Life is all about trying new things and connecting with different people. To put this mantra into practice, I learn something new every month. Learn with me!

2025

End of the Year Wrap-Up

• 2025 New Year’s Eve Wrap-up!
• •Rode in a wagon, forded a river, and did NOT die of dysentery.
• •Hosted three Wiccan holiday parties (Lammas, Imbolc, Solstice) because the wheel of the year demands snacks and shenanigans.
• •Taught Fergie how to walk on a ball like a tiny circus prodigy.
• •Applied for—and was enthusiastically hired as—auntie to a new niece and nephew (benefits unclear, work culture excellent).
• •Sold “Virginia Is for Native Plant Lovers” t-shirts to fellow plant nerds.
• •Sold “Virginia is for Book Lovers” t-shirts to fellow book nerds.
• •Started a mini native plant nursery.
• •Expanded our support group
• •Wore cowboy hats and overalls unironically for garden tours of my little farm. Children learned things, adults were delighted, and the outfit did some heavy lifting.
• •Went china bowling and no one got hurt (this time!).
• •Visited five new counties in Virginia
• •Stargazed with neighbors and agreed that while the sky is still doing great work, my eyes are not.
• •Got a new pair of glasses.
• •Searched for the aurora in Virginia!!
• •Fist-bumped the supermoon.
• •Navigated a cancer scare with Fergie and cried a lot.
• •Navigated cancer with my mom. Ditto.
• •Created a book about my grandmother.
• •Painted furniture for a rainbow-themed room
• •Published a blog on sustainable living like someone with zero chill and unfettered access to academic journals.
• •Taxidermied a scorpion and somehow didn’t poison myself.
• •Participated in two international art projects (Sweden and Panamá).
• •Was not abducted by the fae in Sweden, despite wandering enchanted forests.
• •Took a selfie with the Panama Canal.
• •Watched a lightning storm from the top of a mountain (SAFELY).
• •Threw a crow party. Dressed the part. Traded shiny objects. Succeeded at life.
• •Hosted the annual neighborhood BBQ.
• •Visited Panamanian poison dart frogs, which Greg tragically refused to let me lick “for science.”
• •Staged fantasy photoshoots starring badass women, and everyone looked epic.
• •Taught a tomato sauce-making class and honored my Italian lineage.
• •Went to a goth festival… fully committing to vibes and wardrobe and embraced the darkness.
• •Celebrated National Ice Cream Day with the zest and verve of a religious holiday.
• •Saw Old Faithful (of CA) erupt and cheered wildly.
• •Baked huckleberry muffins like someone’s competent ancestor.
• •Made ground cherry jam and promptly elevated all carbs to maximum snack bliss.
• •Disneybounded as the Muppets and achieved chaos and whimsy simultaneously.
• •Paddled both Lake Anne and Lake Anna and realized Virginia was phoning it in on names.
• •Taught a pickling class!
• •Hiked through bluebells with Fergie at peak main-character energy.
• •Met Fergie’s mom and expanded the lore.
• •Paid real money to take a smelly mud bath.
• •Got my money’s worth the only logical way: a mud fight.
• •Eradicated poison ivy without turning into a puffy balloon of regret.
• •Stewarded our neighborhood’s Little Free Library like a librarian—but, like, a hot one with sexy glasses and impeccable taste in cardigans.
• •Grew all the vegetables and fed dozens of families in my community.
• •Rescued a baby bird named Chester by keeping her in my bra like a very unconventional incubator.
• •Assembled a skeleton Christmas tree and christened it Skelly Claus.
• •Got my name in the acknowledgments section of a book. Thanks Awkward Yeti!
• •Proud parent of 176 leafy dependents.
• •Somehow became the neighborhood’s emergency contact for every crisis.
• •Thrifted most of my gifts and felt morally superior TO EVERYONE.
• •Drank the most expensive coffee in the world and still wanted to add cream and sugar.
• •Toured IKEA in the birthplace of IKEA and became a minimalist. Briefly. I got over it.
• •Accidentally ate salted licorice and Googled how to detach my tongue.
• •Consumed lingonberry everything in Sweden.
• •Lived through whatever “6-7” was.
• •Introduced Peg to Nutella on ice cream and altered the timeline.
• •Experienced a floating concert and jammed to maritime acoustics.
• •Curated a Baba Yaga collection because normal hobbies are boring.
• •Made a bouquet out of potatoes and pretended it was normal.
• •Said no to generative AI by buying art from real degenerates.
• •Visited the ugliest building in the U.S. on purpose.
• •Attempted to graft a tree again. Failed. Again!
• •Designed and made my own necklace, then kintsugi’d it as a philosophical flex.
• •Crawled under the house and refused to become a horror-movie cautionary tale.
• •Adopted a leopard (slug).
• •Befriended a June bug.
• •Pet a possum and became emotionally invested immediately.
• •Trained cats, which will most likely hasten the apocalypse.
• •Hosted a hanami (cherry blossom viewing) party and felt elegant.
• •Met an alpaca and respected its boundaries.
• •Fired my therapist and immediately felt both vindicated and mildly terrified.
• •Hosted a strawberry-picking event and emerged sticky, triumphant, and slightly sunburned.
• •Took preschoolers veggie picking and somehow survived, with zero meltdowns and all of them double-fisting peppers like tiny chaos muppets.
• •Built a 3D printer and immediately 3D-printed a frog because priorities.
• •Actually enjoyed Christmas!
• •Painted a dress.
• •Planted ALL the native plants!
• •Read 50 books.
• •Got all the vaccines like a gold-star adult.
• •Created and modeled a Christmas tree dress.
• •Accidentally ate two gummies and now question the observational skills of every sitcom parent ever.

