White House Christmas Tour

We have some awesome friends!  The husband is a member of The President's Own Marine Band.  Since they are the President's band, they get invited to tour the White House occasionally.  This year they were invited to visit during Christmas.  They have a certain number of people they can take and not many band members were able to go on the date of their tour.  So they opened it up to extended family and friends of band members.  That is how we got in.  We met our friend and his daughter at the Marine Barracks and then got to ride the official Marine Band buses to the White House.  We had to send them ALL of our personal information and go through two security check-points just to get inside!!  What blew Owen's mind was that they all knew his name!!!  So here is a barrage of pictures showing you what we saw and did.  It was a surprisingly short tour, we just walked through some halls and rooms and then back outside in 40 min.

Owen is old enough now that he technically has to have his own Metro Card for riding on the Metro.  He is pretty stoked about it!  He did really good with not losing it and making sure that he used it only when he needed to.

Hanging out in the John Phillip Sousa Hall while we waited to load the buses.

Getting on the bus!!

Checking out the sites while on the bus.  Since the White House is so close to the National Monuments, we got to see most of them.  This is the Washington Monument.

We had to wait in line for a little while.  Luckily we were next to this statue William Tecumseh Sherman that had lot so things for all the kinds to climb on while we waited.

Walking through the cattle shoots to get to the security check-points.

Getting close to entering the White House.

Here we go INSIDE!!!

Just to orient you as to where we will be going.

Long corridor when you enter.  All the wreathes are real and the smell was amazing.  On the right are lots of pictures of past White House Christmas related things.

Owen pointing out a picture of the National Christmas Tree - we went to see that two years ago.

Owen and our friend checking out Bo!

Attempting to get a picture of the boy by some cool looking trees.

Gingerbread House.

Vermeil Room (Vermeil).

Library.

The China Room.

Entering the East Room.

As you can see the boy was uncooperative in picture taking!  That is when Beki got to take over picture taking and it was Papa's turn to answer all the boy's questions.

Reading the East Room sign.

Beautiful Nativity in the East Room.

This painting of George Washington is the only thing in the current White House that is from the original White  House that burned in 1814.

The trees were amazing.  This tree had all sort so different rocks on it for ornaments.

The Green Room.  The walls had a very interesting look to them.  Turns out it silk fabric covering the walls.

They gave the children little books and Owen read the map all by himself and could tell us where we were.

All about the Green Room.

This tree was made of aluminum cans that had been cut into circles and bent into ovals, then glued onto the tree shape.

The Official White House Christmas Tree in the Blue Room.  It was covered in armed forces metals (silver stars, purple hearts, etc.) and cards from or to military people.

Family picture - yeah we took a lot and this was the best one.

A really cool ornament on the White House Christmas Tree.

The Red Room.

About the Red Room.

The State Dining Room.

Painting of Abraham Lincoln in the State Dining Room.

There are long corridor's that connect all the way from the East Room through the Green Room, Blue Room, and Red Room and ending at the State Dining Room.

All about the State Dining Room.

The White House in White Chocolate!!!

Chris with Ronald Reagan in Cross Hall.

The trees all this "theme" on them - "Shine  Give  Share"

Getting ready to exit the White House in the Entrance Hall.

The Seal.

This piano was in the Entrance Hall.  Pretty cool.

Outside we go.

Another attempt at a family picture on the steps outside the Entrance Hall.

Looking back at the White House.

The street sign of the landmark.

It was a once in a life-time experience to tour the White House, especially at Christmas time.  We enjoyed our trip and are REALLY grateful to have wonderful friends with connections.