Monday, December 29, 2014

#cruiselife: Our 2014 Caribbean Getaway



I know, I know. Its been a while! So much to share with you guys! If you follow me on instaGram, or we're friends on FaceBook then you know that I recently came back from a Caribbean cruise to the islands of Jamaica and Grand Cayman! Being an island girl myself, this trip was nostalgic and I needed that break! It was awesome being able to relax with the love of my life and my best friend, Jessica of Diva on a Budget! We spent our days without a care in the world all while being wined and dined in luxury. There were 5 couples total and the memories we made were unforgettable.




We got matching wall mount masks in Jamaica

While on the ferry to Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Tortuga Rum Factory






mini golf! 11 stories up on a moving ship



Hope you enjoyed this post!
xo,

Glenesse

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Emotions

My feelings have been so jumbled for so many days. I've decided to do the only thing I know how:
BLOG IT OUT. In light of the recent events within the media, I don't know how to feel. I mean, when things seem so blatant, and for a lack of a better term black and white and then we watch them go left, how are we supposed to react?! I don't watch the news. I don't like how the skew things to fit their agendas. Its a conscious decision I've decided to make. I have the CNN app on my iPhone. I'm kept current usually via casual convos, and social media. I don't speak politics bc I honestly feel I'm not qualified and I own that. I can talk shoes and purses all day long and I hope that doesn't come off ignorant but its what I feel. 

I am raising a gentleman but in raising this young King I am scared. I want my son to know love. And to know that everyone deserves love, despite their color or creed. In the same breathe I don't want him to be naive. I don't want him to be taken advantage of. After reading the #crimingwhilewhite and #whitepriviledge hashtags I've seen that our realities are very different. In the back of my mind there is a fear that I had never consciously thought of. A fear of being black in America. Of being judged. Of being hauled  of jailed bc someone had a bad day. A fear that if I don't do things exactly a certain  way that I could end up in a horrible place. I carry those emotions bc I hope that my son would never have too. Being black in America is frightening. 

I'm afraid that I'll ever be in the shoes of Trayvon's mother. Or Michael's mother. I commend their strength. I don't feel like the punishments their sons endured fit their crimes. Wrong doing does NOT warrant death. No one entity has the right to be judge, jury and executioner. We have been failed. Failed by the same system that haunts us. Keeps us at bay. How can we truly honor a system that spit in our faces?! My heart hurts. How do we move forward?! I don't know. & I am terrified to find out. 

Rest in Love you guys.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Date Night

top and jeans: EXPRESS | pumps: SHOE DAZZLE
We all have that "go to" outfit and for me, this is it. It pretty much consists of some sort of top, jeans and a cute pair of sky-high heels. I actually purchased these beauties over 3 years ago, and have only donned them a few times. They are perfect accessory. & fairly comfortable. After dinner, we decided to take the kiddo to Chuck E. Cheese [where a kid can be a kid, lol] and being the big kids we are, we joined in on the fun.. See our pic below. 






xo,

Glenesse

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Mommy's little Batman


With all the moving, I forgot to show you guys what Jeremy picked as his Halloween costume! Last year, his Cookie Monster costume was a big hit. He wanted to show everyone that he was a "big boy" and this is how he did it. Originally, we purchased a costume from Walmart, but it proved way too big. In the end, I ordered this one from Target online. We ended up getting double duty out of this costume: on Thursday at the Trunk or Treat on post (pictured above) and Friday trick or treating in our neighborhood.

xo,

Glenesse

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Home update

This past weekend I made the 5 hour relocation from Killeen to Texarkana, Texas and moved into my new place. Now, I will admit: after living in a four bedroom house, apartment living does take some getting used too. I've already moved all the major furniture pieces so I'll continue to update the blog as I transform each room. So far, the dining area is about 90% finished. All we're missing is some wall art and a center piece.


Cant wait to continue!
xo,

Glenesse

Christmas wishlist

Untitled #9



Hey, a girl can dream..

Friday, October 17, 2014

Atlanta: Our fun-filled weekend!

