h is for happy: week 38

Hello ladies and gents, welcome to another 'H is for Happy' post - the weekly feature that sees me list all the things that put a smile on my face. If you need cheering up, go check out the 'H is for Happy' archive HERE. Before I start rambling, I'd just like to say a massive thanks to the ever lovely Michelle for making little V her blog of the week! I swear she's one of the nicest ladies in the blogosphere and I trust her completely. I suppose I should say a big hello to all my new followers too! Why don't you all sit down, grab a biscuit (or ten), sip a cuppa and flick through the ol' archive. Although, don't go too far back because those posts are horrendously embarrassing! Anyway, enough drivel...

Yesterday went amazingly well. We went on a beautiful countryside walk followed by a hearty three course meal of homemade red pepper and tomato soup, homemade fisherman's pie and that age old favourite - trifle. What can I say, I love my food! I'm feeling a little odd today. I honestly cannot comprehend how we are steadily nearing June so quickly. I've achieved so much this year so far and have completed so many goals but I still feel a little bewildered as to what I've been doing with myself. I'm not entirely sure that makes sense to anyone? I'm going to spend the afternoon with one of my best friends just catching up and undoubtedly eating some sort of food that isn't going to award me with a bikini body ready for my impending holiday! Ah well, you only live once. I am now going to finish with something quintessentially British....WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THE WEATHER DOING? Have a lovely start to the week and I'll see you on Wednesday for a post about something so secret that even I don't know what it's about yet! Mieow.

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 What's putting a smile on your face lately?

 all images courtesy of: weheartit

By writing my blog address on the images I am in NO way taking credit for them or the idea of this list. All credit goes to their respective authors. 

It's merely to protect my little 'H is for Happy' series.

snap happy #20: my week in photos

Robbie having a little lie down | the British countryside | Fuzzy little butterfly | The butterfly lost a little bit of its beauty when it closed its big open wings | Trying to get Robbie to look at the camera. It'd be a lot easier if he wasn't blind | Spotted a crafty little fox far away. I had to mega zoom so I apologise for the quality | The crafty little fox saw me and bolted | My new favourite game | There's nowt better than a glass jar of crayons | My little brainstorm | Mamabear's interesting bangers and mash display | My spa welcome pack - gotta love that sexy robe and blue flip flops! | Myself in the changing rooms. I find both of my faces in these photos hilarious. I thought I looked cross eyed in the first one so I looked up...but I look like a bewildered idiot. I also have a little button nose. Gotta lav my uncombed hair too! | Thai cod and prawn fishcake with sweet chilli dressing. It was NOMZ. I would've got a better photo but mamabear was flapping about me taking photos of my food. I'M A BLOGGER, MA! | Obligatory side of rustic chippies. Oh man, the crispy bits were to die for | I treated Mamabear to the fish pedicure. She was wetting herself with laughter for the first few minutes. It was hilarious! | Myself. Bare faced as ever | Apologies for my scraggy nails but I just wanted to photograph my Tesco Finest white choc cookie. It was soooo good! I sorted my nails and painted them right after this was taken ;) | Two of my old best ones chillin' out on a Friday night with the pipe. Oh, I love those two | Ebony and I. I love her | We find ourselves hilarious | Poppin' all the bubble wrap in Staples. Livin' on the edge, as ever! | Again, hilarious | Soz veggies but we love our meat / A row of books in the pouring rain - quite profound! LOLZ / Ebony in Mothercare...that's actually her own teddy that she took shopping |

Christ, David Attenborough eat your heart out! The first bit of this post pretty much looks like an advert for Springwatch featuring that woman with the curly hair and those men that are far too interested in the births of lambs. This week has just been so bloody lovely! I think sometimes I scare myself so much with various anxieties that when I fully relax fully I find it pretty apocalyptic. I've well and truly loved this week. I've caught up with some of my best friends, shot the feck out of a shed load of zombies with my beautiful man and indulged in a spa day with my mamabear. The spa was absolutely amazing and a complete treat as ever. Mamabear and I always have so much fun together because we have the same sort of stupid humour. There was a mother and babies class taking place in the pool so Mother thought it'd be funny to pick me up and start splashing me around in the water whilst shouting 'WELL DONE LITTLE CUB. DOES MY LITTLE CUB LIKE THE WATER?!'. We got so many odd looks...I got her back by locking her in the ice shower. Her screams could be heard for miles! It was just so awesome to be overly indulgent for a day and just embrace the carefree atmosphere. The fact that I've caught up with so many best friends has also put a HUGE smile on my face. It's amazing when you don't actually have to be doing much/doing anything fascinating to appreciate the time you have with them. For example, Ebony and I went cooker shopping with my Grandma on Saturday yet we managed to make it a fun affair. LIVIN' THE DREAM! 


