I just finished watching President Obama speak. I am wondering how I will address the news of bin Laden’s death to my children. Surely it will be the talk of school, and they will have many questions.
I stood in the West Wing just days ago during my tour of the White House. I cannot imagine how preoccupied President Obama must have been as he delivered his toast at last night’s White House Correspondent’s Dinner. Hopefully, the laughter of the 2000 plus people that filled the room allowed our president to escape for a moment.
Imagine the President telling jokes while Hollywood and politicians mingled. It was one of the greatest nights I can remember, followed by the historic news of last night. It has been four intense days… but here are some fun highlights of the dinner, before I tuned in to CNN just hours ago.
My DC trip was incredible. I am honored to have been invited to this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner. There were many events to celebrate during the weekend. One of my favorites was the tour I took of the White House.
You can’t enter the President’s Mansion and not get chills from the historical energy. Of course I took many pics, but I am tortured because secret service will not allow any to be posted.
The first important encounter was with Bo the dog, which immediately set up a homey vibe once I got past the excitement of being on executive palace property. I was absolutely looking forward to meeting President Obama, but he left for Alabama just hours before my arrival! I stood in the doorway he just passed through to board Air Force One, and I could feel his presence through out the house.
One of the most impressive areas was the floral department! I love flowers, and every color themed room was elegantly decorated with the finest! Many vases were lined with folded stapled lemon leaves which were glued on a to a masking taped plastic vase.
The end result was gorgeous!
Check out the floral refrigerator!
The original president’s portraits lined the walls. Each one captured an important moment in history. I imagined myself there as I stood in every space. The detail, elegance, and importance of each room told its own story.
I learned some trivia while inside:
- Of all the final presidential portraits, Ronald Reagan is the only president who smiled.
- John F. Kennedy is said to be looking down in his portrait by painter’s respectful choice to not show his eyes since he was not alive to pose.
- George Washington is the only president who never slept in the White House.
- George Washington’s portrait is the image used on the One Dollar Bill, but it is flipped.
- The East room is the largest room in the house and one where many of the president’s children roller bladed!
- There are no front or back doors, only north and south entrances.
- President Taft was the largest president, weighing in over 300lbs. He was a baseball fan. During a Reds game in the 7th inning he got up to stretch & so the 7th inning tradition was born.
- Many presidents had a collection of china designed and named in their honor. George W. Bush is the most frequently used and Ronald Reagan’s is the most valuable.
I longed to know what the private living quarters were like for the president’s family. Did their children have tantrums and run down the halls screaming while a tour was going on? Surprisingly enough, it felt like a real home once you tripped down the executive tones and grandeur of the president’s mansion. There was a feeling of intimacy at the White House. I truly enjoyed every moment there.
On a final note, when I sat at home listening to the historic news of bin Laden’s death, I could only imagine what must have been going through Obama’s mind during the Correspondent’s dinner. It takes a unique man to compartmentalize such issues. Multitasking mommies can relate on some level. We all know what it’s like to put our game face on.
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