tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829Tue, 21 May 2013 18:37:28 +0000childhoodbingein'summer awesomenessthe HamburglarmeatPittsfieldultrasounddibsmoviessisters#CleverMDweddingadsthe catzgardenartCape CodtheatreUgly Cryrecapawesomesauce advertisingcensuspreggohauntedsicky babyPeejSundayVlogbabywearin'Noratacosgiraffeworkwritin'CostcofeaturedweatherNessiedoctoradviceMy Own Storytime PadChristmascustomer serviceholidayWiiguestIrishnannyMondayexhaustioncoldtheftanniversarynothing fitspoosplosionsWalmartbad Mommypuzzlesblog readin'Easterdatin'transitbaby earslovearticlesAlbany Parkmediabathsleepin'post-preg awesomenessroad tripnestin'hoardin'hoodiesliststurnin' 30DadguiltOH MY GOD A RATThanksgivingHampshire CollegeneighborhoodSusannahI'm Falling Apartlazybirthdaysbankmy MomChicagohouse fallin' apartairplanesnew yearWisconsinhigh schoolbad musicSITSFacebookwhiningwordlessfriendsrad musicbaptismOlympicsdiggin' outThe MonkeyNananursingwinksburning questionsCalifornia#JDDisneyPilatesthe fambaby classesdiapersfashiontelevisiondrinkin'Fourth of JulytoysRaviniadreamsklutzValentine's Dayfoodchildbirthbachelorettefearbusinessestiki torchApril Fool's DayDear Abbymoneyhttp://www.lollygagblog.com/noreply@blogger.com (Keely)Blogger598125LollygagBloghttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-5821402011466841399Tue, 21 May 2013 12:18:00 +00002013-05-21T07:18:33.088-05:00Disclaimer: I'm thrilled to write a sponsored post for Netflix (who wouldn't be?), but all thoughts, opinions, and effusive TV-watching statements are my own. * Since P.J. and I both work in theatre, we’re big fans of good stories. And whether that comes in the form of books, classic cinema, or TV shows with gripping narratives, we’re always game to watch something fantastic. And http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/Or41t2d4Ca4/netflix-or-kids-lets-make-it-movie-day.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/Or41t2d4Ca4" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/05/netflix-or-kids-lets-make-it-movie-day.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-7330680876316355134Mon, 20 May 2013 13:47:00 +00002013-05-20T08:47:09.527-05:00Feelin' feelings today, folks. My show closed yesterday afternoon. And it was great. Of course it was great- everyone involved made darned sure that it was- but it's a mix of happy/sad/other for me right now. Part of me still can't believe that a show I wrote (and re-wrote and punched and twitched at) became this fully realized thing that people- some people whom I never ever even knew- showed http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/Qo0NTFPDOng/girlfriend-and-writing-plays-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/Qo0NTFPDOng" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/05/girlfriend-and-writing-plays-and.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-3085425099934525519Fri, 17 May 2013 15:27:00 +00002013-05-20T18:48:28.592-05:00Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, but all thoughts and opinions (and painful memories) are my own. *** Listen, I'm about to impart some super-private info here. We're talking some real Behind The Curtain stuff. I have not always been this glamorous. (Take as long as you need.) Back in the fourth grade, I possessed an overbite that could chop wood. One of my most awful of le awful memorieshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/Rsve2Nj5N_E/invisalign-and-solution-for-rabbit-teeth.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/Rsve2Nj5N_E" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/05/invisalign-and-solution-for-rabbit-teeth.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-238141694760375082Thu, 16 May 2013 12:28:00 +00002013-05-16T07:28:40.521-05:001. Chicago days that settle comfortably in the upper 70s, letting us forget that thermals and triple layers ever needed to exist [last month]. 2. Lilacs and hyacinth and linden and other sweet-smelling things which waft into [crazily/newly] opened windows. 3. Helping out in my kiddo's preschool and seeing her as a Big Kid. 4. Grass picnics. Bench picnics. Concrete stoop picnics. 5. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/78l0T9S7f60/10-things-i-love-about-this-week.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/78l0T9S7f60" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/05/10-things-i-love-about-this-week.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-5726584494131003351Wed, 15 May 2013 13:58:00 +00002013-05-15T08:58:12.887-05:00 And then there are the days you realize that your "baby" is old enough to rock some downright Seussian pigtails. And this jogs your memory...so you go back through your [ahem] meticulously curated batch of computer photos from two years ago. And you find this picture, from roughly the same age with roughly the same outfit. And you admit to yourself that you have a http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/w-nZxYDwLPg/big-girls-wear-pigtails-and-orange.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/w-nZxYDwLPg" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/05/big-girls-wear-pigtails-and-orange.