Speaking of Ebony, she's just joined Twitter - go follow her HERE. She's a beautiful lady! I've rather overloaded you with photos this week so perv away! I kid. I'm off to go spend the day with Luke and his family. His Nan is down so I've got to be on my best behaviour! What's the odds I accidentally throw a 'fuck' into conversation?! I'm a nightmare for that sort of thing.  I hope you all have awesome Sundays whatever you're doing and I'll be back tomorrow for your weekly dose of happiness!  I also need to just point out that if you wish to attend the SW blogger meet up you need to read this post and get in touch! Thank you ladies and gents.





I've been enjoying these songs this week. A mix of old and new: one and two.

i swear i've not gone insane...

You'll have to bear with me at the moment; I think I am evolving again. I'm switching things around here at the moment so posts are all a bit mish mash. I want to inject new life into little Viva and maybe give her a new look? I'd only change the colours/background...What do you think? I'm really unsure, ha!  I've re-jigged my pages if you'd like to go and looksie! I haven't proof-read them so there's probably some absolute stonkers in there. I've also changed the little box in my sidebar. Lovely jubbly! 

The photograph above is one I took the other day. I was staring that crafty little fox down until he bolted across the buttercup blemished field. He was the picture of serenity before he copped eyes on me staring him down intrusively like some sort of woodland paparazzi. This has all been part of my therapy lately. Yes, I'm trying to self-therapise. For me, this doesn't involve shitty self-help books and green tea. I've simply been going back to basics. I've been asking myself what makes me happy, what I'd like to experience by the end of each day and attempting to get my body 'back out there'. I've found that calm countryside walks have been the making of this inner happiness. Nature just couldn't give a shit about things. I like that. Butterflies were flitting around me doing a somewhat pretentious dance but the river looked as if it couldn't care less. It wasn't bothered that things around it were being slightly stressy. It carried on doing what it does best - looking the picture of tranquility. This is something I really want to bring into my life. I bet people are reading this thinking I've going absolutely insane but, for me, it somehow all makes sense, finally. 


I've also been eating well in order to get my body working a little better. I'm currently obsessed with fresh fish and seafood. The beautiful simplicity and understatedness of a plate of fish and rice is something that few other things can replicate. It may sound selfish, but I'm making this week all about me. If I'm going to feel better in myself I need to ensure that I'm focusing on myself. I think the spa day on Friday will cement my new attitude for positive thinking and calm. Seriously, is there a nicer feeling than that of sweating out your body weight in the steam room?! It's not a sexy thought...but it's a bloody nice feeling. I'm going to spend the rest of today annoying my boyfriend. He has work this evening so no doubt I'll be a little tweet happy. 


Apologies if you were looking for a 'vivahearts' today but my heart just wasn't in it...ironically. As I have mentioned, things will be fresher around here soon. I'm going to go and brainstorm it all now! Have a lovely day and keep smiling. I shall see you soon for more crazy ramblings.

h is for happy: week 37

Good afternoon ladies and gents! I hope you're all cheery on this grey Monday afternoon....It's not very inspiring is it?! I was planning on going out for a cheeky lunch date today but the weather had other plans. Therefore, I've stayed in with Luke and wishlisted a load of homeware. Oh, isn't domestic bliss interesting?! There's only so much excitement you can muster up towards a cheese grater. I think I'm going to spend the rest of the day snuggled with a selection of Stephen Fry documentaries. I couldn't be more pleased about that fact! Before I up and leave, here's a selection of things that put a grin on my face. Have a lovely week! I'll be back on Wednesday.

 all images courtesy of: weheartit

By writing my blog address on the images I am in NO way taking credit for them or the idea of this list. All credit goes to their respective authors. 

It's merely to protect my little 'H is for Happy' series.

