We went to the White House

Thanksgiving is next week!! Don't tell the turkeys!! It's the most wonderful time of the year for turkey! Notice I din't say for the turkeys! That's a totally different meaning. 

I'm back in DC in this post and moving towards the goal of finishing this trip....

Day five in DC was HUGE. It was jam packed full of so many things to do, I'm tired remembering it. 

It was never my hope that while there we would be able to tour the White House. I knew it took requests and tickets and blah, blah, blah. It wasn't on the radar. But at the last minute Emma was able to secure passes for a tour and voila! We were in like flint. 

Remember the night before, John, Owen and I had toured the memorials late and we got home late and got to bed super late and yada, yada, yada, we had to be up at six and Uber by 6:30 and in line to get in the White House by seven. Like woah. So tired right now when I think back on it. 

If you ever go for a tour of the WH be aware you can only bring your photo ID and phone and nothing else or you will not get in. They mean business. Thankfully Emma knew all the pertinent details, so we left all our extras at home and were ready for the shake down. OK, there wasn't really a shake down and honestly the scary looking men in the bullet proof vests were nice, but it's VERY intimidating to be checked so that you can tour the White House. 

This is the first line of security to get through and that guy is quite intimidating right now. 

Your name MUST be on the list. 

That is an important tree. Ha ha just kidding, I have no idea why they chose to build around it. This is the maze to the entrance to the beginning of the tour. 

Another security check here. 

Hustling down to the entrance. 

And then.....

We were inside with all the other touristy people thinking, "I can't believe I'm in the White House!"

It's a pretty nice view they have there. 

This hangs in the East Colonnade. 

The other side is this view. This is the hall where all the wreaths hang at Christmas. I'd love to see that in person. 

An Abraham bust in the hallway. 

This is the Lincoln china. 

Another piece of the Lincoln china. 

This is the library. 

The Vermeil Room has the portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy. 

The China Room has the portrait of Grace Coolidge in it. 

This takes you to the state floor where the state dining room is as well as the red room, the green room and other stuff. I'd make a super tour guide. 

This is the East Room.

Us in the East Room. I regret the George portrait not being in the background. 

That would be this George portrait that Dolly Madison saved when the British burned the White House. So not cool Brits.

Abigail Adams hung laundry in the East Room and Tad Lincoln road goats in there, It was where Abraham Lincoln and JFK lay in state after they were assassinated. President Dwight Eisenhower took the oath of office in the East Room as well.  

President James Madison signed the declaration of the War of 1812 in this room. 

Another green room shot.

I'm liking that rug right there. 

Maybe the view from the green room? Definitely from inside the house.

The Blue Room where the Christmas tree is every year. 

That Chandy has to come down for the tree to go up.

Fancy chairs.

Fancy couch.

Grover Cleveland married Frances Folsum in this room.

During James Polk presidency is when this became known as the Red Room because they decorated with crimson and a ruby red carpet.  

That's some good real estate right there. 

Fancy couch. 

President Thomas Jefferson used this room as his office before it was used as the State Dining Room. Thomas Jefferson was in that room! It's kinda crazy to stand where people like that once stood. I cannot imagine standing on the same ground as Jesus did. 

Portrait of Abraham Lincoln of course. President Franklin Roosevelt had John Adams' famous blessing carved in the stone of this fireplace in the final year of World War II. It says, "I pray heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof." (Not so sure that last part has held up.)

The White House floor.

The White House gingerbread replica sits here each year. 

Fancy molding. 

The old family dining room. 

JFK portrait. 

More White House floor that has the same color pattern as my house. 

This is the cross hall and to the left of this is the entrance...or where we ended our tour. 

This is Marquis de Lafayette, a French aristocrat, who had a great allegiance with the  United States during the Revolutionary War. He lived in DC for several years and had friendships with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. That's quite a group to call your friends. 

I heart Ronald Reagan. He was the first president I ever voted for. 

Less people, better picture. 

Speaks for itself. 

This is the blue room again. It's the first room you see when you walk into the entrance, or for us that day, the exit. 

Princess Diana dance with John Travolta in this entrance hall.

This is a Steinway piano presented to Franklin Roosevelt for the White House by Theodore Steinway.

That's the front door. We all gotta have one. 

I'm really tired of looking stuff up for this post so I'm gonna say this is a really pretty, old possibly made in England chandelier. I know I read that somewhere but now I can't find it again so I'm calling it.

The grand staircase where they come down in the fancy clothes. If I were a tour guide, that's exactly how I'd say it.

One more look before we walked out. 

Now you're going to have to be patient with me because I had such a difficult time taking pictures out of our leaving the White House. We had been in the White House and we were leaving the White House. We were standing on the inside of the White House fence, after having been in the White House. I lingered and strolled slowly down the driveway to the exit, Because you know....it was the White House.

That's the big chandelier I've seen on TV.

That's the executive office building in the distance. And of course the policeman. 

The front porch. I don't think they call it this, but I do. They just need a couple of rocking chairs. 

The front door. It's not very imposing.

Another. 

And another. 

I told you there were lots. 

But I couldn't cut many.

That's us and we were at the White House. 

You can't tell but we are exhausted. 

And we had a HUGE day left ahead. 

A sidebar of the White House. 

Last one....

That so wasn't true.

A White House driveway selfie.

The house is there.

Turn around and this is what the view was. 

I was weaning myself away from it. 

I'm a little farther away. 

One more partial selfie. 

A White House tree. 

Almost finished. 

Last one and then we were out. 

Caught this image from Olivia's snapchat. 

After we left the White House we went across the street to a White House gift shop and I'm regretting not purchasing these awesome glasses. 

I know I will never be able to recreate the magic that was made with Libby in New York. But I'm always hopeful for a second shot. 

This is a good effort but still mediocre. 

And that's a wrap on our tour to the people's house, which is anything but. It's the people's house as long as you remember the police will keep an eye on you, you can't sit on the furniture, and you can't step on the grass. They would probably REALLY frown on us using Mary Todd's china as well. BUT. It was a really wonderful and memorable experience that I'm glad I experienced with my family. 

The rest of that day was jam packed with Mt. Vernon, a drive to Colonial Williamsburg and lets not forget, an unintentional ferry ride. I will be covering all that in the days and weeks ahead.

In the meantime, Don't forget. Thanksgiving is next week!! Which means Christmas is next month!! I cannot believe it's already here again. I could so freak out right now. It's not yet time to panic....but it's close.

Tomorrow Emma will be flying in for the holiday and Caitlin will be coming to town for the weekend and then the bulk of the fam will be here next week for some turkey and some mistletoe. Wait.... 

It's 2:19 and I'm watching a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel and don't anyone tell Candace Cameron Bure that she's SUCH an overactor. But she is. All the overactors can be found on Hallmark in the middle of a big ole cheese ball movie. Not that I'm complaining or anything. 

It's now 2:33 and I've gotta go to bed!

Goodnight or good morning....whichever you prefer. 

Goodbye too.