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-928077852987271188Tue, 14 May 2013 18:51:00 +00002013-05-14T13:51:43.800-05:00Johnson & Johnson has a new campaign that makes me feel so incredibly warm and gooey. It's called For All You Love, and it applauds the selflessness and generosity of caregivers (including Moms!) and shares all the ways people extol that love. In celebration of Mother's Day, Johnson & Johnson is donating 25k to Save the Children, an organization committed to helping mothers and children http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/xZQvU1-naZg/johnson-johnsons-for-all-you-love.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/xZQvU1-naZg" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/05/johnson-johnsons-for-all-you-love.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-8558573807168495588Mon, 13 May 2013 14:27:00 +00002013-05-13T09:37:02.293-05:00Mother's Day is awesome. As I described the events of my Sunday to my youngest sister, she expressed surprise that Mother's Day seemed even better than my birthday. And I told her that it kinda-sorta-almost was. (Which is a mammoth statement, coming from one who believes that those cardboard punch-out birthday card crowns and badges need to be worn for an entire birthday week.) Because here's http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/Oceq9N5ip38/mothers-day-rocks-my-face-off.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/Oceq9N5ip38" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/05/mothers-day-rocks-my-face-off.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-8647629106849729749Thu, 09 May 2013 12:55:00 +00002013-05-09T07:55:05.772-05:00my MomI've been talking a lot about my Dad lately- and oh, how he totally deserves it/wishes I'd kinda stop- but there's another key player in the saga called How I Got To Be So Awesome. My Mom. You can just feel that I'm her favorite. She's a cheerleader, an advocate, an advice-giver (whether you need it or not, dammit- although you do; admit it, Keely), a creator of favorite meals, a http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/W_LRLyWFtj8/a-mothers-day-card-in-blog-form.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)4<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/W_LRLyWFtj8" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/05/a-mothers-day-card-in-blog-form.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-4225541907100096225Wed, 08 May 2013 13:51:00 +00002013-05-08T08:52:24.170-05:00childhoodDad Dad,  Today is your tenth round of chemo. (I'd say something pithy like "only two more rounds after this to go," but I won't. Because no one likes pithy crap like that.)  I will say, however, that you continue to rock. And you continue to be strong and nonchalant and such a GUY about this whole thing. To which I can hear you say, "I've just gotta get it done. What choice do I have?" I can http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/6BKrnl4cRdY/10th-round-of-chemo-say-it-with.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)6<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/6BKrnl4cRdY" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/05/10th-round-of-chemo-say-it-with.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-1265002017119047488Mon, 06 May 2013 14:39:00 +00002013-05-06T09:39:40.638-05:00SusannahThis morning, Nora slept in. Not major news in any sense (nor is it that odd of an occurrence), but right around 7:45am I noticed something. It was my younger kiddo, Susannah. And she was staring excitedly at me. "What do you wanna do, pal?" I asked her. She pointed at her cup. "Dink ma joo." (More excited stares.) "And after you drink your juice?" She shrugged and pointed at her juice and http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/awsYE1z9c4g/quality-time-with-children-second-kid.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)7<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/awsYE1z9c4g" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/05/quality-time-with-children-second-kid.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-1100883201759368877Thu, 02 May 2013 14:42:00 +00002013-05-02T09:45:17.050-05:00PilatesI'm Falling AparttheatreI work so hard at mindfulness. At remaining fully present. And not mentally jumping ahead to whatever comes next/tomorrow/down the road/I wonder what flights look like for the winter? I work really hard at this during my Pilates class because a) mindfulness is a major tenet of practicing Pilates, b) it's such a luxury for me to even be able to sneak away at 6pm on a Wednesday evening, c) Good http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/pm9AAKrekD8/staying-mindful-is-impossible.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)6<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/pm9AAKrekD8" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/05/staying-mindful-is-impossible.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-4762045648289709099Wed, 01 May 2013 13:19:00 +00002013-05-01T08:20:19.506-05:00childhoodNoraSusannahsummer awesomenesssisters For the uninitiated, this is what the first 80 degree day in Chicago looks like. To be fair, this is also what the first 68 degree day in Chicago looks like. (By 55 degrees, we've thrown winter coats into deep storage.) So yeah, it's just as euphoric as it looks. Take that, nine months of winter!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/HOKuXwEkIus/chicago-is-briefly-all-full-o-summer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)4<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/HOKuXwEkIus" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/05/chicago-is-briefly-all-full-o-summer.