I think I got the tranny slippage under control but I still get a thud from the engine area when it shifts up or down as it shifts... could this be a engine/tranny mount? if it is which one would most likely be the culprit?

The suspension qustion is....

My rear is starting to drag more and more with nothing in the trunk and one adult or 2 kids in the backseat. Should I get new shocks/struts or start checking into other thinks like springs.

Also I want to replace as many bushings as I can with urithane ones(energy susp)
What can I change with only hand tools? Can anyone give me the part #* for the kits.

Do I need to get an alignment after I change the bushings? I think I do but just making sure.

The shocks/struts do nothing to control ride height, they're only there to control bounce and roll. If your rear has sagged (your car!) then you need new springs. Basically, the spring supports the car, and the shock is there to dampen the motions of the spring.

Sway bar centre bushings are an easy job with only hand tools but the end links (depending on your climate) might be trickier. Usually they rust together and have to be cut out with a saw or torch. Your car is pretty new still, so you should be fine. For the sway bar stuff, you won't need an alignment. For control arm bushings, strut mounts, etc, it'* recommended.

Your thud could very well be a mount. Have a friend get in the car and shift back and forth between reverse and drive. They may have to load up with the throttle a little bit. If the engine rocks back and forth excessively, start looking at all of the mounts to see which one is moving too far. The dog bones at the top in the front are common.

Would you, by chance, have a factory load leveler system in it? w/air shocks back and cute little compressor pump under the hood on driver'* side?

Ummm nope no cute things under the hood. or shiney either...

I just have a plain 'ol SE... Column shift, bench seat and little "cute" LOL card holders instead of tweeters in the door

Okay, I promise to never use that word again. But if you had one of those compressors, you might use the same term to describe it. So, guess I can't help there. But on the other problem...

First time my 93 broke a motor mount, I thought the tranny was going. That one was on the passenger side right next to the water pump pulley. Toughest one to replace. Just recently the front one on the driver side broke... same "thud" when pulling away from a stop.

I had the wife put it in drive and give it some gas with the brakes on. In the case of the last one, it was easy to see the motor come up off the mount as it separated. That one was much easier to swap out.