HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMACITA!

today's post is all about my amazing mother, because today is her BIRTHDAY!

i feel so blessed to have such an incredible woman as my mom.

my mom has been there for me in good times and in bad, through thick and thin, through happy and sad.

she is so beautiful and so much fun!

my mama is my best friend.

it takes a special mama to raise three crazy girls.

fortunately we lucked out with the most special mama there is.

mom, thanks for all that you do for our family.  you are such an incredibly talented and loving woman.

i have learned so much from you in my short 23 years.

not everyone is happy when they start turning into their mother.

i can tell you that i could only hope to be just like you when i grow up.

i love you!

Independence Day.

 boy's body surfing in the atlantic.

 spending the day at rockaway beach.

 had the best lunch a rockaway taco!

 picnic at rockefeller park, waiting for the fireworks.

 mr. larsen and his pals.

 the never ending sea of people in the park.

 the AMAZING sunset that evening.

 one of the most spectacular fireworks shows!

(fireworks on the left. empire state building on the right.)

 

this was our first 4th of July in NYC.

we had a wonderful day celebrating our country with great friends.

i get so many questions about this...

you may have heard about the new hit musical The Book of Mormon.

i get asked about it often.

John Mark Reynolds wrote a great article that i wish i could hand to all who ask me or mock me regarding the play.

read it {here}

if you want to know the truth about the religion and what we really believe 

go {here}  

all i want to say is that my life is lovely.

and i am a Mormon.

<3

Catching Up.

yo diggity.

i am a self declared "Terrible Blogger."

i vow to step my game up and catch everyone up on our lives here in NYC.

i have so many things to blog about over the past 7 months....yes 7.

the most exciting happening as of late was my sweet birthday surprise from my hunky hub.

see pictures below.

we were both in need of a vacay, and his surprise hit the spot in a big way.

we spent 4 1/2 days in the sunshine state.

we dominated disneyworld and universal studios/wizarding world of harry potter.

and we had the time of our lives.

i will post more on our uhhh-maaay-zinggg trip soon!

school is out, and i, erica lynn athay larsen will from this point on be a better blogger.

was it worth it?

yeah. it was.

i didn't sleep a wink last night due to the Royal Wedding.

like..not kidding. i was awake all night.

for some reason i have been so excited for the event and couldn't wait for the big day.

i was not disappointed.

i watched it all.  from the "pre-game" all the way to the balcony kiss.

it was such a fairytale wedding!

things i loved:

the hats and facinators. obsessed.

 

the dress. pretty understated, but elegant and classic.

 the carriage ride.

the kiss. well...the kisses.

the princes dressed to the nines in their uniforms. OBVIOUSLY.

nicely done Royals..nicely done.

obsessed.

no i am not talking about the movie starring Beyonce.

i'm talking about my behavior.

yes.

obsessed.

it happens to me every once in a while in literary terms, and it has happened again.

i have become obsessed with:

it came in the mail yesterday and i am over halfway done with it.

i will keep you all posted, but so far i am LOVING it.

as expected.

i was in a huge rush to finish due to this deadline looming in my future.....

again, i am

OBSESSED.

Happy St. Patricks Day!

today is one of my favorite days of the year!

we Athay's have a special place in our heart for the Irish ways.

this is the day i like to wear green and adorn myself with all of my authentic Irish jewelry purchased while in Ireland.

i like to remember how lucky i am to have been able to go to Ireland twice thus far in my life!

We Athay's, are true blue.......eyed...Irish folk. 

see...there is even a town in Ireland that might look familiar to you all...

exhibit A.

the town Athy, co. Kildare Ireland just so happens to be verrrry similar to my maiden name.  

coincedence. i think not. 

this town made me very happy the day my family stopped in to look around.

we took pictures of signs and felt so at home!

whoever came to America long ago in my family, must have added the "a" before the "y" to make Athay.

hmm. i wonder why they did that.

while perusing google images this morning i ran across this, and it made my day.

my family crest!

i love this day, and i am so happy that my sweet hubby even gets in on the wearing green action.! The only thing that would make this day better is having my mom dye all of my food green like the old days!

i hope everyone is having a wonderful St. Patricks Day, and that you have all the luck of the Irish. 

muchlove.