2010 in pictures

It is about that time, the time to wrap up the year that just left us. To look back upon it, and remember how it was. Come along!



Let's take a look at 2010 in pictures...

January:

We came back from Sweden on the second of January last year. We had a fantastic time there with my family (celebrating Christmas and New Year's). The weather was perfect, just perfect. Snow, ice and cold day after cold day. It was perfect "Annika-weather".
When back in DC again, we had both mild days, and snowy days, as you can see here...
I wonder how this January is going to be?

Karolina was busy with theatre sports and drama.

A cross country skiier on the golf course, so nice. And, I love when the golf course is covered in snow.

I bought tulips left and right. I love them, and they fit so well in the wintertime. Promises of spring...

The weather was very cold during parts of the month. It was so cold that the bottles I had on the deck exploded.
But, we also had the typical Washington winter days, mild (around 5 degrees C) and grey...


February:

February was brutal weather wise. We had the "snowmaggedon" and the "snowcalypse". I named the storms Mega-Åke and Rune. It was EPIC. I don't think I have ever seen so much snow before, and it all fell in less than 24 hours. The schools were closed for over a week! We missed the super bowl party because we were totally snowed in. I loved every moment of it, and my camera had to work overtime!


This is right outside my home. SO much snow!!

So many cars on our street suffered. It took days to dig them out. This is not our car, thank God...

This is the main road outside our neighborhood. It looked like a country road. It was so pretty, but so impossible to drive on.


The kids and I had a BLAST in the snow!!
And, I watched the Olympics every chance I got!! Sweden did so good, and I screamed and cried for them!! I love the Olympics!!

A TRUE whiteout when the second blizzard, Rune, hit us...


I bought daffodils as soon as I had an opportunity. I love them, they are so beautiful and they smell SO good!!


March:

And, so it was spring! I turned 44 (oh sigh), we went out to celebrate. Winter gave away to true spring. I sat out on the deck more and more reading and sometimes I was even blogging from the outside.









April:

True spring hits Washington, with a heat wave in the very beginning of the month. We had 33 degrees C, and it was so warm all of a sudden. Too hot in April, for sure. But it did not last more than maybe five days, and then it gave way for more normal temperatures. We were downtown watching the cherry blossoms, so lovely!

Eastern Redbuds were blooming everywhere.

And, the cherry blossoms in DC are to die for. IF you are planning a trip to DC. Come in April!



This is how green the golf course was on Peter's birthday, the 25th of April.


Karolina had the part of Kelsi Nielsen in High school musical. The kids were fantastic!!



May:

Spring time giving way for summer!
We had Saltis and her family here for a long weekend. It was so much fun having them here, and showing them around both Northern Virginia and DC.
We also had our annual yard sale, and we had the Relay for Life.
May is just such a beautiful month!

We had a good dinner on our deck, and I believe the weather was stunning the entire time.

Relay for Life here in Reston

Our annual yardsale where all the proceeds go straight to the Cancer society. I had a get-together here and made Swedish shrimp sandwishes. SO good!!

June:

WE went to Myrtle Beach., South Carolina, for almost a week.
Karolina graduated from middle school, and we spent a weekend in Willamsburg, VA. We spent a hot day at Busch Gardens, and an even hotter day at Water Country USA.
At the end of the month, Karolina and I took off for Sweden.



In Williamsburg at Busch Gardens.



Karolina is ready for the end-of-the-year dance.

Stockholm, beauty on water.

July:

We were in Närpes, in our summer house. The best place on earth!
Great weather, great memories, and a great beloved grandma who's with us most of the time even though she has turned 92. But you'd never guess!!

My mom, dad and grandma!!





August:

We were still in Finland.
But, we're returning to Stockholm in the middle of the month, and later on Karolina and I headed back to the US





Peter and I celebrated our 17th anniversary at Chez Francois in Great Falls.

September:

The summer lingered on. But it really is fall.
The fall is the best time here in the DC area, in my opinion.
Karolina started high school, and Peter and I took a lot of weekend trips to wineries etc.

Torrential downpour

Grapes at Bluemount.


Karolina starts ninth grade, high school.

October:

The real fall starts.
We had the annual cray fish party ( a bit late) with all my Swedish friends and husbands.
Karolina's school had homecoming.
We had visitors for two weeks! My sister and her family were here. SO great!
And, it it was Halloween, of course!!

A bit cold at Skyline Drive...

Cousins and sisters.

Halloween!!!

Shopping in Tysons...


November:

This month just flied away. I have no idea what happened to it. My sister and her family left, it was Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving day parade and I decked my house for Christmas.

Just beautiful fall days...

December:

Need I say more?
My month!
Christmas.
We had our annual Christmas party, and then we were having a lovely holiday season.



A Christmas gift to myself from Designhouse Stockholm. This beautiful candleholder will be used every month of the year.