2nd Birthday, dedication and randomness...

Fun times in the Craver household!

We celebrated Gauge's 2nd birthday on Sunday the 19th as well as Teagan's dedication that morning at my dad's church.

Teagan got to wear her beautiful dress that the Heath's had given her before she was born and I was saving for her...She fit perfectly in it for her dedication and of course looked like a little princess. We are so blessed to have two wonderful, healthy and sweet kids. Thank you Lord!

We then went home for naps and while the kiddos napped I swung into bday mode. I had so much fun skipping around and decorating this year. I loved this new year because he understood more actually knew he was about to have a fun day with his Mickey Mouse birthday.

With some gift cards from Aunt Boog and NiNi and the Brandley's I was able to get a little toddler table for him that he is loving feeling like a big boy in.

He also has chipped a tooth! His front tooth! I don't like sounding like a superficial mom but I will have to tell you I was quite sad when I saw it because I thought of all his pictures until he is like 6 are going to have this little chipped tooth! I am going to call the dentist though and just see if it needs a little filing because that little booger is SHARP! Anyhoo, I guess a boy is a boy....Hopefully he won't bust anymore out! Oh! And it happened by just slipping in the shower with his father, (note: his father, NOT me...) I actually was playing with him after bath and looked at him and freaked out. Chris was like "Oh. He must have done that when he slipped in the shower..." Well HELLO! He really didn't even cry so it was a freak accident.

Other than that we have just been now staying around the house because BOO for swine flu....I just rather not get into that!

What's that? Oh yes my chipped tooth...

So it's not hugely noticeable I suppose.... :)

I love my big boy table!



Oh good golly mom! This humidity is awful on my hair! ;)

Playing his guitar from Papa and Gee...Like mother like son :)

Teagan getting in on the icing action...

Playing with her girlfriend Jordan :)

He got so tickled that everyone was singing to him. It was precious!

Coloring with his new pad and triangle colors...And of course his mickey ears!

Playing!

Party time! Oh how I love this courtyard!

The 4 Mouskateers!

Hey I'm 2! :)

Cupcakes for the adults...

Cupcakes for the kiddos...easier to hold!

What to pick....Hmmm

Teagan with her dress my mom made her to she could coordinate :)

Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse :)

Dedication....I love my family!

My sweets!

All dressed up!

God requires change...

So God doesn't really give out the 'Easy' button does He?

He called us to take up our cross, deny ourselves and follow Him. It's the dying to ourselves part I'm always battling with. God is in the buisness of change. He never wants us to stay right where we are at. He is always refining and purifying us; molding and shaping us; smoothing and chiseling us, into the image of Him. And can I tell you that is one heck of a process. For me, that's a lot of chiseling...

You see I have this little problem with this person, Tara. Yes me, Tara. She is the most stubborn gal I know. She really really doesn't like releasing control and letting God work. No she has this little problem with wanting to control everything herself. But like my mama has always said, "Tara you better learn the lessons God is teaching you the first time around, or else He will have to keep bringing up those problems until you give and learn the lesson."

Well, I give.

If you haven't ever listened to JJ Heller's music, you should. She has wonderful talent and the words to her songs hit home...Here are the lyrics to "Only Love Remains"....God brought this song fresh to my mind as I sang Gauge to sleep and it is where He is calling me to be...

Scenes of you come rushing through You are breaking me down

So break me into pieces That will grow in the ground

I know that I deserve to die For the murder in my heart

So be gentle with me Jesus As you tear me apart

Please kill the liar

Kill the thief in me

You know that I am tired of their cruelty

Breathe into my spirit

Breathe into my veins

Until only love remains

You burn away the ropes that bind

And hold me to the earth

The fire only leaves behind whatever is of worth

I begin to see reality For the first time in my life

I know that I’m a shadow But I’m dancing in your light

Teach me to be humble

Call me from the grave

Show me how to walk with you upon the waves

Breathe into my spirit

Breathe into my veins

Until only love remains

Keep changing me Lord...keep changing me....

Until only LOVE remains....

And of course I don't like leaving a post without pictures!! Here are my sweets doing what they do best, being stinkin' cute!! :)

New 2T Pjs from Aunt Boog. Yes that's right 2T!!

