We braved the torrential rain storm to attend Liv’s good friend Kieran’s 4th birthday party. Luckily, it was indoors and we had a blast racing Matchbox and Hot Wheels. Liv brought her vintage Matchbox “Brown Betty”
The Coxwell’s always make the raddest invitations
Another amazing cake made by Kieran’s Grandmother
Our cute check flag girl
The awesome timed racetrack
Brown Betty vs Morgan’s Yellow Mini
All the guests parked their car at the cake. So cute!
Yesterday we went to a party for my dear friend in celebration of her elopement last year. It was wonderful! We saw friends we haven’t seen in years. Isn’t funny how you can pick up a friendship right where it left off? I suppose that’s the true mark of a real friend. It felt like I just saw them yesterday and we all laughed like old times. I am so happy for Erin who looked radiant as all newlyweds do.
I love this keepsake. We all put our fingerprints on it and signed this beautiful tree.
Congrats to the Lovely couple!!
Erin’s Grandma Bev was the greatest Grandma that ever lived. I miss her so much!
I love these jerks more than anything!
Liv was smitten with Erin’s nephew Eli. They were too cute for words.
L’chaim to Erin & T. I wish you a happy, long life together.
I cannot believe baby brother Finian is already one!! Seriously, adorable little ones really speed time up. I shared this amazing party invite already but it’s so rad that I have to show it off again.
Brilliant artwork and party theme Morgan & Terry!!
This past weekend was Liv’s school’s annual Winter Solstice. It was raining like crazy and must have been one of the coldest days we’ve had here in Los Angeles.
My wardrobe doesn’t accommodate for anything lower than 60°. As I was leaving the house the sun peeked through the clouds so I put away my rain boots remembering how hot I was last year from working the craft stations. I was sure my outfit would be appropriate.
Of course an hour before the solstice began it poured rain like Noah’s Ark. Guess who had frozen ankles?
This frozen elf!
At least Liv got to wear her Hatley raincoat and boots I bought last year *on super sale* I wasn’t expecting her to fit them until she was like 6 years old but dude, this kid is a growing machine!
Renae, the owner of the school, had tents for everything *even the snow sledding* so we proceeded rain or shine, and the sun did eventually return. I was pretty sure not so many people would come out in such bad weather but I was surprised by the community support for our school. There were more people than ever and I was busy the whole time running the crafts. It was pretty cold but a few glasses of mimosa kept me warm.
How cute did these turn out? Sunflower/bird & Big Bird-opus
We sold out of all one hundred of these guys!
Olivia’s classmate Maximo’s decorated gingerbread man
We decorated ornaments, stockings, gingerbread men and our most popular build-a-buddy. It’s funny to me that we take stuffed animals and cut their heads off, then the kids can choose from a box of bodies and heads for us to sew back together. The combinations are so funny but some kids try to find the original head with the original body.
We donated the pink cookies to the bake sale
The lovely ladies who make Liv’s school so rad
I adore lady DJs
Kissy Kissy
This lady is so rad!
So many goodies were in the holiday boutique. I left my wallet at home so I didn’t get to shop.
This chick is adorable, her sweater and turban are so sweet
So, I was eyeing this hat from one of our vendors at the holiday boutique. I look so awkwardly like Indiana Jones in hats like these. I wish I could rock a hat as cool as my BFF does but my hat is oddly shaped, no hipster hat for moi.
After a few hours I was finally able to sneak away and join Liv & Antz in some family fun.
Liv won tiny goldfish *they only lived one day 🙁
The snow survived the heavy rain
Train ride in the rain
She still has this mermaid tattoo
Liv and her incredible teachers.
Lovely Miss Chrissy
Mr George
I had the most amazing bacon and egg sandwich ever. I know you may be thinking what’s so amazing about bacon and eggs but the special ingredient is sweet sun-dried tomatoes and herbs cooked into the eggs. I wish I could have them for breakfast everyday.
Those who know me know I’d rather put a fork in my eye than eat a veggie but these tomatoes are amazeballs!
It’s a good thing I got one when I did because when I went back to order one for Antz they were all out of the sun-dried tomatoes and herbs that make the sandwich so amazingly good. Hopefully he’ll get to try one next year. He made up for it in tamales though.
