winter olympics

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!

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!

Pfannkuchen for Fasching

It’s Berliner season!

Bunny and I made a trio of varieties this year, starting with a Milano Cortina 2026 fusion flavor that was filled with cannoli filling in honor of the host country of the Olympics:

We also made plum butter Berliner, filled with homemade Pflaumenmus, which was sehr lecker!

And our final variety was filled with our favorite Guinness mousse and topped with a chocolate glaze:

It was a tasty trio!

As long as I was already frying donuts, I also made German Mutzen from the Rhineland, which turned out very much like beignets:

And here’s a bonus look at our Mardi Gras dinner of “Bayou Queen Punch” and “Tiana’s Famous Gumbo” from Entertaining with Disney:

We had a nice day of feasting, and now we’re ready for Lent!

2025-26 School Year–Week Twenty

We started the week with our every-Olympics-year pilgrimage to the Olympic Spectacular in St. Louis:

And then we got down to our regular work. Chickadee graphed more quadratic functions in algebra. We read about General Franco and the beginning of WWII in history. She continued to read As You Like It. In religion, we spent several lessons discussing the Lord’s Supper. She started a new chapter about waves and sound in science, starting with mechanical waves. We continued our study of the US Constitution, taking a closer look at Article One and the legislature. But the highlight of the week was the Olympics, learning about Italy thanks to Rick Steves’ Europe, and our outing to the skating rink!

We also did a small craft. I found a cute unfinished cutting board, which seemed like the perfect item to paint in the colors of the Italian flag since Italy is known for its great food!

Here’s a look at our current medal chart:

We’re looking forward to more Olympics fun next week!

A Day of Italian Dishes for the 2026 Winter Olympics

Happy 2026 Winter Olympics!

I’m so excited about the start of the Winter Games, so of I course I planned a day of Italian food for us to try in honor of Milano Cortina 2026. We started the day with a trio of homemade biscotti to enjoy with our coffee (or hot chocolate, as the case may be)…orange-cranberry, chocolate, and traditional flavored with anise.

For lunch, Chickadee and I enjoyed “Zuppa Pavese,” which is toasted bread swimming in beef broth and topped with an egg and parmesan cheese…super warming and delicious! We also made a light “Frullato di Frusta,” a slightly sweetened fruit smoothie.

I guess maybe I do bake bread? I sliced this Italian bread pretty well, too!

The star of tonight’s Olympics Opening Ceremonies dinner was Carbonnade à la Flamande, a delicious beef stew braised in beer:

I also made two side dishes to go with our Italian Feast…Insalata di Arance e Finocchi, an orange and fennel salad, and Radicchio in Padella, radicchio sautéed in garlic oil and drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

The best special meals include a special drink, and we really enjoyed a non-alcoholic limoncello spritz made with homemade lemon oleo saccharum:

I think this was one of the best Opening Ceremonies dinners I’ve made!

For dessert Chickadee and I baked a Crostata di Ricotta e Visciole, which is a Roman sour cherry and ricotta tart. The filling was very similar to a cannoli filling minus the chocolate chips, and spread over sour cherry jam.

I’m looking forward to immersing myself in winter sports and Italy for the next two weeks!

2025-26 School Year–Week Nineteen

This week Chickadee graphed quadratic functions (including parabolas) in algebra. We read about the Great Depression and the rise of Hitler in Germany in history. In science, we talked about how work, force, and energy are related. She read most of the second act of As You Like It. In religion we discussed the Sacraments including Confession and Absolution. We wrapped up the main lessons in our study of the US Constitution and read through the Declaration of Independence before we go amendment-by-amenedment through the Constitution itself. Our recipe for the week from the American Girl Sweet & Savory Treats Cookbook was “Mac-&-Cheese Cups” inspired by Kit, which is timely give our study of the Great Depression

We also began preparing for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics by making our favorite edible Olympic torches…we did some other food prep as well, but you’ll have to stay tuned for the details on today’s full day of Italian dishes!

We’re looking forward to really immersing ourselves in the Olympics over the next two weeks!

The Top Five–Figure Skating Routines

The cold weather we’ve been having for the last week or so has me thinking back over previous winters, and when I think of winter, invariably one of my favorite memories is the Olympic Games I’ve watched over the years. One of my very favorite parts of any Winter Olympics is watching the figure skating, and I’ve come up with a list of my “Top Five” figure skating routines since I’ve been watching the Winter Games. In no particular order:

