Summer!

So it's summer. YAY!

I have discovered a couple new things about myself: i love to bake, i am an insomniac, and i LOVE summer in Montana more than anything (even if summer means thunderstorms and flooding and sub 60 degree weather).

Thus far I have been enjoying cooking (about as much as eating!) and are here are a couple photos of things I have made in the last couple weeks!

bruscetta

--baby tomatoes, fresh basil, sliced mozzarella and toasted baguette with olive oil

flan

--a mexican caramel custard

cupcake cake

--frosted chocolate cake and chocolate cupcakes for Sophie's birthday

vanilla cupcakes with lemon filling and lemon meringue

cheese cake creme brulee

--what you see is what you get! everyone LOVED this recipe :)

This summer I will be helping out Shannon Hollman of shannonhollmanphotography.com:

she is an INCREDIBLE photographer and I am lucky enough to get to experience a few sessions, pick up a few tricks, and conduct a session of my own. 

Also, I am working as an assistant coach at Flathead Soccer Camp (flatheadsoccercamp.com) which I am very excited for! 

Other than that.. Men's league on Monday nights, Open Fields on Thursdays, and Criminal Minds from 10-1am.. can't do much better than that :)

<3

Midd: Semester 2, Week 3

Again, it has been ages since I last updated on life here at Midd...Or life in general.

Just a brief overview, I went home for Christmas Break! 3 weeks of pure and utter happiness--I didn't want to go back to school and was secretly scheming to jump off the plane in Seattle and stay there. I mean, I am decently smart and decently talented, I could just have my cello shipped over and then become a busker (not to frighten you, parents) which is a completely plausible idea!
Break was fantastic though, I just wanted to stay home and sit at the kitchen counter with Momma for...ever. But alas, it doesn't work that way. Here are a few picture of life at home...

 Mom and I after snowshoeing the Big :)

 Cookies that were in love (until devoured by Alex's friends..)

 The famous Tree Episode of 2010...

Drove for HOURS, all the way to Bigfork (finally) and found this short-ish, crooked-ish tree (it had a dowel taped to the inside so it would stand straight) that had been spray painted green...It was adorable.  We then proceeded to tied it to the roof of the beamer. Mom, Lo, Lily, and I started to pull away and began to realize that the tree did not plan to stay on top of the car.  Long story short, we pulled over next to a dead deer, we tried to retie the tree but to no avail, and we ended up driving 25-35 mph on a 70 mph high way thus more than doubling the time it took us to get home. 

BUT it was a beautiful tree and a grand adventure. 

I love the Wizard of Oz.

<3

(One of the ONLY pictures in which we are not trying to kill each other)

And then Russell, Corinne, Bailey, and Conner came! 

I ended up taking some photos for their family pictures...

After all of the fun we had at home I was forced to go back to Midd to attend J-Term.

J-Term consists of taking one class for the entire month of January. For example, I took Visual Sociology and had class Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 1-4 pm. 

I haven't been taking a ton of pictures but here are some from socializing during J-Term...

This is my friend, Dani.

And these are Albert and Joe.

And then we went with the Ski Patrollers as dates.

The Ski Patrollers (above) are Chris, Emily, Caroline, and Caleb..

Picture above that are Jake and Caroline, Emily and Dave, and Chris and Me.

J-term was filled with lots of sleeping, snowboarding, movie watching, and general fun!  Oh, and my birthday!

But after J-Term was Feb Break. Sadly, so sadly, I wasn't able to go home SO I went home, to Connecticut, with Dani.  We even went to New York once! Saturday we drove the 5 hours to CT, spent time there, went to  NYC on Monday, and left that evening for Killington.  We were in Killington from Monday through Saturday and skied some absolutely amazing snow!

I had a great time but then it was time to return, once again, to Middlebury.

This semester I am taking:

Accelerated Basic Spanish--Fernandez

Human Ecology--Sheridan

Writing: Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Poetry--Shaw

Chem 104--Larrabee.

