M*A*S*H Quote of the Day–2/23/2026

“Well, fine. Then, if nobody does, we don’t have to. But make sure we do, in case we don’t.” Lt. Colonel Henry Blake, “Dr. Pierce and Mr. Hyde,” season two, episode five

Mani Monday

This week’s mani is all about the latest magnetic release from Holo Taco! I used their new super magnet to achieve a “velvet nails” effect, starting with “Polar Opposites” topped with “Sweetheart Taco” on the thumbnail, followed by “Playing the Field,” “Flirt Alert,” “Pretty Privilege,” and “Lust in Translation.”

I don’t normally share multiple photos of the same mani, but I just love the way these polishes look in different lights and from different angles! It’s such a cool format, and I love that the super magnet allows me to get a completely different look from the magnetic wand!

Olympic Moments

Time for a look back at some of the most notable moments of Milano-Cortina 2026!

  • Golden Birthday–Francesca Lollobrigida (yes, she is related to Gina Lollobrigida!) winning gold in the speed skating 3000m and setting an Olympic record at home in front of her toddler on her birthday to win Italy’s first medal of the Milano Cortina Winter Games is the type of Olympic story that writes itself…a true fairytale. That she won a second gold medal a few days later is just icing on the (birthday) cake!
  • 90s Night–I can’t think of a theme for ice dancing that could appeal to me more…the music, the costumes, the hair & makeup…it made my Gen X heart happy!
  • Tina the Olympic…Stoat?!?–I’m not going to lie…prior to Milano Cortina 2026, I had no idea what a stoat even was! But the costuming on this Olympic mascot was so cute, and after seeing a video of how stoats actually hop through the snow, I fell in love!
  • Frecce Tricolori–I don’t know how often the Italian air display team performed at the Olympics, but I happened to catch a flypast at the medal ceremony for the women’s Super-G, which just happened to be won by an Italian. If the colorful display in front of the Alps wasn’t cool enough, the fact that it occurred immediately before the Italian national anthem played put it over the top!
  • The Pierogi Plush–The Polish figure skating team’s plush pierogi quickly rose to international acclaim, and l loved seeing what quickly became Poland’s unofficial mascot in every kiss and cry following a Polish performance!
  • Golden Joy–I remember when Kristi Yamaguchi, Tara Lipiniski, and Sarah Hughes won women’s figure skating gold, and I also remember just how long that’s been…none of my children have been alive when an American woman stood atop the podium! The fact that Alysa Liu completed her comeback story and won gold on her own terms just made the moment all the more special, and the joy she carried with her throughout the Olympics was evident every step of the way!
  • Curling Controversy–Did anyone else have a curling cheating scandal on their Olympics bingo card? Watching the Canadians, who are normally known for being polite and mild-mannered, completely melt down as their attempt at cheating was uncovered was an amusing distraction from some of the more serious Olympics moments.
  • Snooping Around Italy–Snoop Dog was a highlight of the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and he really embraced his role as unofficial coach of Team USA (and Olympic icon!), as he explored Milan and met with athletes. I loved seeing him get the chance to try out a few winter sports himself, and who doesn’t want to get gelato with Snoop?!?
  • Every Time Johnny Weir Called Terry Gannon “Terrence”–I don’t know if this is something Johnny Weir has always done in the broadcast booth when he’s working with Terry Gannon, but every time he called him Terrence, I found it hysterical, and by the end of the figure skating, we were all calling him Terrence, too…I hope he doesn’t mind!
  • Meltdown on the Mountain–I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like Norweigen skier Atle Lie McGrath throw down his ski poles and storm off to the woods following the disqualification that cost him the gold medal. It was a moment lacking in sportsmanship, but also one full of humanity, as McGrath, who should have by all rights won the gold, had lost his grandfather the day of the Opening Ceremonies.
  • Nazgul the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog–My wildest dreams would never have included a Wolfdog joining the end of a skiing competition, but here we are. He looked very excited, and I love that the coverage even gave him a photo finish…now give that good boy a medal!
  • Miracle in Milan–I wasn’t super invested in the hockey, but I thought it was really cool that our men’s team won gold on the anniversary to the day of the “Miracle on Ice.” What really got me, though, was the way the team brought Johnny Gaudreau’s children on the ice for a team photo, which also included the Gaudreau jersey that had been a focal point of their Olympic success.
  • The Thrill of Victory–Mikhail Shaidorov wasn’t really supposed to be on the podium, even though he is a great figure skater and has medaled at the world championships in the past. Watching him as the realization that not only was he going to win a medal, but that he won gold was priceless…his face changed in real time as it sank in, and if Ilia couldn’t win the gold, I’m glad Misha did! Also, I loved that he skated the exhibition in his panda costume.
  • The Agony of Defeat–Not all of my most prominent memories of Milano-Cortina 2026 are happy ones, and I’m pretty sure watching Ilia Mallinin not only lose out on gold, but miss the podium altogether, is my worst Olympic memory ever. It’s not even because he lost, but because of the shattered look on his face when he finished his performance…it absolutely broke me, and I’m sure I won’t ever forget it.
  • Sportsmanship Above All–Even though Ilia suffered an agonizing loss on a world stage, he displayed impeccable sportsmanship as he congratulated Misha and then continued to cheer for the rest of the figure skating team and Team USA. And it wasn’t just him…there were lovely displays of sportsmanship and camaraderie all around, and that is just as fun as watching athletes win the gold!