Unlike last year, Liv was super happy to see Santa and she spent about fifteen minutes letting him know all the things on her wish list. To sum it up, she wants every Disney princess dress ever made *everything must be like her friend Kaia*
Pretty rad shot
We had so much fun before I knew it, it was time to go. It was such a successful event, the school may be getting a new treehouse built soon.
Whew, this weekend flew by! I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving. We took an uneventful trip to Big Bear. There was rain but no snow and everything was closed. We did have a delish turkey dinner and we have tons to be grateful for.
Yesterday my friends Jes, Nic and I hosted a baby shower for Story & Chris. It was so much fun! Not everyone on our guest list could make it since it was a holiday weekend but all my favorite people came and we had a great time. Many hugs and thanks to Nic & Jes for helping me host and making Story so happy.
Antz made these awesome shower invites
I am so proud of my amazeballs cheese platter
We bought a delish almond cake from Brown Box Bakery *Leslie & Connie’s bakery*
I made cucumber, rosemary and lemon spa water
Jes made this rad record cupcake stand *I love it!!*
Jes painted this pram black and we served drinks out of it
This girl loves deviled eggs
Our gift to baby Veda
Ale proudly shows his clothespins
We played the Poop diaper game *it was hilariously gross*
Smell that poop!
We have a winner!
Liv made a new friend
Best baby shower card ever!!
Happy Shower my friends!
I know my last few posts have been me complaining. I’m definitely in the works of fixing that. I have been bummed since my laptop is always giving me trouble but I found a solution. It’s going to take a few weeks to get it all taken care of. I’m super happy because I am going to take an e-course this month at Pugly Pixel. I love blogging but it is quite frustrating that I know nothing about web coding or html junk. I can’t afford a fancy class like Blogshop *hopefully one day I will* This course will help me figure out how to size my photos, basic coding, add awesome fonts and use Photoshop. Once I get my computer running better, I can start using Photoshop more in my posts. I’m so excited!
My goal is to learn enough so by the new year I can redesign my blog. I want to fix all the wonky issues *Antz has let me know that my suggested posts are dead links* and have it running smoothly for 2014. I also hope to go back to having more monthly features *Mix Tape Fridays/Want/Need/Wear/Read* and post my holiday shopping/wishlist guides. I would love feedback from my lovely readers. I hope to grow Violently Happy into a place where folks visit and want to stay a while.
Today we are putting up the Christmas lights and maybe tonight we’ll pick up a little tree for Liv. I hope you all have a FABulous December!!
I know it’s been quiet here. I’m in the midst of co-hosting a baby shower for my friends Story & Chris this weekend. Thanksgiving getaway this week, deciding what we are doing for this year’s holiday card and next weekend is Liv’s school Winter Solstice *which I’m head of the Crafts committee again this year*
So if it seems like I’m not talking much, please know I’m always here in spirit. Check out my blogroll, I added some new bloggers that are ridiculously lovely and super inspiring *like, I’m so ready to pack up and move to Paris* thanks to Anne and Rubi!!
As you may already know *from my Instagram* Antz pulled a “Hey, wanna go to an event 5 minutes before it starts?“on me today. Well, of course I’m game! He got an invite for a black and white themed party at the new Bloomies in Glendale. Any party that hands out masks at the door is my kind of affair. It’s funny how much black and white attire we’ve acquired in the last year, so we were prepared on short notice. I had many wardrobe choices for Liv but we decided to give her Misha Lulu striped dress it’s last soiree before it’s retired to her clothes-I’m-hoarding-that-don’t-fit-anymore drawer. You would think the party was in Olivia’s honor the way she schmoozed the crowd and posed for photos.
The Bloomingdale’s director was captivated by Olivia. They had a nice chat about her Ban.do accessories.
Happy Hanukkah to me??!!
So I met this pretty rad chick, her name is Samantha fucking Ronson!! We are totally buddies now, she’s gonna DJ Liv’s birthday party. She told me to use hashtag #wutangisforthechildren
The store was lovely
Every single person told us she was adorable and she should be a
model…yeah, I feel the same way too folks. There were lot’s of
Bloomingdales executives and very wealthy peeps who were there to donate
to the VH1 Save the Music foundation
Checking out the Ralph Lauren dresses in the kid’s department.
