The Blog is Back, Alright!

In 2012, I wrote 14 blog posts. 

In 2013, I wrote 11 blog posts. 

In 2014, I wrote 6 blog posts. 

And I haven't blogged since July. 

Guys – this makes me sad. It certainly isn't that I haven't had anything to write about. 2014 was an amazing year of engagements, weddings, vacations, friends, family, a big move, and a new job! It was fun – and you'll have to trust me, because 6 blogs hardly did the year justice. 

This year, I am going to try and document all of the things that happen to me in 2015: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly (because sometimes selfies are not my best angle). I can feel the excitement from you readers growing as I type this. "OMG she is back!!" Look out blogger community! 

So what will my first blog be about? Such suspense! Well, no need to anticipate the content – you are reading it right now. This is my first blog back. Get with it. 

But soon there will be new, wonderful, witty blogs for you to enjoy. In the meantime, I will leave you with a few pics from 2014…enjoy! 

I wanna talk about me

It’s just that there is so much to do and I want to do it all. If there are that many cuisines available for takeout, imagine the number of events: rock concerts, comedy benefits, book launches, TV wrap parties, art openings, restaurant openings, theatre openings, even the opening of the mail is a fete if you add champagne. – I Totally Meant to Do That, Jane Borden

When I read the line above, I thought it was the perfect description of one of my self-diagnosed illnesses. I have mentioned before that I suffer from FOMO, and this summer was a doozy for me. If you ask anyone in the Windy City, they will tell you that Summers in Chicago are the best time of the year. As mentioned in this previous post, there are limited weeks each year where Chicagoans can put on shorts baring their white winter legs, and enjoy beer gardens, festivals and baseball games in the greatest city in the world.

This year, I had 3 weekends from the month of May-September where I did not have plans. And you what I did those weekends? I made plans. There was just so much I wanted to do! Outdoor concerts, Entertaining guests, watching best friends tie the knot, being lazy at the lake, enjoying a street festival, going on a cruise…the options were endless, and I didn’t want to miss a beat! Scratch that – I couldn’t miss a beat, because I suffer from FOMO and it is out of my control. I must do it all.

Let's start by talking about the concerts this summer...

Note: Needed to wear the Ball State tee because the White Old Navy V was too big of a risk in the rain.

Here is a picture of Chad from the Dave concert 14 years ago.
The guy you are afraid of in the back? That's him.

I think all of you know that Carreen (my lifelong bestie) is a huge Dave Matthews Band fan. She receives email alerts about the band, cried the day one of the members passed, and NEVER misses a summer tour. And this year all of the ants marching aligned, and the DMB concert fell on Carreen’s birthday (6/22/13). What could be a better way to ring in 29 than eating, drinking, and being merry with your best friends? So Carreen, Ed, Chad and I hopped in the Rouge (Rogue-Trip!) and headed to Indiana for the ultimate birthday celebration. We drove 3 hours through the sunny Hoosier State, and just as we pulled in…It. Started. Pouring. We didn’t let that stop us (no way!) so we cracked open a few cans, and waited for the monsoon to pass – there was still a celebration to be had, and celebrate we will. In addition to Carreen’s birthday, we were celebrating Chad’s anniversary of his last DMB show at this venue, which happened to be exactly 14 years prior to the day. Overall, the show was amazing, but the best part about it was celebrating the birthday of my best friend in a way that so simply was “Carreen.” Oh, I forgot to mention we ate at TGIFridays the next morning. Now THAT is “Carreen.” 

Don't Need Money, Don't Need Fame.
Do need to go to work the next day.