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Snap Happy #19: My Week in Photos

Snapping Ebay photos of Luke's old Snorehammer | My lovely note and gift from Chloe | Yummy milkshake | My blurry mug

Hello everyone! It's just a teensy snapshot this week because I've not really been feeling the whole camera thing whilst I've been ill. A post featuring photos of steroids, green faces and games of sympathy Boggle isn't exactly what I want around here for Viva. I'm now on more drugs that seem to be working so be expecting a whole plethora of more interesting photographs next week (: I've had a lovely weekend just chilling out with Luke and his family. We've been kicking zombie ass on Left for Dead 2, yes, he 'got me into it', nomming on honey glazed seabass and catching up on some well deserved beauty sleep. It's really helped me to feel that lust for life again. There is a complete God though because on Friday I'm off for a spa day again. I cannot wait! Give me that communal sauna RIGHT NOW. I joke. I stick to the prudish separate lady sauna - sticky hairy men just don't do it for me. Who knew?!

I went to see POTC 4 today with the fam. I fell asleep. Honestly, I'd be the worst film reviewer in the world. Although, if anyone is reading this needing an aspiring writer to go cover Harry Potter's press for them - I'M ALL YOURS! I should probably be getting ready for the arrival of Luke right now but for some reason I'm taking great comfort in just writing a load of nonsense on this page. I'm gunna find some time this week to sit down with a nice cuppa and catch up on what the blogosphere has been up to. I do feel rather detached at the moment but things will get better! Right, I'm off to go get ready. This has been lovely - we will do it again sometime very soon! Ho hum.

things i like about summer

Hello happy campers. I'm currently just chilling out at Luke's enjoying his company, sipping down delightful Tomato and Basil soup and thinking ahead to all the things we have planned. I'm now back on a three month stint of steroids so I should be ship shape in no time. Contrary to popular belief, steroids don't really turn me into a beefcake, so if you had visions of me with a beard and bulging bicep combo I'm sorry to disappoint. I'm rather looking forward to this evening as I'm going for dinner with my Grandma - my other Grandma this time...I just seem to be a complete Granny magnet at the moment! It should be really lovely. Although, I'm having one of those indecisive days so I hope it's not another sit-and-read-the-menu-a-billion-times-and-still-be-annoyed-at-what-you've-picked evenings! What are you up to this weekend? Anything interesting?

I've been re-blogging a lot of summery pics lately over at my Tumblr. It's been getting me super excited for my first taste of Greece in 7 weeks and it's also been putting a huge grin on my face. Everything just seems a whole lot more inspiring in the summer months. Am I right? I felt inspired by the gorgeous Michelle to create a little post over here to discuss the summer months and what they have on offer to me. Go and read her post - it was lovely! I've included a few little summery snaps because I thought they would help to set the scene! As I'm at Luke's I had to rely on Facebook for summery photos - hence some of the most painfully awful photos in the world. Ah well, summer is about embarrassment too! I've decided to tell my story/loves of Summer through a few of the different senses because I believe summer welcomes a whole load of goodness for them all. Here's what I hope this year's sensory summer involves for me:

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the sights & sounds; 

tranquil bays / contented seas against my skin / lemon trees / harry potter on the big screen / floral fields / sun kissed tans / Best Coast / Luke buried in the sand / she & him / floral window displays / perfect fluffy clouds / countless people lazing around guilt-free / happy little songs on the radio / greek madness / beautiful men in budgie smugglers (what?!) / balcony views / the sounds of bob marley / beach bodies / freckled noses / bicycle tyres on gravel pathways / old school hip hop

•••

the smells & tastes; 

ice cold lemonade & lime / bbq'd meats / flowers in bloom / ice cream van delights / fresh sun cream / sweet fresh fruit cocktails / smoked salmon suppers / mish mash pasta dishes / crunchy corn on the cobs / chilled Purple Rain pitchers during sunset / no fuss seafood / a cheeky peach schnapps at lunchtime / perfume / skewered chicken & pepper kebabs / freshly cut grass

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the loves;

canary yellow / polka dot bikinis / mint coloured nails / corals / bracelet adorned wrists / big sunglasses collections / a book a day by the sea / sand between my tootsies / the warm summer breeze through the car window / bold colours / bare feet / birthday celebrations / living in my glads / going strapless / wavy beach hair / gluttonous picnics

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