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-5651656756778682036Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:09:00 +00002013-04-29T09:10:51.051-05:00I'm Falling Apartwritin'theatreThis weekend's premiere of Girlfriend was insane. As in, I nearly lost my mind. I had been bandying this play around (in my brain, on paper, to the occasional passerby) since 2008, but had really been hammering out drafts in earnest since last summer. In essence, this play was my baby. My colicky, allergic, and stranger-phobic baby. And the idea that this baby was going off to be seen and http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/4xwjTg7df8E/girlfriend-had-stellar-opening-weekend.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/4xwjTg7df8E" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/04/girlfriend-had-stellar-opening-weekend.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-9150746326240377215Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:14:00 +00002013-04-25T08:14:05.755-05:00ChicagotheatreLately, I've spent a bunch of time reviewing and promoting some terrific shows around town. But there's one very important show opening in previews tonight... 'Cause it's mine. Girlfriend is the story of Anna and Caro, two twentysomething gals who have been friends forever and ever, Amen. As they attempt to navigate the ups and downs of functional adulthood and the Chicago theatre scene, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/gYU0UY_Nj5A/girlfriend-by-keely-flynn-oh-wait-thats.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)10<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/gYU0UY_Nj5A" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/04/girlfriend-by-keely-flynn-oh-wait-thats.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-3372357235440683637Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:18:00 +00002013-04-24T08:18:03.978-05:00birthdaysDadDad,  Tomorrow is your birthday. Today is your 9th round of chemo. One of those things is awesome...and the other is rather annoyingly unfair. (Like when the segues between MST3k clips seem to go on and on and on and what is with all of the chatter, people?) So to celebrate the former- and distract you from the latter- here's some stuff I'm pretty sure you'll just love.  Like Johnny At The http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/nL9p-CM2O6Q/an-early-birthday-present-dad.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/nL9p-CM2O6Q" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/04/an-early-birthday-present-dad.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-8212283941674327835Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:22:00 +00002013-04-23T12:22:08.592-05:00theatrePeople, people, there is so much good theatre going down around Chicago this month. But right up there at the tippety-toppest is TUTA Theatre Chicago’s darkly comedic fairy tale The Silent Language, directed by Jacqueline Stone; meaning, seriously, don’t miss this one. The U.S. premiere- written by Serbian playwright Miodrag Stanisavljevic and translated by Zoran Paunovic- is TUTA’s first foray http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/tn29F3-Qfkk/tuta-theatre-chicagos-silent-language.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/tn29F3-Qfkk" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/04/tuta-theatre-chicagos-silent-language.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-9132290133373909906Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:49:00 +00002013-04-22T09:49:26.598-05:00Peejdatin'rad musicWith all of the madness and world events and still jet-lagged children, I wasn't sure we'd manage a Date Night this month. However, P.J. wasn't about to end his streak o' dately awesome since Christmas- and surprised me with tickets to see Hem at The Old Town School of Folk Music. (Which, if y'all locals haven't managed to see a show there, do it. 'Cause it's the loveliest.) Hem, a terrific folkhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/nfXtdxFoppw/april-date-folk-music-and-empanadas-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/nfXtdxFoppw" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/04/april-date-folk-music-and-empanadas-and.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-1271094990333275487Sat, 20 Apr 2013 17:35:00 +00002013-04-20T12:37:43.327-05:00awesomesauce advertising(I'm thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with Wal-Mart and receive their new White Cloud diapers for Susannah to try out. This is a sponsored post, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.) *** This past Wednesday I hosted a bevy of Chicago-area mamas and their adorable offspring for a party featuring Wal-Mart’s reintroduced line of White Cloud diapers. And what a crew! While http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/WpvvLQFpnB8/a-party-some-chubby-toddler-legs-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/WpvvLQFpnB8" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/04/a-party-some-chubby-toddler-legs-and.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-7302567180333134083Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:18:00 +00002013-04-18T09:18:51.478-05:00fearthe famThis is not my story. It's my family's story. My family was in Boston on Marathon Monday. My entire side of the family. My marathoner sister Rachel- who raised over 11k in honor of my Dad for Dana Farber- my parents, my sister Emily, Rachel's best friend Barry, my sister Kate, her husband Tom, and their three little boys Quinn, Cole, and Declan. I wasn't there. I was at Disneyland. (More on http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/idM5baAlTKU/my-familys-ridiculously-close-call-at.