The next morning, we headed back to Chicago, took a brief nap, and rallied for another great concert. In the car growing up, my parents, always listened to “Oldies 104.3” (it’s more fun if you sing the jingle) and now I listen to it too. Except now the “oldies” is the best of the 70’s and 80’s, but I’ll take it. This year, the station hosted the first ever concert at Montrose Beach, which happens to be a short walk from my house. The show? Huey Lewis and the News…I know. I KNOW! I was just as excited as you are! Beach concert with oldies music? That has FOMO written all over it! So LT, James, Chad and I bought tickets to learn about the power of love. And you know what else we learned? We learned that Vodka Teas go down very smoothly on a walk to Montrose Beach. We learned that you can fit 2 of the skinny cans of Corona Light in each of Chad’s pockets, so buy them 8 at a time. We learned that cutting in line will get you told off by some mean girls. We learned that dancing in the sand is more fun if you are not wearing shoes. We learned that the heart of rock & roll is still beating (from what I see I believe ‘em). But the biggest lesson we learned, is that Sunday night concerts make for a rough Monday morning. That’s why I took off work following my Sunday show – Toby Keith. 

Red Solo Koozie is almost as good as a Red Solo Cup.
Proceed to Party!

5% of the reason I started dating Chad was for easy access to Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in Tinley Park. Ok, that is not true, but it certainly is one of the best perks to TP, besides TP only has 6% sales tax at Old Navy and Target. Looking at my summer, I was getting really nervous about the MWBA concert schedule – it seemed like I had a conflict every time there was a show I wanted to see! Plus Chaddy-poo is not that into country music, which limited the shows he would enjoy. Then it dawned on me…did I want to see Passion Pit? No. Did I go anyways because Chad wanted to? YES! He owed me one, and it was time for Chad to get drunk and be somebody at the Toby Keith concert. I mentioned that I’m not as good as I once was, so I took Monday off work ready to party. In addition to FOMO, I also suffer from a severe case of patriotism, so a Toby Keith concert is like a support group for people like me. This was not my first time seeing Toby, but every time I manage to tear up when he brings the men in uniform on stage as I belt out American Soldier on the top of my lungs….getting teary just thinking about it now. Even Chad said “the man entertained him for 2 hours.” Sounds like a good review to me, and a great way to kick off the 4^th of July week.  

So far I had seen some of my faves – country music and oldies…but something was missing. What music do I love more than any other? 90s music, of course!! (If you didn’t know that, how did you stumble across this blog?) And the BEST band from the 90s is inarguably Matchbox 20, led by the gorgeous and talented Rob Thomas….ah. This was the first time the band had toured together in YEARS, and the last time I saw RT perform, MB20 came out and joined him and I cried. Actual tears (Jen Zei can vouch). So clearly I was online and ready to be the first to buy tickets when they went on sale…and yet somehow both of their shows sold out in minutes! For any of you that are surprised by that, I should tell you that they were touring with the Goo Goo Dolls. If I die and go to Heaven, I imagine I will be greeted by the Dolls assuring me they won’t tell no-one my name, and then MB20 will hand me a raincoat. They’re always worried ‘bout things like that. 

This isn't from the show.

It is when I first fell in love with Rob Thomas.

Needless to say, I wasn’t surprised that the tickets sold out. After a “ticket-liquidator” debacle, I got 3 tickets to the show for the ultimate sisters night a Ravinia, where you bring your own food and wine, and (if you are really fancy) table centerpiece. Kim is also a huge fan and turned me onto MB20, and Pam is a lover of all 90s and anytime she can eat and drink outside. When RT played Bright Lights (Trivia – my #2 fave song of all time) I did not know what to do with myself. I belted it out until people were staring while Sober Pam took a video. Turns out Pam didn’t get to drink outside… That was “Babys’ First Concert,” and the first time Pam would use the pregnancy card to skip the shuttle line. I bet Pam will deliver the babies at 3am. Just a guess.       

I tried to make a pizza. I failed. 

Wrigley Field is one of my favorite places in Chicago. And second to drinking a few too many beers in the bleacher seats, one of my fave things is going to a concert at Wrigley. Being that it is 4 blocks from my house, I host a little get together before and we all walk over together. This year’s show combined 2 of my faves – Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean. Kelly holds a very special place in my heart. The Season 1 American Idol star was the reason I pierced my nose, she helped Pam and I get through the beautiful disaster Summer of 2003, and whenever “stronger” comes on during one of my workouts, I can always run for a few extra minutes (seconds). Her show was incredible and I’ll tell you what, my life would suck without Kelly Clarkson. Jason Aldean also put on a great show, from what I recall…things were a tad hazy at this point. But one of my favorite things about that concert? The attempt to cook a pizza when I got home, which resulted in a burnt and cheesy potholder (what did I do?) and then recapping the night with Kim and Schmelter, who were lucky to be alive based on their tales…per the us.   