Painting a canvas for mama with his new finger paints...Note he isn't into the finger part, rather uses a brush...Did my OCD rub off??!?! :)



I went to lunch while they napped and came home to see this...That will melt any mommas heart! Teag and her daddy had spent quality time while brother napped :)

This child LOVED the water hose...But be careful...He squirts you!

Lovin' his leap frog speller. He really just likes to push the button that sings the ABC's for him while he dances around!

And I can't leave a post without posting one of my girly! Here she is eating Gauge's raisins wrapper...Yes she follows behind him just waiting to get whatever he leaves...Little booger!

Oh! Good golly I almost forgot I gotta post about Mr. Gauge's 2nd birthday!! I will do that with photos on his real birthday coming up this Sunday...Stay tuned!!

A little behind on the pictures for Layney Poo...

He had to open every single one, one at a time and eat the goldfish or rasin out and then move to the next egg...Let's just say that took FOREVER! :)
Raisins!!!

Ridin' together :)

Playing with the train table...yea we aren't very good about waiting till birthdays huh? :)

Easter pic with the fam

Peekin! She really wanted Gauge's! Of course!

Ooooh! What's this?!

Gummy! Isn't she the funniest?!

She went back and forth from silly to gummy! She is always this happy in the morning! It's loads of fun!

My pretty girly girl

My sweets!

Buds!!

No, I'm not having any fun dressing this girly! :)

Bff's! :)

How cute is that hiney! Cute hiney courtesy of Gee...

All dressed up for church....Earrings-check, braclet-check, cute sandals-check, dress and hairband-check....I'm good to go mom! :)

She has a fascination with her hand...so silly!

I love this happy girl!

What? You taking pictures of me? Yeah I'm cute, I know it ;)

My Etsy Store!

Yay! Check out http://www.marlataviano.com/ (she is one of my favorite Christian writers). She mentioned me in her blog today and on her sidebar she has my etsy store! Tara Lou's! I have started trying to sell my signs I paint. Thanks Marla!

And check out Marla's books. I have read 3 of hers and LOVED them. She is hilarious, down to earth, right on the money and her books will have you laughing and totally encouraged!

Crib time...

So it seems the crib is the newest hang out place in the Craver household. No not for sleeping, though I just want to praise the Lord for having such good sleepers!...but no once these munchkins wake from nap they want to play in one of the two cribs together! They don't care which as long as the are rolling around laughing together :) Chris just said the other day, "I'm glad we had them this close; they are buds!" Me too. This short (but sometimes seems long) season of craziness will soon pass and they will be to buds skipping around together. Love it!

So ya'll wanna know what I dream about when I sleep? I dream I am telling the kids, "Hey kids! Ya'll wanna go to the library? Sweet! Hop in the car with your library bags and we are off!" Here they go sweetly with their bags and open the car door, buckle themselves in and smile happily that we are going to the library where they are going to quietly get lots of fun books....lol yes my dreamland...no it's not a vacation to Hawaii or even a huge chocolate cake...hmm wait there might be a chocolate cake when I get home...but alas it is having two kids who understand, talk and get in the car on their own!! hehe Now I know, I know this may not be how it goes exactly or even everytime but a girl can dream right?!

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE my babies, I LOVE these stages they are in but I can't help but think of the greatness coming one day. Which is nice to think right? I'm seeing greatness coming! :) I do have to say that there is nothing better than seeing a gummy smile when Teagan wakes up or Gauge yelling all kinds of mumbled words because his voice and words are a new thing to him.

You know what I am most thankful for? That God doesn't ever change. He always is the same. He loves us no matter what. Good days, bad days, dull days....He looks down and sees us in every stage and says, "I love her!" What is even more amazing is that He loves us so much He sent His ONLY Son to die just so we might live. Maybe I need to plaster that on post it notes everywhere and then every single moment I live I would live in a way that shows how thankful I am to my amazing Father...

So what are you thankful for and what helps you remember all God has done for you so that you live a life of gratitude everyday? You see I know the truth and I desperately want to live it, just seems its hard sometimes to reflect that in my life, my true gratitude and love for Jesus...What helps you?