Washington DC - Part II

We got tickets to tour the White House!! I requested tickets back on January 3rd for this trip and we were notified about 2 weeks prior that we got them! These tickets are super elusive, so I was thrilled! 

You wouldn't think that they were so hard to get with the amount of people in line waiting to go in, but there's that many more that try for them every day! 

I just want to give a big shout of appreciation to all my boys who hate waiting in lines. There's so many requirements to enter - like no purses, backpacks, cameras, etc (so no battery pack for my phone) - the boys took turns playing games on my phone to pass the time. (Needless to say, my phone was at 8% charge by the end of waiting and taking pictures!)

We stopped in at The White House visitor center across the street to go to the bathroom - because there are NO public bathrooms at the White House. Timestamp on picture above - 10:35AM. Immediately got in line after that. 

We waited in THIS line just to go through the first line of security - looking at ticket date/time and confirming no bags. Timestamp - 11:26AM. 

Gorgeous view of The Treasury Building and got a real long and close look of the General William Tecumseh Sherman Monument as the line circled around the statue!

Two more security checks, checking ID's (of adults) and confirming Brock and Kade's birthdate, then a final security check by canine - one at a time, each person had to enter a room for the dog to sniff you before you could continue on. 

FINALLY entered the East Wing at 12:20PM!!

And it was decorated for Easter! Secret Service said they had just done it the night prior!

The East Colonnade was decorated for Spring with hot air balloons named for every state in the USA!

Brent snapped this view through a window of the east wing looking towards the main building. Amazing!

Kade found our state's balloon!

Oooh! And what do I spot out the window!! 

Photo credit to Kade - he caught me mid-laugh. Portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama. 

Just like at Mount Vernon, tour attendees stayed in the hallway and poke your head into each room on the first floor. This is the library. 

The infamous China Room. 

Portrait of First Lady Grace Coolidge with her white collie also hangs in the China room. (I would want a portrait with my pup too!!) With the first of MANY gorgeous chandeliers! 

We made our way upstairs to the East Room - the largest room in the White House. 

THE portrait of George Washington - that you can only see by coming to the White House! 

Continued the tour into the Green Room - and so very glad Brent chose the aisle beside the windows! 

Portrait of Benjamin Franklin by David Martin, painted 1767. 

Continuing into the Blue Room. (I liked asking Kade - "what do you think this room is called.." - he understood after the Green Room)

Followed by the Red Room!

Crossing into the State Dining Room with the portrait of Abraham Lincoln mounted over the fireplace. Painted by George Peter Alexander Healy in 1869. 

In our pre-trip research, we learned of the neat inscription carved into the mantel in 1945 by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The words are taken from a letter from John Adams to his wife Abigail Adams: 

I Pray Heaven To Bestow The Best Of Blessings On This House and All that shall hereafter Inhabit it. May none but Honest and Wise Men ever rule under This Roof. 

Eagles for the front legs of the side table!

Portrait of John F. Kennedy by Aaron Shikler, 1970. 

The boys under the President's seal! 

Another amazing chandelier in the Cross Hall!

As we exited out the front door, we spotted President Barack Obama's portrait painted by Robert McCurdy, 2018. 

Finished our tour of The White House and stopped to take this amazing picture. We felt so lucky to be able to see all that we saw that day - I hope one day the boys can appreciate and remember. 

On our way to lunch, we spotted this picturesque view of the Capitol down Pennsylvania Avenue. Note the tall building with clock tower on the right - currently the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, originally The Old Post Office and Clock Tower, built in 1899. 

Lunch was at Elephant & Castle Pub - best choice as they were quick! After standing in line for so long, these boys surely earned this brownie and ice cream dessert!

Original plans were to tour the National Archives building afterwards, but the boys were exhausted and snapped a photo of the back side on our way to the Metro. We all needed a bit of a break from the crowds and being on our feet. 

Washington DC - Part I

The Eason Family traveled to Washington D.C. for Spring Break this year. 

First stop - George Washington's home, Mount Vernon. This was a great plan - after almost five hours in the car, it was great to walk around on such a sunny day. 

We arrived about an hour before our Mansion Tour time, which allowed us to walk the grounds - paying our respects at Washington's tomb and original resting place. 

The backside of Mount Vernon - love all the rocking chairs pointed to the river and the amazing view!

A panoramic taken by Brent!

George & Martha definitely had a million dollar view!

Cool weathervane atop his home. 

About time for our tour and the first of many lines we hung out in during our trip. Thankfully, I stood in line and Brent took the boys to tour a few more of the areas (Gardner's House, Blacksmith, Slave Quarters). 

Greenhouse in the middle, Slave Quarters on either side

The tag on this Tulip Poplar tree says "circa 1785" - the boys loved the fact that George Washington most definitely walked by this very tree. 

In the line - getting ready for our mansion tour! 

This green room was the dining room. So many intricate details!

We made our way upstairs and poked our heads in multiple guest rooms - he always had visitors! The guide informed us this wallpaper matches the most closely to what was there in George Washington's era. 

I didn't get such a great photo of the actual room, but this was George & Martha's bedroom - also where he died. 

Family picture! (With preservation construction in the background)

Just as Brent and I were commenting that we slightly remember the house being white (we both visited nearly 30+ years ago), we happened upon this sign! Super interesting - that isn't stone on the house - it's wood!

A little more history for my readers... 

We returned to our vehicle and made our way through DC's 5 o'clock traffic to our Airbnb townhouse - definitely different for the boys to see a gate on the entrance of all these homes (and bars on the first floor windows).

We took advantage of the city and ordered some amazing Chinese food - delivered via scooter. Some of the best Chinese we've had in awhile! Took it easy the rest of the night to prepare for our long day of sight-seeing the following day!