2024

End of the Year Wrap-Up

• Hiked up an active volcano, basking in the thrill of its sulfuric landscape.
• Howled at the Wolf Moon.
• Fostered Mr. Bumblesnoot and Lady Tittle-Tattle—creating a chaos-filled, snuggle-heavy home full of laughter and purrs.
• Brought joy to the community by starting a rock garden, where painted stones tell the story of our neighborhood’s creativity.
• Expanded a thriving support group, creating a safe haven for heartfelt conversations and deeper community connections.
• Fought an epic, year-long war against thrips, emerging victorious with resilient plants and hard-earned expertise.
• Read 54 books!
• Connected with my Ukrainian heritage by crafting intricate pysanky, blending tradition with creativity.
• Kicked down a door like an action hero ’cause, sometimes, you just have to. (Also, Peg was trapped in there!)
• Hugged a 400-year-old tree in South Carolina.
• Threw a community BBQ that brought neighbors together for an afternoon of bonding.
• Got my name in acknowledgments section of a book. Thanks Awkward Yeti!
• Spotted a toucan in the wild.
• Transformed Halloween by championing an allergy-friendly trick-or-treating zone, making sure every kid left with a smile (and safe treats).
• Smashed carbon emissions by thrifting clothes and furniture, proving sustainability can be stylish.
• Helped Ferg get her Tricks certificate!
• Racked up 400 Starbucks stars like a coffee-fueled MVP
• Dove headfirst into the world of 3D printing, crafting geeky treasures.
• Leveled up eco-living with sustainable swaps for toilet paper, tissues, toothbrushes, face wipes, blankets and rugs.
• Set up recycled plastic bag drop-off stations for neighborhood dog walkers.
• Decked the halls with a stunning vintage Christmas tree.
• Curated our Little Free Library like a literary wizard, spreading the magic of books to all ages.
• Went to the doctor and to therapy even when I really didn’t want to. Go me!
• Turned my kitchen into a science lab and pickled absolutely everything—seriously, no veggie was safe. Taught my neighbor, too!
• Penned and performed four pop songs, adding a splash of melody to the world.
• Nurtured 140 indoor plants with tender care and natural fertilizer.
• Pulled off the impossible by teaching Fergie to sneeze on command—a true masterpiece of canine theatrics.
• Chiseled my imagination into reality with vibrant and bold sculpture art.
• Planned and hosted an epic Extreme Rock Paper Scissors tournament that brought fierce competition, belly laughs and a huge mess.
• (Attempted to) bring zen vibes to our weekly yoga class.
• Hosted an unforgettable solstice party that wove together nature’s magic, fascinating history, and signature Mollie-style games for a night of pure enchantment.
• Made a new BFF through Bumble, proving friendship apps aren’t just for dating.
• Tackled health challenges head-on, learning and growing with every (admittedly grumpy) step.
• Brought the laughs by dressing up as Only Murders in the Building characters for Halloween.
• Explored the rich history of Wicca, delving into its roots and rituals through thoughtful research and reading.
• Lived the dream by chilling with baby sloths in Costa Rica—an adorable cuddle fest.
• Rolled up my sleeve and proudly got vaccinated, doing my part for public health.
• Offered support to a loved one navigating the (super shitty) challenges of cancer.
• Welcomed wide-eyed kids and families into my garden for tours filled with wonder, laughter and lots of fresh produce.
• Transformed our yard into a certified wildlife habitat, providing a safe haven for local flora and fauna to thrive.
• Curated a personal library filled with my favorite books, turning it into a treasure trove of stories and wisdom.
• Brought joy to the community by providing fresh, organic produce to more than 100 happy customers.
• Empowered others to embrace their green thumbs by leading a gardening workshop packed with tips, tricks and inspiration.
• Grew and sold native plants, bringing beauty and biodiversity to the community.
• Gazed in awe (behind safety glasses!) at the celestial wonder of an eclipse.
• Cheered on little soccer stars as their coach, fueling big dreams with small kicks.

