Our Field Trip to The White House

It's not often you get to step foot into the White House. Yesterday was a day we we'll never forget!  Joe got tickets for a White House tour through his job.  So we bundled up and headed down to D.C. for our self guided tour.

Standing in a place rich in 200 years of history was awe-inspiring.  To think of all the presidents and company that have stood within these same walls from that long ago was such a neat feeling.  I wish I could have slowed down and captured every detail and then started over from the beginning again.

There were too many Christmas trees to count, all decorated beautifully.  Portraits of presidents hung on the colored walls. 

If I could have broken the rules and stepped over one of the rope barriers, this would be the room I'd do it in.  The Library.  Ahhh.  Looks so warm and inviting (despite the poor quality picture taken here).  I'd love to spend a few hours thumbing through the books that line these bookcases.

This was another one of my favorite rooms.  The East Room.  A huge portrait of George Washington hangs in this room.  The bodies of JFK and Abraham Lincoln once rested in this room after their assassinations.  In 1835, Andrew Jackson created a winter wonderland for children complete wih a cotton snowball fight.  Abigail Adams once hung her laundry to dry across this room.  Meriwether Lewis had a bedroom in this hall at one point, partitioned off by Thomas Jefferson. Neat stuff.

This year's official Christmas tree in the Blue Room.  This tree is 19.5 feet tall! The official tree originally was put up and decorated in the East Room until Jacqueline Kennedy had it put up in the Blue Room and decorated it.  Since then many of the first families have chosen this room to set it up in.  There is a nice view of the monument through the windows in this room.

View from the Green Room window.  Love these huge pillars.

The State Dining Room.  I love the portrait of Abe over the mantel.  This is a white chocolate gingerbread replica of The White House.  Weighs over 350 pounds!

 

Two of my absolute favortie trees in the place.  I love the REDS! Picture on the right is in the Red Room.  Picture to the left is entering the foyer. 

An orchestra playing Christmas Carols in the foyer.

Hall leading from the East Room towards the foyer...with my favorite Christmas trees and favorite boy.

These were just a few of my favorite pictures.  Wish I could share them all with you.  We ended our day saying, "We were in the White House today!"  A very cool experience that I hope we get to do again one day.

The kids are now doing their writing assignments on their trip to the White House.