I love Spanish, Human Ecology and Writing require a TON of work, but Chem 104 feels like a 400 level Chinese class--I feel like he is speaking a foreign language to me. But hey, I will suffer through it. And hopefully survive.

This last weekend was Winter Carnival (the longest running winter carnival EVER!) which involved an 80's Dance with featured guests Orange Crush...

Comedians Shang Wang and a guy who is a writer for SNL and is frequently on Jimmy Fallon's show named John Mulaney.

Also, we had a Winter Ball but the pictures wont upload from it unfortunately. 

Needless to say, it was a very fun weekend, but now back to the books. 

Quick Facts about Middlebury:

1. We have the #7 dining services in the country...

http://www.hercampus.com/life/top-10-college-dining-halls?page=2

2. We supposedly have attractive girls AND boys

http://collegeprowler.com/rankings/

I am pretty sure we are like in the top 10 for most work in the country but hey--no big :)

I love you all! Wish me luck

peace

Midd: Week...End of Finals Week!

I know it's been a long time, and unfortunately I don't have any pictures for you guys, but we/I have just been so busy lately that I haven't had the opportunity, or inkling interest, to pick up my camera.  But soon that will be over!
Oh wait! Actually, here is a sneak peak at my trip home for Thanksgiving!

It was SO fantastic to be home, shower without showershoes, eat home cooked meals, RELAX, spend time with the family, enjoy the snow, and smell normal and sleep in my own bed! Yes!

Ok!
Moving ON.
This week (December 6-10 or whatever) has been finals week.
Finals week has been hell.
Unfortunately, I have never before experienced finals and this experience was....intense to say the least.
Let's chronicle the events, shall we?
FRIDAY:  Spent 3 hours in the library studying/working on research paper (11-2am)
SATURDAY: Wrote research paper from 10-4, straight; studied that night
SUNDAY: Study from 10-12:30 Battel, 1-4 Axinn, 8-12 Battell
MONDAY: STUDY STUDY STUDY STUDY STUDY
TUESDAY: Chem FINAL at 9 am = TOTAL MENTAL ANNIHILATION--no studying until late in the night
     While I may not have totally grasped the Chemistry concepts I NAILED the chemistry elemental puns.... wanna give it a try?
                  _______________ only at the finest restaurants
                  What do you get when you put Robin Williams behind bars? ____________
                  When the Chem teacher dies, we have a funeral, and then ____________
                 When I see a 6'6" slugger, __________ in the opposite direction
                         :)
WEDNESDAY: STUDY STUDY STUDY STUDY Library STUDY STUDY READ Greek and Roman Epic History FINAL from 7-10=sometimes your brain is so full  of stuff some stuff just...slips out
THURSDAY:  STUDY STUDY STUDY Topics in Sociocultural Anthropology FINAL 2-5= ACED IT; Write Research paper from 9pm until 430 am.
FRIDAY: Paper writing 9pm-5am, sleep until 8:30 and then edit more and turn in at noon....HOME FREE!!!

Albert and I just spent approximately 2.5 hours doing his laundry and wasting time in the warm warm laundry room.  Must depart! Loves!

<3
molly

Midd: Week 11

We are all so incredibly ready to go home.
A break is truly what we need in order to maintain sanity around here.
B1N was deserted this weekend, Aikido kids were gone, squash was gone, some other kids were just gone because they needed to get out and had cars to escape with (lucky).  It left just the girls and some of the boys but we barely made contact during the weekend.
The only picture I took this entire weekend was done yesterday (Sunday) afternoon of Mary in a tree.. Exciting, I know.

Today my Topics in Sociocultural Anthropology (SO-AN) prof informed us that we have two weeks left of school before finals.  To me this means:

1.  Start Research Paper

2.  Do Think Writes! (3 left :\)

3.  Figure out what happened in Chem for the last two weeks because it is SO CONFUSING

4.  Plan out my schedule for next semester :( uh oh

5.  Start studying for all my mid-terms :(

OH and I have an orchestra concert this friday and it is really hard music and I am supposed to meet with the cellos tomorrow afternoon and I'm scared because I actually cannot play it :( So, hopefully tomorrow I will be devoting my afternoon to learning the music. :\ UGH

BUT because I am a Midd Kid I will get it all done.  I have to! No choice!