2023

End of the Year Wrap-Up

• Got out of bed. Every. single. day.
• Bought a round of drinks for everyone at the bar. #lifegoal
• Made stained glass art
• Read 66 books
• Bought someone their first legal drink
• Learned how to grow anthuriums
• Learned how to grow African violets
• Fostered puppies!
• Worked hard to be a good friend and sister
• Lead a support group
• Grew my landscaping business
• Made the hard decision to close the business for a while to work on recovering
• Planned a neighborhood BBQ
• Plant mom to 147 cuties
• Founded a local book club
• Went thrifting in Georgia with my grandma
• Took a business-class flight for our honeymoon (omg!)
• Ate pad thai in Bangkok
• Cruised along Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
• Floated among rice paddies in Ninh Binh, Vietnam
• Pretended to be Laura Croft in Angkor Wat, Cambodia
• Enjoyed a beach picnic in Koh Samui, Thailand
• Watched baby birds grow up in a nest on our front door
• Loved on my nieces and nephew
• Went to therapy. So much therapy.
• Thrifted all my clothes
• Got Fergie her first puppuccino
• Attended a cider tasting festival
• Cut down on carbon emissions with waterless bleach, hand soap, laundry detergent, toothpaste, shampoo, lotion and body wash.
• Learned way more about grief than I ever wanted to.
• Attended a military promotion for a badass colonel
• Got 400 stars at Starbucks
• Stewarded our neighborhood’s Little Free Library
• Kissed my husband at the top of the Eiffel Tower at sunset
• Decided to become more spiritual. Still working on it.
• Pickled ALL THE THINGS
• My garden grew:
• Trombocino squash: 37
• Cucumbers: 18
• Zucchini: 10
• Basil: so much pesto
• Spaghetti squash: 10
• Rhubarb: 3 pies
• Watermelon: 4
• Huckleberry: 4 pies
• Beets: 31
• Green beans: 600

2022

Jan: Graft a cactus
Feb: Arm knit
March: Care for aquatic snails
April: Square-foot garden
May: Strut in stilettos
June: Can jelly
July: Puppy training
August: Bleach hair
Sept: How to play hearts & spades
Oct: How to play pickleball & tennis
Nov: How to top rope
Dec: Make an iPhone app