While away at school I had the pleasure of visiting Atlanta with my love. We spent the weekend being tourists, which we rarely ever get to do. It was amazing way to spend my love's birthday. First we visited the infamous Magic City, where I fell in love with a dancer named "Passion". If you know where I can find her, that would be very helpful lol. We also visited the World of Coca Cola and the CNN building. Most of the attractions in downtown Atlanta are free to Active Duty military (so don't forget your ID, like I did) and most of all, have fun with it!


The CNN newsroom

This is the guy that invented Coca-Cola

The College Football Hall of Fame was also an awesome experience. When you enter, you receive an "All Access Badge" that you register with your favorite college team. Throughout the exhibit, your badge is interactive with the displays. It really was a great experience.




We ended the trip with a visit to the Center for Civil and Human Rights. There's also a Dr Martin Luther King Jr exhibit inside. It really was a heart wrenching exposure. Honestly, I couldn't complete the exhibit. The emotions were too strong. Here's what I could capture before we had to leave:






"A riot is the language of the unheard.."

Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Meet the Army's newest Recruiter: ME!!


This past Friday was one of the proudest moments of my life: I graduated the US Army Recruiter Course (ARC). In the following months I'll be moving to Texarkana, Texas to start recruiting and I am very excited for this opportunity. I plan to make the best of this experience and take this opportunity to further my career. Here are a few pictures from my time in the ARC:

Met some cool people. This is Sara. 

& saw some sites. Got to be a tourist, for once.

Graduation day with SSG Thompson, a fellow student

Sunday, September 21, 2014

a Night for Strong Women

blazer: H&M | top: EXPRESS | skirt: ROSS | clutch : MICHAEL KORS | heels: STEVE MADDEN
This weekend I had the pleasure of attending The First Annual CSRA Hair & Fashion Show. The show was dedicated to Women of the Military and I was honored to receive the Women of Strength Award, which I was nominated for by one of my best friends Jessica (of Diva on a Budget) who is also a Army veteran. It was such a humbling experience to see the show and the community's response to the military in general. I was proud to be in attendance and with God's grace I hope to be in attendance of many more.


I really don't know what inspired this outfit. It all started with the skirt that I found at my favorite store, Ross. When I got it, I never really thought about how I would style it, but I knew I had to have it. When I was invited to attend the event, it instantly was clear to me that I should incorporate it somehow. My top is from Express and my blazer from H&M. You guys may remember my blazer from my time in Germany back when I used to incorporate it into my outfits quite regularly. & lastly, my heels are Steve Madden (via Dillard's). & if you were wondering, they are not at all comfortable! So there you have it folks! I hope you guys had a wonderful weekend.
xo,

Glenesse


Saturday, September 13, 2014

Casual. Classic. Chic.

Yesterday marked the completion of week 5 of Recruiting school. 2 weeks left! Soon, I'll be back to my family with a shiny new badge and some new knowledge. This class has taught me things about the Army and most importantly myself. In November, I'll be moving to Texarkana, Texas to recruit for the next couple years. Luckily, I'm only 5 hours from my current home! Talk about blessings. Originally, I was upset about it, but I always like to look for that silver lining.

Top/Flats: ROSS | High waist Jeans: NAKED WARDROBE
The hours for school have been so long that lately I feel obligated to "dress up" all the time! I knew I'd be running errands all day, so I didn't want to prance around town in heels. In the event that I needed to transition to a evening/night time outfit, I could have threw on my heels & been good to go. Most importantly, I was comfortable and still remained glam! My shirt and flats were both purchased at Ross. If you have the patience to tackle the racks, Ross really is one of the best kept secrets!


Stay fab guys!
xo,

Glenesse

Thursday, August 28, 2014

My Army Story

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As beautiful as the United States Virgin Islands may be, the economy is in fact struggling. The day after my high school graduation, I got on a plane. I flew to Tampa, Florida and after a failed attempt at a post-secondary education, decided to join the work force. I became a customer service representative for UPS. Although I made $11 an hour, it wasn’t enough money to support myself. I had to make a life decision and FAST! Around the time that all of this was happening I had two of my very close friends return home from BCT. They had both failed to graduate. I walked into the recruiting station in hopes of maybe joining the Army Reserves, but nothing persuades a nineteen year old to join the United States Army like a $40,000 enlistment bonus.