Just so excited to go home. 

8		days
209		hours
12575		minutes
754507		seconds

So ready to leave.

I don't have a ton to say, this weekend we saw Yeasayer (http://www.myspace.com/yeasayer), opened by DOM from Worcester, Mass.  Rugby won New Englands (thus they are the top rugby squad in new england schools it isn't a divisional sport) so they will be going to Nationals in the Spring!  Quidditch from Midd won the Quidditch World Cup! Which was held in Central Park in NYC. Midd Women's XC won Divisionals and Men's XC got 4th but will mostly likely be getting a by to Nationals as well!  Midd Men's soccer won both NCAA DIII games this weekend, progressing them in their bracket, fingers crossed they come out on top!

I think that is probably about it, love you all

love,

molly

My Interpretation (at Week 10) of the Midd Kid song.

My Interpretation of the Midd Kid Song, or, 

The Midd Kid Song Explained...Mostly.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Midd Kid Rap...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZzCHcMKyDc

<3

Midd: Week 10

Today, a Monday morning, started off quite differently than any other Monday morning has over the last ten weeks.
The wind is howling.  The trees are bending.  The snow/sleet/hail is stinging the face and beating on the window.  It is winter without being truly winter.  People are slipping all over as they trek to class. It is cold, but not so cold that the mud has completely frozen, leaving travelers to muck across the Beach in the swirling blizzard.  If this can be called a blizzard.  Maybe it is better left as a wind storm.
I have noticed (and am noticing) that my writing style is changing.  I hope you all don't mind.  I'm just being strange haha.

This week was a long one, beginning with another ass-hole pulling the fire alarm on Sunday morning at 1:45 am. As the upperclassmen say, "The only reason to visit Battell is to reminisce and f*** shit up." Sadly, this f***ing shit up has reached the point where we have had 4 fire alarms pulled and 2 fire extinguishers sprayed.  As the winter grows nearer each day I worry that one day we will find ourselves out on Battell Beach freezing in 0*F and below due to some jerk thinking it would be humorous to pull the fire alarm at this time, this weather, this night.

The week was slow motion yet fast looking back on it.

-I can remember sitting in class on Monday morning, SOAN 0105 "Topics in Sociocultural Anthropology," and trying as hard as I could to keep up with notes but no matter how quickly I tried to write I couldn't physically go any faster.  I kept trying and trying but to no avail.

-Tuesday came, as usual the time slipped away, I tried so hard to find time to get quick naps in and almost slept through my Greek and Roman Epic Poetry class.

-Wednesday Dani and I made our way to the gym (thank goodness) after a quick lab (thank goodness) and a good luck (thank goodness).

-Thursday I tried to sleep more, and more, and more, because I had a Chemistry Mid-Term that evening at 7.  I thought it went well but looking back I'm not sure that it went as well as I thought it did.  We will keep our fingers crossed.  That night I tried to go to bed early, like 11.  I laid in bed for 2 and a half hours.  Until 1:30, way past Morgan returning, showering, and going to bed, I lay counting sheep. This place makes you an insomniac I swear.

-Friday we finally were able to have absolute freedom.  Free from classes and free from, well, most anything!  Friday was a great day because, as I lay obsessing and depressing about not being able to go home for thanksgiving I had the "brilliant" idea of using airmiles to get home.  Originally I thought I could fly to Seattle and drive home with Kelsie but now, after talking to Daddy, I am flying into Kalispell on Wednesday and returning on Monday afternoon to Midd.  I am so ready to be free of this place even though I love it so much. Hahaha. TOO MUCH DRAMA.  But the night was pretty good, Albert and Joe taught me to bachata and a bunch of us watched V for Vendetta (may I remind you that it was the 5 of November...) OH! And it was Girls Night Out and we, Dani, Hannah, Katie G, Emily B, Mary, Olivia, Caroline, and I, went to the Farmer's Diner and had delicious milkshakes.