End of the Year Wrap-Up

• Pied my husband in the face during our wedding ceremony
• We were the northernmost people in the United States for 5 minutes!
• Bred and sold snabies (snail babies!)
• Made a champagne tower
• Joined Bumble and made new friends
• Pulled off the most awesomesauce backyard wedding
• Enjoyed the heck out of my bachelorx party
• Started a landscape design business
• Paddled through bioluminescent plankton
• Became a vegetarian
• Braved a boudoir shoot
• Drank from a glacier
• Started taking nutrition seriously
• Went ice climbing in a crevasse
• Coached under 8 soccer. Go Team Portugal!
• Hosted our street’s annual BBQ
• Learned how to lasagna garden
• Created an LLC—Mollie Makes It LLC
• Went to a mehndi party!
• Traveled Alaska and saw: puffin, humpback whale, porpoise, orca, otter, back bear, eagle, lemming, snow bunting, greater white front geese, phalarope AND A POLAR BEAR
• Grew SO much rhubarb, string beans, sweet peas, snow peas, soy beans, fava beans, trombocino squash, spaghetti squash, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, rosemary and arugula
• Fed 94 families with our garden
• Canned sweet pickled radishes
• Visited a Mormon temple
• Attended a native Alaskan whaling ceremony
• Nibbled fermented whale blubber and meat
• Lead a mental health support group
• Started the wave
• Learned how to square foot garden
• Graduated from Foster Parent College
• Got ordained
• Officiated the marriage of two amazing humans!
• Visited the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe
• Adopted THE CUTEST PUPPY IN THE WORLD!
• Was at the concert where Lizzo played the Dolly Madison crystal flute for the first time in HISTORY
• Started an Etsy page
• Fostered kittens and a puppy
• Hosted a garden party
• Joined Bumble and met some new friends

2021

Jan: Learned everything about tree pruning
Feb: Learned everything about brown rot
March: Learned how to take care of guinea pigs and bunnies
April: Learned how to grow a garden
May: Learned how to plant Virginia natives
June: Learned how to build solar chandeliers
July: Learned how to eradicate vine borers
Aug: Learned how to build a mini greenhouse
Sept: Learned how to take care of aquatic snails
Oct: Learned how to cycle a fish tank
Nov: Learned how to grow moss
Dec: Learned how to plan a backyard wedding

End of the Year Wrap-Up

• Carried all the bags from the car to the kitchen IN ONE TRIP
• Was plant mom to 176 plants
• Ate a paw paw
• Adopted 25 aquatic snails babies (snabies)
• Adopted 12 fish
• Fostered 14 kittens
• Rescued two cats, three guinea pigs and a bunny
• BECAME AN AUNT to the most adorable baby boy ever!!!!!!
• Coached an under 8 soccer team. Go Belgium!
• Planted a garden
• Harvested my own vegetables and fruits
• Hosted a block party for everyone on our street (in the lull before delta)
• GOT VACCINATED TWICE AND BOOSTERED, WOOT
• Donated blood and platelets
• Prioritized my mental health over work (BIG step for me)
• Learned how to properly prune trees and bushes
• Built a mini greenhouse and solar chandeliers
• Stayed in a hobbit house
• Tried a dozen varieties of apples and ranked them
• Went to my first cidery
• Thrifted an entire home gym
• Turned our house into a home
• Learned how to grow moss, eradicate vine borers and deal with brown rot
• Signed up to take foster parenting classes
• Started visiting all the counties in Virginia
• Joined a local gardening group and LOVED IT
• Got into the Buy Nothing group and LOVED IT
• Had our wedding venue cancel (for the third time)
• Planned a backyard wedding
• Started replacing invasive plants with Virginia natives
• Built an indoor pond and waterfall out of a clawfoot tub
• Thrifted LIKE A BOSS
• Crafted LIKE A BADASS
• Shot a snow photo shoot
• Went apple picking
• Dressed up as Ted Lasso for Halloween
• Created a circus-themed fish tank
• Started a virtual support group.
• Sent really thoughtful Christmas presents
• Read 13 books
• Played a ton of cell phone games to relax
• Saw all the Matrix movies
• Watched all the Disney+ Marvel TV shows
• Learned how to cycle a fish tank
• Learned how to take care of the following plants: prayer plant, hosta, creeping jenny, corn plant, parlor palm, monstera, song of india, pilea, philodendron, christmas fern, aluminum plant, wandering jew, zz plant, snake plant, fiddle leaf fig, tick flower, pinstripe calathea polka dot plant, purple heart plant, lithops, cameleon plant, banana plant, escargot begonia, begonias, rattlesnake plant, parlor palm, bromeliad, etc.
• Planted aquatic plants: java lace fern, anubias coffeefolia, parrot feather, hornwort, anubias barteri, ludwigia natan, rotala colorata, marimo moss, banana plant