Being the product of two noncommissioned officers, coupled with the experiences of my friends who had recently returned from BCT I felt very equipped to handle BCT. It was still challenging, nonetheless. I made life long friends with whom I still communicate. After graduating AIT, I PCS to Germany and months later was selected to complete a non-combat deployment to Israel. Seeing the landmarks of that country was eye opening. To be able to lay my hands on the exact stone where Jesus’ body had been sent shivers through my body. Seeing the tomb of King David, visiting the Eiffel tower, touring around Barcelona, Spain and being able to float in the Dead Sea were things I wouldn’t have been able to do in this lifetime, had I not enlisted in the Army.

After four years of living overseas I PCS yet again, this time to Fort Hood, Texas. After living abroad for so long, I had come to appreciate the comforts that only America can provide. With in months of being back home in the states, I was able to purchase my first home, thanks to the Army’s housing allowance program. Being a twenty-five year old homeowner was one of the most rewarding accomplishments in my life to date. Again, all made possible because I decided to take a chance and join the United States Army.

I want people to know that the Army isn’t all about someone yelling in your face and ordering you around constantly. You learn patience, discipline and to trust one another. You learn the type of person you want to become and the type of person you do not want to be. I want people to know that even though it is highly unlikely, there is still always that chance that you don’t deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan. Overall, I want people to know that enlisting in the Army was the best decision of my life.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Blended Beauty: My Routine Revealed

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Yesterday I posted this picture on my FaceBook and instaGram and it was so well received I wanted to tell you guys what products were used. I honestly don't have an hour long makeup routine. I always start with my brows. I use MACs eyebrow pencil in STUD to fill my brows. I use a small concealer/eyeliner brush with a dab of MACs Pro Longwear concealer (NW50) and line ONLY THE BOTTOM of my eyebrows. I think a lot of people mis-use concealer and don't blend it properly. Personally, I use the brush the blend down from the brow and then my finger for the rest. 

If I'm doing a "full face" (like pictured above) I soak my Beauty Blender in water and then dab it in concealer. I stipple from my under eye area to the corner in between my nose and mouth. Basically, a huge upside down triangle. This also helps define your cheeks. For foundation, I use Covergirl Queen Collection in shade Q755 with MACs 187 brush. It covers but still allows my skin to breathe. MAC and NARS both have proven too heavy to me. I use a MAC powder blush in FEVER for my cheekbones (and a flat kabuki brush to blend out the hard blush line) & then I add my lips. Yesterday, the lipstick of choice was MAC Ruby Woo with a Bobbi Brown lip gloss (that I don't remember the name of). 

& thats it! Seriously. I'm nowhere near a professional makeup artist, but I've found what works for me. Hope this answered all the questions you guys had! But if it didn't, leave me a comment, and let me know!

Stay fab guys!

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

loving KTR ❤

top: ROSS | skirt: KTR COLLECTION | heels: JESSICA SIMPSON

You guys received this outfit so well via my social media networks that I had to blog about it. Let me start with this skirt. I've absolutely love, love, loved KTR Collection since the first time I laid eyes on it! I've worn this previously (seen here) and it was worth every penny. The construction and quality is magnificent and I just knew I had to pair it with something equally amazing. My heels are Jessica Simpson and my top is from Ross. Yep, thats right: Ross! So many people don't have the patience to navigate Ross stores, but with all their hidden gems everyone should give them a fair shot!

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What's your "go to" store this season?!

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Future Recruiter Training

So my first week at US Army Recruiting school has officially come to a close. I'm so excited to tell you guys that I cleared the first hurdle successfully: I passed my physical training test! Now its on to the academic portion of this class. These next couple weeks we'll be graded on doctrine. I'm so amped about this entire experience. & although I miss my baby terribly, I know we'll be better off in the long run. See you guys in a couple of days!
xo,

Glenesse

Saturday, August 16, 2014

In the sky time



Previously I did a post about traveling with kids and I mentioned that you should always be comfortable while traveling. Just to show you guys that I'm a woman of my word, I wanted to show you what I wore to travel on Monday. If you haven't noticed already, I LOVE chambray tops. I think they're so versatile and are a great staple to have. This time around, I paired it with some coral shorts and nude Sperry's. I loved how comfortable and airy this ensemble was. Leave me a comment and let me know what you guys think!

What do you guys like to wear when traveling?!