala Lowder, basterds and cartoons

We had a very eventful weekend at the Lowder house. Friday night, Mike's band had a gig at "Q", this new, trendy, fabu club on Main Street in St. Charles. So I deemed it "Girls Nite" for Claire and me. The plan was to go to Schroeder Park to see the movie "Finding Nemo" outside with a picnic dinner. The plan didn't include a ginormous stormcloud planting itself right over the park shortly after we arrived. We ate our picnic dinner in the car together and hoped that the rain would pass quickly, but alas - it did not. The crying started pretty quickly (from Claire obviously) so I eased the pain with a kids sprinkle cone from DQ. Does the trick every time. I also thought our own movie 'slumber party' might make her happy. We had "The Little Mermaid" at home from Netflix, so we popped that on upstairs after we got in our jammies and watched it in bed. It was fun. I remember loving that movie when I was a pre-teen. You know - before I understood the blatant misogyny and stuff. (I mean she has to choose between her legs or her voice to be on land to cozy up to Prince Eric? He doesn't even have any chest hair for god's sake...) But I digress.

Saturday I had to work. As usual. I have a new MSW Intern starting, so I trained her on our Saturday Social Programs. Today was supposed to be Yoga, but no one came. Free Yoga people?! Come on! I guess the awesome weather was keeping everyone away. It was beautiful outside. I want to live somewhere where it's like this every day.

We hired a babysitter for Saturday night. That allowed us to go to church with Jenny and Matt and then dinner at The Kind and I for Thai food. Good spring rolls, not so good Cashew Chicken. Then we took an exorbinant amount of time with at least two people checking their iPhone at a time to schedule a movie. We figured the guys would want to see one thing (District 9, G.I. Joe) and the ladies would want to see a 'chick flick' (Julie and Julia, The Time-Traveler's Wife). But after 40 minutes or so ( I wish I were kidding ) we all agreed to see "Inglorious Basterds" with Brad Pitt. It's a Quentin Tarantino film and I warned everyone that I was likely to 1. cry, 2. freakout, 3. vomit or 4. leave, if they violence got to be too much. I've been known to do at least 3 out of those 4 during showings of previous Tarantino movies. Mike and Matt were like "but they're killing Nazi's! It's for a good cause! It's just a movie!". Lovely. What made matters slightly worse is that the theater was so packed we had to sit in the second row. Literally. Even lovlier! I have to say though - the writing and story was really good! Brad Pitt's character had The Best lines. I had to cover my eyes several time (and my ears) but it was worth it. Awesome movie! Long live Aldo and Shosanna!

Sunday morning Claire and I woke up early and talked Mike into going to the Festival of the Little Hills in St. Charles. We stayed for like 4 hours in the beautiful sunshine. Claire got a butterfly lollipop, I got a handmade wrought iron towel holder thingey with Fleur de Lis and Mike got a berry crisp for $1 at Tiffany's work. Oh yeah - we got to eat lunch in the shade at Garden ala Fleur Cafe, where my sister-in-law Tiffany works. Best red pepper bisque ever. I wanted to get a pretty necklace with polished stone and my monogram, but the wait time was really long and we were really tired.

Mike's mowing the lawn, Claire's playing with neighbors, and I'm watching Melissa D'Arabian cook chicken ala'orange. Could I make that? I have everything needed but the chicken. And the oranges. Maybe it'll be tilapia ala lemon. But what I really wanna eat is fried chicken. Time to bribe Claire to ask if we can go to Cracker Barrell. It's always more cute when she asks anyway :)

My new hobby (and income stream)

Many of you know that I started a little card design business last October called Fleur de Liz Designs. I recently went to the Big Ass Indie Arts and Crafts Fair and was inspired to add picture frames, plaques and other home decor to my repetoire! Above are my first two products. The one on the left was a gift for my friend, who is giving it to her friend with a baby girl named Quinn. The one on the right is a gift I gave to Jenny and Jeff for their beautiful baby girl Madison. Check out my etsy page for the official listing. I LOVE doing custom orders :)

First Day of Preschool!

My little baby girl starts school today at Valley Park Preschool. Her teachers' names are Mrs. Grellner and Miss Lorraine. She has a cubby and a hook to hang her awesome personalized bookbag I got her. Claire was SO excited this morning. She got dressed, ate Lucky Charms (I would have made her a special breakfast, but that's what she picked out), brushed her teeth - no problem. I like this trend! Mike and I both went to drop her off. She went right in, put her bookbag away and started playing. Barely looked up when we gave her a hug and kiss goodbye. No crying! Now Mike and I almost shed a tear. I just can't believe I have a kid old enough to go to preschool! Wasn't she just my chubby-cheeke, little bald-headed baby? Grammy gets to pick her up this morning. I'm so jealous, I can't wait to talk to her tonight and find out how her first day went! You're a 'big girl' Claire 'Kella Lowder!

Fire Girl Claire

Claire got to sit in an actual Valley Park Fire Department Fire Engine thanks to Fire Fighter Jeff at the Valleypalooza a few weekends ago. I see a future career path...modeling at car shows. No seriously, she's into "Fire Girls" right now.

Also, please note: she is terrified of the Fredbird mascot. Disney World shouldn't be traumatic at all!

I'm cute, yes?

"Fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa"

Live on the Levee featured one of my favorite bands in college. Sorry for the crappy picture, but Claire couldn't stop shaking her booty. She was literally putting on a show of her own. Guster was beautiful, it was a nice balmy evening under the Arch and Claire cried

during the fireworks as usual.

Fresh Squeezed

Claire and I were watching cartoons the other night and Blue on "Blues Clues" was telling her audience where orange juice comes from. Actually it was Steve that was explaining that oranges grow on trees, you pick them, cut them, squeeze the juice into a cup and drink it.

Very helpful AND informative.

Claire's so cute, this morning she came to me with an orange from the fruit bowl and a pot (?) and asked if we could make juice, like Blue. It was messy and yummy! Claire might be getting a juicer for Christmas this year!

Good Choice!

Claire has a sticker chart in the kitchen. She gets a sticker every time she makes a 'good choice' (no time-outs, doing a chore like feeding Brody, getting ready in the morning without stalling for 55 minutes and making Mommy late for work). Once she gets 9 stickers, she's at the end of her row on the chart. Then she gets to pick out a wrapped gift (that she has already picked out at the dollar store).

Please notice the luxurious red sparkle braided "Ariel" wig above.

Hot mess or adorable Little Mermaid lookalike?

The Stork

Welcome Miss Madison Rose Scherr

August 4, 2009

Proud parents, Jenny and Jeff Scherr.

You did good guys! :)

Mean Girls

Last night Mike and I met at Vlasis Park in Ballwin with Claire and some finger lickin' good dinner. Somehow, Claire managed to resist the curley-cue slides long enough to gulp down some corn and a chicken tender only to meet the meanest, little, bitchy, snob-toddlers on the playground! I'm talking mini-Rachel McAdams in "Mean Girls" mean.

There were two of them. Both with bobbed haircuts and knock-off Children's Place back-to-school outfits. And both with bad attitudes. At about 5 years old tops, they were "big kids" compared to Claire, but she tends to hang with a more sophisticated crowd so she can roll. Usually, when approached at the playground by a sweet, cherubic little blondie like my Clairey, kids are friggin' psyched to play with her! Claire's usually the leader of the pack. But not this time. "Can I play with you?" was met with a "Uh? No? We don't play with babies?!" proceeded with a hair flip and lemon pucker look. WTF?!?!?! Oh, it's on Hannah Montana times 2!

Claire comes running back to me almost in tears. "Those kids won't play with me!" I flashback to the bible school my mom used to send me to before Leah was born and I had no neighborhood kids to really play with. I approached the 'cool girls' on the jungle gym and asked them if I could play with them (what's with the asking, just start playing! we're kids!) Anyway, they said "no" and I was crushed. I mean, I'm typing about it 28 years later, so... Back to Vlasis Park or the latest Lindsay Lohan movie...whatever. Claire, like a glutton for punishment, keeps trying to get those bitchy girls to play with her. She was obsessed with getting them to like her. They must have made fun of her hair or outfit or something because at one point she runs over and cried "They said I'm not pretty!! waaah!!".

OH NO YOU DIDN'T?!?!

It was a constant battle in my brain trying to allow Claire and the bratty twins to let it play out on their own and swooping in and rescuing her from the future nail technicians with multiple baby daddies. "Claire, why don't you go find some nice, friendly kids to play with?" Meanwhile Mike suggests "kicking them in the shins".

Luckily, a really nice, beautiful red-headed family with 5 kids - all with normal names - appeared from the heavens. Luke, the patriarch, must be able to feel the heartbreak on all of our faces each time Claire runs over and tells me Taylor and McKenzie or whatever their annoying names were, had made fun of her again. So anyway, Luke introduces his lovely 3 year old curly redheaded daughter, "V" (for Veronica which is not annoying at all) to Claire. They become fast friends, running and skipping and playing hopscotch and approving of each other's wardrobe choices and everything. Yay!

Well before we know it, she's managed to sneak away from V and is climbing up the clubhouse tower thing. Mike and I can tell it but Claire can't, she's about to cross paths with Kortnee and Brittnee!! Beware Claire! Before I realize it, Kortnee or Jaydyn or whatever her stupid name is, flipping body checks Claire! I MEAN GETS IN HER FACE! I literally scream at the top of my lungs from 2 floors down "OH NO YOU DON"T!" It wasn't pretty.

Within seconds, Claire pushes the girl away from her and secretly I'm like "damn straight" but on the outside I'm like, "playground onlookers are NOT going to mistake my angel-baby who is just defending herself for the troublemaker. Hands to yourself Claire!" It was ridiculous! The next thing we know V has rounded up all the colors of Benetton (it's a very diverse park population, which I appreciate) and they are crowding around those finger-snapping snoots and telling them off. It was awesome! "you're not being good friends...I AM big enough...you shouldn't be mean..." It was like an after-school special. The mean girls were outnumbered. The nice girls had HAD IT! It was so rewarding...for me, I guess for Claire and V and the rest of the good kids, who won't get caught stealing press-on nails from Walgreens in 6 years by the way, which I CAN'T say for you know whos. I was like "take that beeyotches! Have fun selling wings at Hooters in 11 years."

The best part? As we're leaving the park, little Paris Hilton bites it and falls down flat on her face. "Why did the mean girl fall down Papa?" without skipping a beat Mike replied, "Karma sweetie".

Kung Fu Claire

"Karate Chop!"