-Saturday was a good day, I skyped the family from the kitchen (my internet in my room pretty much doesn't work), went to the gym, did the laundry, ate dinner, hung out with the boys upstairs (Vince, Albert, Joe, Peter M), and then ran around all night!


-Sunday I did, literally, nothing.  I woke up pretty early, we jammed to music in Caroline and Hannah's room: Scarlett, Mary, Hannah, Caroline, and I.  I tried to figure out my schedule for next semester but it did not go as well as hoped.  I tried to start a paper but that didn't happen either.  Or do my smartworks.  Jared and I hung out for about an hour just talking as it grew dark and we felt no need to turn the stupid light on so they almost forgot us when going to an early, 5 pm, dinner.  I came back, did a little personal writing, and then fell asleep from 6:30 to 10:30/11.  I facebooked Momma and then went back to sleep around 12:30 until waking up at 7:10ish.  More sleep than I have gotten...maybe ever here.
Monday, I must inform you, the power was down from 9:30-11. Fortunately, Chemistry was cancelled due to this. YES! But all that was missed will be reviewed in the discussion at 2:50 darn it.  Lots of homework to get done but the howling winds make me want to just jump into bed and curl up and sleep.  Alas, life is not that way.

Random Thoughts:
1.  Everyone that has ever played soccer has the same Adidas sweats.  No joke. Black, white stripes on the leg? Yeah.  You probably own a pair too.

2. This past sunday, October 31 was the first day of No Shave November.
Following: Our participants.

Jake was the first to opt out, today, November 8.

I love Midd. I love B1N. I love Battell in general.  I love Home.  I love.

love,
molly

Midd: Week 9

OK! So, today is the Sunday of Week 9, October 31.
BUT
First I am going to give you a slight overview of the last 5 weeks....
It has been busy! The homework load nearly tripled if not quadrupled, the first round of midterms attacked, soccer picked up, there was an orchestra concert, orchestra practices as well, and the changing of the weather...extremely. So extremely that it was even snowing this morning. Mhm.  On top of that I made enchiladas, tortillas, and guacamole!

Two weekends ago I felt the urge to go out and take photos of the beauty of the fall and my beautiful living space:)

So there is an explanation for this photo... At 2 am on friday morning, when Tom (my neighbor across the hall) went to jump in bed, he was greeted by this log.  Just to clarify, it was covered in earth, about 3.5 feet tall, and probably a good 50 pounds.  Oh, and did I mention dirt and bugs mhm?  

Well the log was removed from Tom's bed and placed, as seen, in the hall of B1N right outside of Tom's door where it remained, was loved and cherished, christened Mufasa, and was taken by Pub Safe by 9 pm. 

 RIP Mufasa!

The fall colors have been ASTOUNDING. 

Gorgeous, amazing, incredible, beautiful. 

<3

One of the pluses about living in Vermont!

On the downside:

1.  it rains ALL the flipping time

2.  it is either freezing cold OR warm and muggy

3. there was legitimately one day where it was so muggy I couldn't breathe in class and looked like a complete psycho!

Sometimes the workload just gets to be tooooooo much so you have to enjoy the beauty around you and find other amusing things like photography, or working out, or just vegging!

Almost Almost Halloween and Almost Halloween

(October 29 and October 30)

We all got dressed up and just had a generally good time! :)

 lady bug and a butterfly.... (Mary and Dani)

 Danny Zuko (Jake Lessing)

 Friends:)

 More friends! (Dani, Tom, Hubert, Jake)

 They sure like their muscles... (Tom and Nick)

 Danny and Sandy! (Olivia and Jake)

 Peter!

 Spy and Max! (Mary and Caroline)

 Hannah! Bee!

 Estoy una vampira :)

Nick and Joe... MHM!

Halloween was lots of fun, 

but now that it is legitimately halloween we are all working hard....again. Like usual. We will see how things work out!  

Love you all

love, 

molly b.