My Return.

Tank Top & Pants: American Apparel

Life... You know, that little sucker just seems to get in the way and mess everything up! Ha! That and laziness. I tend to set the bar REALY high when I embark on a new journey... Take this blog for example, I told myself "Self, you HAVE to blog, at the very least, 3-4 times a week!"... Who was I kidding?!

So this is my return. My apology to my faithful few. My vow to carry on whether it be once or 5 times a week. My outlet to everything that is going on with the Tuma fam... and of course my little Apple's outlet to all things kiddie couture! Ha! (I crack myself up!)

Khloe's Korner: 1930's meets crabby tattoo!

On Khloe: Swimsuit & Swim Cap: Janie & Jack // On Daddy: Cap & Dryfit: Nike

We're back! Back from Sarasota and my missions trip to Guatemala! So sorry for the abandonment, didn't take many electronics to Guatemala as I wanted to completely disconnect and concentrate solely on God's work!  I have so much to say and post, but have decided to start my week off right with photos of my 1930's muñeca! I took these shots of her while on vacation in Sarasota 2 weeks back! She's a bit afraid of the water so daddy had to be there to ease her in. Looking a bit "hardcore" with her crab tattoo, the femininity of this swimsuit & cap made my heart melt and I HAD to have it (she had to have it, same difference)! Anyhow...

Happy Monday!!!

Life & Guatemala.

On January 1st, 2012 I lost a baby. This has truly been the hardest topic to revisit as in the past it would choke me up, tears would stream down my face and I'd get a horrible aching in my stomach as if my breath was being taken from me. I was 10 weeks along. 10 WEEKS. You pass that 2 month mark and something inside of you knows you're in the clear so excitement kicks in, name picking, gender reveal ideas, all that mumbo-jumbo that doesn't mean much to many, but to a mom (and a type-A personality like myself) planning ahead is EVERYTHING. This wasn't my first miscarriage. Before Khloe we lost another. It was a bit easier to deal with because A. It wasn't planned, B. I was only 3 weeks along and C. I hadn't yet experienced that unconditional, amazing, heart stopping love you feel when you have a child. Basically, I didn't know what I would be missing. The second time around was a bit different because A. It was planned, B. I was much further along and C. I oh-so wanted a baby... really bad. With a broken heart and soul I marched my little behind over to a tattoo shop and thats when the sparrows happened. One sparrow stayed and 2 left to be with my heavenly Father. The fact that I know He is taking care of them now truly brings an ease to my soul and calms my beating heart.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Photo credit: John Parra, thanks dude!

I'm leaving to Guatemala on the 20th to serve on my church's Missions Team, Hands of God. With every door God closes, He opens another and when He does, I have taught myself to dive in with no inhibitions. I have been prepping mentally and spiritually since January to embark on this journey; and after seeing our itinerary, I'm glad I did. Preparing to leave Khloe for a week was (is) no easy feat. You see, we're connected by what seems like an invisible umbilical cord. Yes, lame, but true. I don't fear her not being taken care of (Pedro's got that in the bag, Mr. Mom all the way!) I fear what I will feel, in the pit of my stomach, being thousands of miles away from her. Shake it off and move on Carisa! Praying for some sort of wi-fi connection from where we're at so that I can see my hubs & doll at least one day while i'm there.

God has a purpose for us all, a divine purpose we may not want to hear or follow, but a purpose nonetheless. I'm diving in, head first, KNOWING that He's got my back. Always & Forever.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! - Psalm 103

Khloe's Korner: Quack

Chambray Top: Target // Dress: Tea // Sandals: Cole Haan

Vacation! Vacation! We're on vacation!

I couldn't leave you without an early morning Monday edition of Khloe's Korner.

We currently live on a lake and Khlo loves chasing and feeding the ducks.

There are some cray-cray ducks that seem to sprint out of the lake. 

Yes, SPRINT! 

Have you ever seen them? They seem more like mallards; greenish in tone.

Anyhow, those feathered freaks charged at Khloe and her fist-full of crushed tostada and she didn't even flinch!!! Meanwhile, you could find me a quarter mile away! I'm a bit scared terrified of ducks... something about a horrid childhood memory being chased up the hill at Tropical Park by a duck when I was 3ish... eek.

Happy Monday ya'll.

DIY: OMBRE DRESSER

"I don't care where we go, I just NEED to find a dresser" said my sister Chrisi, while we were on our garage sale-n', thrift store scavenger hunt this past Saturday. Us Tuma's are hardcore in the garage sale game. iPhone apps and all, we go out Saturday mornings ready to divide and conquer! I swear, it's awesome. Especially when you find a stack of 15 Golden Books for your little one and pay ONE dolla', holla'! Anyhow, on our way back to home base, we stopped at one last sale and found a dresser! Best part about it, it was $15! My sister was nearly jumping out of her pants... does she not know we have to play it cool in order to haggle the price? C'mon Chrisi, get with it! Pedro got them down from $20 to $15, woot!

All of woman-kind needs to thank Pinterest for making our o'-so-crafty little spirit come out!

 Check out how we made a shabby old dresser look tres chic!