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)15<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/idM5baAlTKU" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/04/my-familys-ridiculously-close-call-at.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-2217091443417251360Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:41:00 +00002013-04-17T16:41:31.707-05:00NoraSusannahwordless 'Cause who couldn't use a happy thought today? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/AgqwFqGR5t0/todays-happy-thought.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)4<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/AgqwFqGR5t0" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/04/todays-happy-thought.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-5634415483160662421Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:25:00 +00002013-04-15T09:25:49.884-05:00NoraCaliforniaweddingSusannahfriendsSince I'm still very much so in the midst of California-vacationin', here's a sneak peek of the awesomeness that has been this week. For starters, I attended a wicked beautiful wedding of some college pals. The venue was on a gorgeous Southern California bluff overlooking the ocean where I kinda want to have my next wedding. (Take notes, Peej. If you're lucky, it'll be to you.)  There was http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/2_Ioo4LBNGE/california-wedding-and-some-stoked.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/2_Ioo4LBNGE" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/04/california-wedding-and-some-stoked.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-6374479446311319040Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:10:00 +00002013-04-12T10:13:08.178-05:00house fallin' apartI'm Falling ApartApologies for the utter lateitude of this post: I was busy feeling every single minute of the four hour and thirty-five minute flight to LAX next to the totally awake and needing to acknowledge/touch/drink everything Susannah. (Interesting sidenote: right before the descent, she asked to sit with P.J. so I swapped daughters. And Suzy fell asleep as the plane touched down onto the tarmac. GOOD FORhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/Dx7NxMu3vDk/mini-kitchen-makeover-part-3-aka-pj.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)4<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/Dx7NxMu3vDk" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/04/mini-kitchen-makeover-part-3-aka-pj.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-1624252085679930191Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:09:00 +00002013-04-10T08:09:23.625-05:00Dad Hangin' with da ladies. Hey Dad, Thanks for making us feel like we were exactly where you wanted to be on a Saturday night. (I mean, I know it's true, but still. We could get a little trying. Kate especially.) Thanks for taking me to the drugstore after I got my first period and for acting so cool about the whole thing. I'm sure that's where you wanted to be on a Saturday night. Thanks for http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/0JqZuP3-Hno/my-dad-doesnt-embarrass-easily.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)4<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/0JqZuP3-Hno" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/04/my-dad-doesnt-embarrass-easily.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-7760261501019438808Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:50:00 +00002013-04-08T11:50:28.976-05:00dreamshouse fallin' apartexhaustionLast night, I was awakened at 3am by a smallish person, excitedly telling me about dreams and stories and silly things. Well, I had to take her word for it because frankly, I wasn't finding her jive all that hilarious. But she's usually pretty spot on with these things, so I'll trust her that it was all very funny. Anyway, the 3 year-old didn't wake me from the soundest sleep. At the time of http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/FsU4ytFIp80/we-are-all-so-very-tired-and-dreaming.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)6<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/FsU4ytFIp80" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/04/we-are-all-so-very-tired-and-dreaming.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2668959091987801829.post-5504815097029107337Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:11:00 +00002013-04-04T11:11:35.351-05:00SusannahloveSusannah Mae- Suzy, Zuzu, The Zu, Monkey, Buttercup, Little Baby Seester- Happy 18 months. This milestone is huge for so many reasons, among them the fact that you're no longer a baby and we get to stop annoying non-parents by counting your age with months. (Hey kid- you're one and a half! Wicked.) Ready for anything. You are awesomely smart and alarmingly impish. You climb- Good Lord, you http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~3/GEYpMK8e_lY/18-months.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Keely)18<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/LollygagBlog/~4/GEYpMK8e_lY" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.lollygagblog.com/2013/04/18-months.html