Milano Cortina was my favorite Winter Olympics since at least Vancouver 2010, and maybe my favorite winter games ever. The setting was beautiful, from the city views in Milan to the glory of the Alps in the Dolomites, and the near-constant snowfall made everything look like it was taking place in a snow globe. The stories of the athletes and all of the great competitions we got to watch made it a very memorable event, and one that I’ll look back on fondly for years to come!

A Look Back at Milano Cortina 2026

16 days of glory go by very quickly, and the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics have sadly already come to an end. Here’s a quick look back at all of the fun we’ve had!

Of course we had to stop by the Olympic Spectacular outside Francis Olympic Field at Wash U in St. Louis…just last month, (future) Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu visited these same rings!

Chickadee and I made our favorite edible Olympic torches:

And we cooked a ton of (very delicious) Italian food!

  • Biscotti
  • Zuppa Pavese
  • Frullato di Frusta
  • Italian Bread
  • Carbonnade à la Flamande
  • Insalata di Arance e Finocchi
  • Radicchio in Padella
  • Limoncello Spritz
  • Crostata di Ricotta e Visciole
  • Marinara
  • Basil Pesto
  • Ravioli
  • Zeppole di San Giuseppe
  • Italian Grilled Cheese
  • Peposo
  • Creamy Polenta
  • Italian Limonata
  • Sporcamuss
  • Pork Milanese
  • Antipasto Salad
  • Seltz Limone e Sale
  • Panna Cotta with Berries

We also picked up a few Italian treats from the store:

There were crafts:

And a girls’ outing to go ice skating:

We had fun keeping track of the medal count at the end of every day…here’s a final look at our chart:

I love the Olympics, both winter and summer, so much, and I’m not really sure what I’m going to do with myself now that they’re done…but I’m already looking forward to L.A. 2028!

Sartorial Saturday–Stripes and Dots

Today I’m taking a look at my first-ever pair of Miss Candyfloss capri pants!

The Jacinna-Lee capri pants are a lovely shade of blue and covered in polka dots. I paired them with the Kacey-Wisteria striped top for a bit of contrast in pattern and color, and added a white, pearl-accented cardigan to complete the look.

I accessorized with an Erstwilder brooch that goes really well with the top, and a stack of Splendette Duchess Bangles.

Here’s the only problem with the pants…when they say “soft and comfortable,” they really mean soft and comfortable! They’re extremely stretchy, to the point where I wish I had sized down. They’re quite a big baggier than I prefer, but there is no doubt that they’re comfy!

I love how casual but still put-together this outfit is!

I don’t wear pants super often, but it’s nice to have some options when I do!

2025-26 School Year–Week Twenty-One

We had another busy Olympics week! In algebra, Chickadee learned how to use the equation for a parabola in the form of 4p(y-k) = (x-h)² to identify the vertex, axis of symmetry, focus, and directrix. In religion we talked about Lutheranism after the death of Luther and the Saxon migration. She used that information in writing as well, to write a short chronological narrative about Luther. In history we talked about the European Theatre of WWII, especially D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, and also the Pacific Theatre and the atomic bomb. She read about the speed of sound, what a decibel is, and the difference between sonic, ultrasonic, and infrasonic waves in science. We talked about the Bill of Rights as we continued making our way through the body of US Constitution. She continued to read As You Like It. And of course we made our favorite every-other-year craft, Olympic medals. Chickadee chose to make hers in the shape of a snowflake for the Winter Games:

In addition to enjoying more Italian cooking, we also tried a few treats I picked up at the store:

And here’s a look at our medal chart, which is almost complete!

I can’t believe the Olympics are almost done already!