Hello Christian Dior metallic pink pumps! I would never wear them, just frame them and look at them
All boots need confetti in the heel!
Hello handsome!
Our lovely three year old, looking like a pro on the black carpet. One of the paparazzi dudes snapped her photo so look out for her in People magazine!
Gift bags
So what was in that swag bag you say? A tote bag that I can have monogrammed on the 8th, $25 gift card, some gross colored nail polished appropriately named “load” and some old lady smelling eau de parfum. Thanks Bloomies!
The morning began very early, Antz sister Debra came over to have Antz paint her face for the raddest costume ever.
Of course she won first place at her office costume contest. Yay Debra van Gogh!!
Then we headed to Liv’s school for Trunk or Treat. Here’s our trunk.
Liv’s class had a bake sale *Her BFF Liam’s Mom baked all these goodies*
Ruby’s costume is so awesome. Half Glinda, half Wicked Witch of the West
Liv’s bestie Liam and his Mommy
Liv’s class Yellow Dragons
The kids love the talking skeleton guy
We ran out of candy *Antz had to run to a nearby store*
Liv’s lovely teacher Ms. Crissy was Mary Poppins
Love this little dude
I spent a lot of time explaining my costume to befuddled folks *No, I’m not a robot!*
Mrs. Ana’s husband is a brilliant DJ. He played a rad Thriller remix and Halloween songs in a hip hop/big band remix. I was dancing all morning!
Liv and Senora Renae *Darn early morning sun!*
The funny thing about Liv’s costume is when she puts her vampire fangs in, she stops talking. After 2 years of nonstop chatterbox, it was the weirdest thing for us to not hear her talk for hours. She was really good at signing what she wanted.
Liv stayed for school, Antz went to work and I headed home to clean up and clear the photos off my camera *this takes forever since my laptop memory is still full* Before I knew it, it was time to pick up Liv and go to Antz work for another costume contest.
I left my camera in the car *d’oh!* and none of my iphone photos were decent enough to post *well, here’s one*
My preggo Story and a Liv photobomb
So I’ve stolen a few of Antz and Natalie’s so I can show you how amazing the costumes were.
Bonita Nina Frida!
Keith always brings the radness! Cobra Commander
How cute is this?
This guy won best costume *there’s a person in there*
We had just under an hour to chill at home before we went back out for trick or treating. We went to Carroll Street in Angelino Heights this year. SO RAD!!!
It feels like an eternity since I’ve blogged but I am back and with exciting news to share! Our sweet little cucina made her debut on theKitchn this morning. I can’t help but cringe at our before photos, yet it’s funny how so in love I was with that awful orangish/yellow kitchen when we first bought our house seven years ago. I really, really love my new kitchen.
That fabric swatch we picked up at the Ban.do garage sale has really functioned well for us! A steal at $7!
I’m normally not a huge fan of blue but I love how the colors pop in such a neutral palette.
It would be rad if you head over the theKitchn and leave a comment on what you think.
Enough about our kitchen, I finally have some photos I salvaged from my Instagram since I still can’t upload any to my laptop *so lame!* Last weekend we went to Liv’s good friend Jianna’s 5th birthday party at an indoor party place called Scooter’s Jungle. It was super fun, the adults were playing just as hard as the kiddos. Here are a video of us being dorks on my Instagram, Super slide.
Ready to party!
Antz and his whimsical wrapping
Making silly faces with the birthday girl in the mirror
Please note the huge NO RUNNING sign!
Princess posing, Liv shows you how it’s done.
Eagerly waiting to go inside
We kicked each other’s butt in table tennis
Cayce, Chayanne and Ann-Marissa *this was the least blurry I got*
I bounced so hard the kids were hitting the ceiling!
Liv on the zipline cracks me up!
Group shot
Happy Happy Birthday Jianna!
Thanks Nicole & James for the wicked fun party
Ready for the best face ever?!!
My kid is super rad!
Thursday Liv’s class had a pumpkin carving party at school. I baked spookie cookies for the potluck.
What would any typical three year girl want to carve in her pumpkin? A vampire of course!
She kept calling the pumpkin guts gross, that’s my kid!