2020

Jan: K-pop dance
Feb: Taking care of neonatal kittens
March: Jazz dance
April: Cat first aid
May: Stop motion animation
June: Quechua
July: Fabric painting
Aug: Spanish
Sept: Airbrush painting
Oct: Learned about mortgages
Nov: Learned how to play chess
Dec: Learned how to use a compass

End of the Year Wrap-Up

2019

Jan: financial planning
Feb: middle splits
March: wood carving
April: paper making
May: Adobe Premiere
June: hula hooping
July: tying a tie
Aug: bike riding
Sept: roller skating
Oct: bound lotus pose
Nov: grant application writing
Dec: teaching cake decorating

End of the Year Wrap-Up

• Ate barracuda (while singing the song, of course!).
• Drank freshly made piña coladas in Belize.
• Howled at the super blood wolf moon eclipse.
• Trained with a parkour master.
• Spoke at three journalism conferences.
• Finished a crossword puzzle.
• Learned how to tie a tie.
• Mastered the bound lotus pose.
• Cuddled a koala.
• Poked a wallaby.
• Bear-hugged a kangaroo.
• Photographed a kookaburra AND the endangered cassowary.
• Survived moving apartments.
• Ate baby bees (they taste like teriyaki chicken!).
• Visited my final continent—I’ve been to all seven now! BOOYA!
• Met my dog niece, Mia, for the first time.
• Taught Lexie how to ice skate.
• Rescued a hawk in Florida.
• Penned my first articles for the New York Times and The Washington Post.
• Sold my first custom-made cake!
• Taught my first cake decorating class!
• Sweated (a lot) at my first hot yoga class.
• Pied the Significant Other in the face in front of the Sydney Opera House.
• Ate camel, crocodile, black ants, Balmain bugs, quandong, barramundi and wallaby.
• Donated platelets to help cancer patients.
• Founded a support group for people with anxiety.
• Was profiled (along with the SO) in The Washington Post.
• Walked across an entire country.
• Biked across a (different) country!
• Taught high school students how to ace the SATs.
• Volunteered at the Humane Society and loved every minute of it!
• Grew DiverseSources.org, expanded our outreach and made a difference.
• Practiced being more patient with myself.
• Read 69 books.
• Played the digeridoo.
• Fostered two adorable and eager kittens.
• Taught a Freelancing 101 class.
• Baked cakes. Lots of pretty cakes!
• Biked 40 miles down the WO&D Trail!
• Touched a giant clam and kept all 10 digits.
• Proposed to Greg on a zero-gravity flight.
• Did NOT vomit on the aforementioned zero-gravity flight.
• Explored SIX new-to-me countries.
• Asked my best friend to be my maid of honor.
• Survived the initial wedding planning horrors.
• Took an overnight train.
• Kissed on top of the Seattle Space Needle.
• Hit the bulls eye in axe throwing.
• Played archery dodge ball and didn’t lose an eye!
• Held a plank for 5 minutes.
• Was “discovered” as a hair model.

2018

Jan: pyrography
Feb: traveling by myself
March: songwriting
April: embroidery
May: archery
June: mosaics
July: blackout poetry
Aug: folded book art
Sept: textbook writing
Oct: pole vaulting
Nov: cement art, fashion photography, face paint
Dec: decorative pie baking