My last concert of the Summer was a tribute to the city that contributes to my FOMO – Chicago. As a belated Mother’s Day present, we got my mom tickets to the Chicago concert at Ravinia. We learned from our past experiences and brought more food, more wine, and got there early. Just a Saturday in the Park (it wasn’t the 4^th of July) filled with hours of drinking in the sun with my family – Mom, Kim, Pam, Keith, Autumn, Schmelter and Chad. You probably don’t think you know many Chicago songs – you are wrong. Just YouTube them and I think you’ll be surprised. “You’re the meaning in my life, you’re the inspiration. You bring feeling to my life, you’re the inspiration…” See? You’re singing along! The horns echoed through the park as Keith got "geese" and we sang and danced, especially Autumn. It was that nugget’s first concert and I think she liked it almost as much as the ranch dip.

This little dancer loved the showwwwwwww.

Music, sunshine, and the best company I could ask for…that’s summer in Chicago.

This post was brought to you courtesy of the red, white and blue.

My Baby Love

Can't wait to meet Baby Lachlan!

I am sitting at the airport on my way to go meet one of my best friends’ newest family addition. That’s right, another one of my friends has a baby. You know how there are certain times in your life when your FB feed blows up with people all doing the same thing? Decorating pumpkins…taking the bar exam…spring break….wedding season…well, one thing throughout the year is constant. Everyone is having babies.

NOTE: When I say “friends” in this post, that includes my sister, Kim.

I have to admit that I am a little terrified of babies. They are extremely fragile, usually a little clammy from the swaddling, and at any point they can explode from either end. They are almost as unpredictable as birds…almost.  

#shehastwo #imokjustbeinganaunt

But low and behold my friends are moms (and dads – but let’s just focus on the moms, shall we?) and they have little babies that are their whole world. Now, I like visiting with other peoples’ babies. They are really cute from a distance, and it brings me a lot of joy to see my friends so in love with this extension of themselves. It really does break your heart just a little. Not to mention that babies LOVE me. I was once told that I was like a laxative for babies (is that a complement?) and they are one of the only audiences that think I’m hysterical. Ok, I think that someday having a baby will seem like something I would like to try. Well, I guess you don’t “try” to be a mom…I am pretty sure you can’t return a baby online if it doesn’t work out, but don’t quote me on that….

The whole Gildea Gang!!
Beautiful even after childbirth - jeal.

I was driving the other day through rush-hour traffic in Chicago after work. I was cutting some people off, dancing to country music, and deep in thought over which drink I should have when I get home – Beer? Wine? Cocktail? So many choices!! But mid-alcoholic debate, I had a weird thought enter my head – what if there was a BABY in the car with me right now? And even more crazy – what if that BABY was MINE?? Then that was too much pressure and suddenly deciding on my beverage for the night didn’t seem so hard. I just wanted them all.

I mean, look at these nuggets!!
She looks like a pro!

Now, the reason I freaked out is because being a mom sounds hard. I think of all of the selfless things my mom did for me and my sisters growing up, how she struggled to pay the bills, but could always pull it together for a spring break vacation or an activity that we wanted to. She ran around to get 3 kids where they needed to be, and rarely let us see how worn down she really was. She tells us every chance she can that she is proud of us, even when I know we weren’t always the best daughters. She made friends with our friends and balanced taking an interest in our lives while letting us be as independent as possible. She was Superwoman in every sense of the word (actually – not as a Halloween costume, she was usually a Witch or one a Toy for Tots Center – don’t ask). My mom is amazing, and I definitely don’t tell her that enough.

But see, that is why I can’t believe I have friends that are MOMS. They do that every day! God Bless the Mom’s out there….and God Bless the USA.