  • Sasha Cohen: “Romeo and Juliet”–I have never seen anyone with as lovely a spin as Cohen, and while she may not have performed up to all of the hype of the 2006 Torino Olympics where people thought she would win gold (she “only” won silver), this is still one of my favorite routines of all time. Yes, she fell, but it was a beautiful and emotive performance in spite of that, full of the grace and elegance she was known for.
  • Jamie Salé and David Pelletier: “Love Story”–The figure skating competition at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics was rocked by scandal, and Salé and Pelletier were right in the center of it. Their long program was beautiful and full of emotion, and their chemistry was undeniable. The haunting music and simple costuming just highlighted their skill as performers. This was a gold medal winning performance, even if it did take the powers that be some time to sort that out.
  • Katarina Witt: “Robin Hood”–Witt was my favorite skater when I was child…one of my earliest Olympics memories is watching her skate at the 1984 Winter Games. The routine that really stands out to me, though, is one that did not win her any medals…she skated to music from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves at Lillehammer 1994. I remember this one so well because it was the first time Germany had a united team for the Olympic Games after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and because I loved the music she skated to.
  • Sarah Hughes: Ravel and Rachmaninoff–Another memory from the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics is Hughes’ gold medal winning performance. She wasn’t expected to win (that was the year everyone though Michelle Kwan was finally going to win gold), but Kwan, Irina Slutskaya, and Sasha Cohen all made significant mistakes in the free skate, and while Hughes’ routine wasn’t completely clean, it was challenging and well-executed, and in the end thrilled the world with one of figure skating’s biggest upsets. I will always remember the look on her face as she finished the routine, a joyful look that said she realized the gold was hers, and it was beautiful.
  • Johnny Weir: “My Way”–At the Torino 2006 Olympics, Johnny Weir was a hopeful to medal for the US, but he left the Winter Games without standing atop the podium. In spite of that, as a fan favorite, he performed at the Champions’ Gala, where he skated to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” Skating to Sinatra was absolutely the perfect choice for him, and his artistry and elegance were an impeccable fit for the song, which was itself the perfect description of how Johnny Weir approached skating. His camel spins across the ice are unparalleled and just demonstrate his exquisite form and grace.

Do you have a favorite figure skating memory?

2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Wrap-Up

Beijing 2022 certainly did go by quickly! We can never dedicate as much time to the Winter Olympics as we can to the Summer Games, either in school, or just watching for fun. We did try to fit in as much Olympics as possible though, which always begins with trying new recipes that reflect the cuisine of the host nation, starting with our dinner for the Opening Ceremony and continuing through the events with special meals here and there:

  • Scallion pancakes
  • Sticky ginger shrimp with scallion rice
  • Bok Choy
  • Don tot
  • Mango pudding
  • Congee with mustard greens
  • Chinese crullers
  • Xiao long bao
  • Chinese snowflake cake (raspberry and coconut)
  • Potstickers
  • Chinese noodle soup
  • Nai Wong Bao

We also managed to fit in a few crafts…Chinese plum blossoms, unique medals for the Winter Olympics, and an adorable dragon made out of cupcake liners:

Here’s a look at our completed medal chart…I was really hoping that by some miracle, Jamaica would win one medal, but no such luck! At least every other country we were following made it to the podium.

This was a complicated Olympics, and I’m left with a feeling of ennui about the whole thing, but I think we still managed to enjoy ourselves, and I know we liked trying new foods! I will say that I hope this is the last Olympics I see competed in front of empty arenas…here’s hoping for better from Paris 2024!

Images of the Olympics

There have been many great and memorable moments from Beijing 2022. John Shuster, a curler, carrying in the US flag at the Opening Ceremony. Erin Jackson’s history-making skate. Keegan Messing waving the Canadian flag everywhere he went. Shaun White’s final ride. Iivo Niskanen waiting for every skier to cross the finish line after winning the 15km Classic. Nathan Chen’s coronation as quad king when he won gold in men’s figuring skating. The bagpipers at the Ice Cube. Germany sweeping the podium of the two-man bobsleigh. Matt Hamilton’s hair. The home couple winning gold in pairs figure skating with a beautiful and redemptive routine. Any moment involving Bing Dwen Dwen.

The images I will remember most, however, are the ones surrounding the controversial women’s figure skating event:

  • Kamila Valiyeva, the child…yes, child…at the center of the doping controversy will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Watching her fall to pieces in an event she never should have been permitted to compete in was bad enough, but watching her crumble further following her disastrous routine, and receive no support or concern from the people who should have been protecting her will be indelibly etched into the minds of all who were watching. While I truly believe she should have been barred from competition, she is not the villain in this story…that distinction goes to every adult involved in her training, who should all be subsequently banned from the sport for life.
  • Aleksandra Trusova will most likely be remembered for throwing a fit upon learning that her teammate won gold, which left her to settle for silver, instead of for her repertoire of quad jumps. This unsportmanslike temper tantrum was unlike almost anything I’ve seen at the Olympics, and while it was appalling, I still felt badly for her, because she was competing under extreme pressure in very unusual circumstances, with little support, and with the same terrible coaches Valiyeva depended upon.
  • Anna Shcherbakova should be remembered simply as the gold medalist of one of the favorite events of Beijing 2022. But she had no one to celebrate her victory with her…no teammates screaming with her, no coaches cheering her on, no one hugging her and sharing her excitement. It should have been the highlight of her young life, instead, in her own words, she felt “empty inside” as she sat alone and downcast following the competition.
  • Kaori Sakamoto, the one bright spot in the competition, will possibly remembered more for being completely overcome with emotion at the realization that she made it to the podium, which she was not expecting, instead of for winning bronze in a highly contested event. Her tears of joy may have looked similar to the emotions expressed by the athletes representing the Russian Olympic Committee, but it was a relief knowing at least one of the medalists was thrilled with the outcome of her performance.

I had reservations about Beijing 2022 before the Winter Games began, not just because of COVID-19, but also because of issues surrounding the host country. I’m left with even more reservations about how international sports are handled, especially when minors are involved. I hope that the powers that be will take a long, hard look at how the athletes are being treated, and come up with more stringent regulations about training and new, higher minimum age requirements, in an effort to stop using these young people as commodities that can simply be discarded after a single season of competition.