End of the Year Wrap-Up

• Took a class on Buddhism.
• Saw an elephant, giraffe, lion, leopard, buffalo and hippo in South Africa.
• Experienced Hamilton!
• Hosted a Friend Speed Dating for Women event.
• Created TWO public art installations.
• Watched for the first time: Die Hard, Jurassic Park, Terminator.
• Used CRISPR technology to alter butterfly DNA.
• Cut a bike in half.
• Ate Ethiopian food IN Ethiopia.
• Had my first artwork exhibition at Rhizome DC.
• Read 57 books.
• Taught a Freelancing 101 class.
• Ate springbok.
• Tasted zebra.
• Created a themed cat calendar.
• Cleared the bar in pole vaulting.
• Took a class on Hinduism.
• Co-wrote a college journalism textbook.
• Explored ancient Mayan ruins in Mexico.
• Wrote new songs.
• Drew 52 greeting cards.
• Rescued two stray kittens.
• Baked a BUNCH of creative cakes.
• Built a mannequin light.
• Hiked barefoot in Kauai.
• Filmed paint-throwing in slo mo.
• Dabbled in entropy photography.
• Taught our cats to high-five, push a shopping cart and play the piano.
• Volunteered with ECDC, helping immigrants get healthcare.
• Made HUGE progress on the middle splits.

2017

Jan: study Spanish
Feb: master the handstand
March: painting with water colors (here, here, here, here and here)
April: aerial silks
May: outdoor rock climbing
June: sew a quilt/acroyoga
July: aerial lyra
Aug: learn how to take care of kittens
Sept: teach kittens circus tricks
Oct: learn how to build bots
Nov: macro photography
Dec: night photography

End of the Year Wrap-Up

• Mastered a backbend.
• Learned to flip in aerial lyra.
• Punched a guy in muay thai.
• Hosted a jello wrestling match.
• Won a pie eating contest.
• Swam (aka floated) in the Dead Sea.
• Donated 25 units of blood/platelets to people in need (the maximum allowed!).
• Won an argument in Spanish while traveling in Cuba.
• Taught the Freelancing 101 class at a local community college.
• Saw the Northern Lights in Iceland.
• Learned what cold really is in Oslo.
• Took kittens on a plane ride!
• Visited all the (free) museums in D.C.
• Read 53 books.
• Invented a Zombie Apocalypse Survival Course.
• Ate sheep brain (tastes just like meatloaf!).
• Lost my appendix.
• Awarded the MJ Bear Fellowship.
• Visited five different countries.
• Ate putrid shark.
• Noshed on puffin.
• Tried whale (not endangered!).
• Snacked on fish jerky.
• Devoured monkfish skewers.
• Swam in a geothermal pool.
• Drove in the snow(storm) for the first time. *shudders
• Launched DiverseSources.org!

2016

Jan: study psychology
Feb: try improv
March: cake decorating
April: unicycling
May: learn Adobe Illustrator/master the splits
June: rock climbing/taxidermy
July: body marbling
Aug: glass blowing/bull riding
Sept: plane flying/cheese making
Oct: lock picking/hair dying
Nov: scuba diving
Dec: flying trapeze

End of the Year Wrap-Up

• Perfected my Monty Python silly walk.
• Learned to ride a unicycle for 35 feet without eating the pavement!
• Flew a plane AND conquered my fear of heights.
• Made cheese out of belly button yeast.
• Took a road trip to Intercourse, PA.
• Checked off all 50 states—I’ve seen America!
• Managed to do a flip AND a catch on the flying trapeze.
• Ran up the exorcist steps—twice.
• Ate fried duck heads. (They taste EXACTLY like fried duck heads.)
• Went glass blowing and didn’t melt off any appendages.
• Road a mechanical bull and took my first jello shot.
• Learned how to pick locks. (NOTHING IS SAFE!)
• Fell in love with scuba diving.
• Taught myself the fine art of body marbling.
• Went rock climbing and bouldering and have the calluses to prove it.
• Hosted a food fight.
• Taught myself how to draw with Adobe Illustrator!
• Poynter dubbed me “Cake Wizard.”
• Did the splits!
• Laughed my way through an improv class.
• Ate poutine in Montreal.
• Conquered the bound lotus yoga position!
• Visited the Menstruation Museum.
• Dressed up as a zombie and went grocery shopping.
• Cut a rug at square dancing night!
• Took a tour of the West Wing and the White House all decked out in its Christmas finery.
• Ate bull penis and turkey testicles.
• Escaped an escape room in record-breaking time!
• Went sledding on the Capitol Hill lawn.
• Saw Darth Vader at the National Cathedral.
• Served bugs at a dinner party.
• Taught a social media class to Medill grad students.
• Read 82 books.
• Hosted a NYE party celebrating with customs from two dozen countries!