Love you girls - but you have tough competition with the best Mom in the world :)

One more note: If you are a mom friend of mine and were not included in this post, please do not be mad. I just didn't realize anyone except my 5 friends actually read this thing. You, too, are amazing :)

Kiss me, I'm Irish (and German and Portuguese)

St. Patrick’s Day makes me think of Lucky Charms cereal, Dropkick Murphy’s, Irish Car Bombs, Green Beer, Shamrock Shakes and light-up flair. All my faves.

It also makes me think of luck, and right now, I feel pretty lucky in life. Cue braggy blog post…



I am an aunt to two very smart kids.
Well - they would be smarter if they liked me back. 



I met this guy, and he is pretty great.



I have a very brave and nimble turtle.



I have had a very successful career...thus far.
I have only been in my new gig for a month.
There is still plenty of time for me to screw it up. 



I have an amazing family that all live within a 5hr drive.



I have been on some people's dream vacations.



I LOVE my friends. Period.


Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

"Let's Not Get Physical" - A long-lost ONJ Top 40

Note who just ran 26.2 miles,
and who is holding the food. 

You see this guy here? Looks innocent enough, right? 

Wrong. This past weekend, he made me do the unthinkable. Something that makes me so uncomfortable that I am literally getting queasy just thinking about it now. Ok, I will just say it.

He made me go running with him.

If you know me, you know that I hate working out. I get red-faced and sweaty, and it brings on a not-so-attractive personality that no one needs to experience. Yes, I try to exercise every now again so that I can indulge in Sully Sticks, nachos and obscene amounts of booze. But enjoy it? Never. 

Actually….I take that back. Here is a list of exercises I enjoy:

• Walking up 2 flights of stairs to my rooftop, where there is a keg of beer and a great city view waiting for me.
• Jumping in a bounce house…until I get too winded and take on a fear of the house collapsing in on me…at which point I exit rapidly and ungracefully.  
• Dance parties at 2am in my living room to the Backstreet Boys.
• Holding Autumn. She’s a chunker.
• Waist bends to put on a new pair of shoes.
• Briskly walking from my office when I sneak out of work a few minutes before 5pm.
• Waterskiing to the lodge and back.
• Walking to a nearby brunch spot for bottomless mimosas and bloodys.
• Surfing in Australia or Costa Rica.
• Carrying a box of online purchases from my office, down to my car, and up to my apartment. 
• Yoga. This is a real workout I enjoy about 75% of the time.

…But somehow that guy got me to go running with him. He certainly is a charmer. Plus, he promised me pizza rolls at the end.    

...and Go Gators.

The following things have happened since I was last in Gainesville:

• Pam, Chanteal, Mere, Michelle and Prince William have all gotten married.
• Autumn, Baby Thomas and Baby Blue were born, with 2 more IPPL babies on the way.
• I moved to Chicago.
• Bin Laden was found.
• People everywhere were begging to be taught how to "Douggie.”
• There was a remake of the song "We are the World" and the movie "Footloose."
• There has been both a Winter and Summer Olympics.  
• LMFAO party rocked too hard and broke up.
• Crazy Aunts everywhere started drinking Vodka Sodas with a Splash of Cran.
• Urban Meyer resigned...twice.

As you can see, it is clearly time for K Keller to return to the city that gave her that nickname. The trip will be quick, but I plan on fitting as many of the following into my trip, if possible, in no particular order:

Break into the Pi Phi House, Eat Chicken Nachos from Ale House, Dance in a booze puddle until I have Grog Feet, Experience the real Pita Pit honey mustard, Mourn the loss of Cluck-U, Lose my voice from screaming “Orange/Blue” in the stadium, Make immature "Cock" jokes and laugh hysterically, Have a bucket of beer at The Swamp, Cry tears of joy when I see the Murph/DeFranco Tailgate, Visit a library just to use the bathroom, Take an inappropriate photo with the Tim Tebow statue, Laugh with my friends until my face hurts, Get asked on a Grab-A-Date.      

Get ready Gainesville – Here. I. Come.