11-15, The White House BABY!!

With a little money and a little motivation (ok, maybe more than a little, but it was WELL worth it), we had us a girls weekend. It was my very first girls weekend and Sven's very first weekend as Nikolas' sole caretaker. (Could that even possibly be after SIX YEARS?!) I headed south to DC and Sven and Nikolas headed northwest to Pittsburgh. I spent the weekend with the girls and they spent the weekend with his dad.

For the girls, it was a reunion of sorts for my friend Melissa and her bridesmaids from 5 years earlier. The gang included: Melissa (from Chicago), Rita (from Mississippi), Alison (from Virginia) and Amanda (our local DC girl). We had a great hotel a short distance from the White House and walking distance to Georgetown. It's not so much WHAT we did (shopping, eating, drinking, and generally being merry) but how much fun we had DOING it. Ok, maybe that's not true for Sunday-- it was ALL ABOUT what we did......a private tour (thank you, Amanda!!) of the White House's West Wing!! REALLY!! Could it get any better than that?! (Sven's thinking 'yes, it can' as he was insanely jealous and is hoping for his turn soon). Amanda was Melissa's college roommate, New Orleans roommate (during the time of my life when I also called NOLA home), and now Ms. Big Wig with her very important, top-secret job working for the National Security Council. WOW, huh?! We can't thank her enough for taking time out of her busy-- major understatement-- schedule to plan and execute such wonderful plans for us.

All in all, the weekend was a huge success. I can't remember the last time I felt so rejuvenated and motivated. It reinforced what I've been saying all these years, "I do have friends....they just live everywhere else!!" Thanks girls for a FABULOUS weekend!!!

Me, Missy and Rita

Amanda tooks us to some amazing consignment boutiques. I saw labels I'd never seen before! The girls had to pretty much pry me out of this Armani wool coat so we could leave. It was a little snug between the shoulders and it was a sad, sad day that I had to leave and the coat had to stay! =)

Melissa, Alison and Rita chatting.
On our way to lunch.... no kids, no husbands.... WOO HOO!!

Ok, Missy....how is it that I look more perky than you?? That has NEVER happened before!!!

This is the Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building that is next to the White House. This is where Amanda works.


And this is Amanda, our gracious tour guide! Look at how many cameras she's holding....and she doesn't even have mine or else I wouldn't have been able to take the picture of her!!!

The following photos were taken inside the Executive Office Building (if only I can remember the names of all of the rooms....):
The view of the White House from the Executive Office Building......

The President and his wife were there to greet us as we began our tour.....ok, or maybe it's just a photo in the waiting area of the West Wing. =)

This is the last photo we were allowed to take before beginning our tour. Sadly, we weren't allowed to take any photos inside the White House. I tried to etch as much into memory as possible! I can tell you that the Oval Office is awesome. It's so bright, tidy, serene..... you'd never image what goes on in there, I suppose. And I'll bite my tongue at what I was going to type next, but you girls know, don't you? Laughing with me or at me.....I'm not sure! =)

As we were waiting our turn to go out and see the Rose Garden, a girl was gleaming with joy as she bounced up the hall, "I JUST GOT ENGAGED!!!!" Now that's a story for the grandkids!!

I'm glad we were able to use our cameras in the Rose Garden so we could capture how beauitful it was.....and prove that we really DID get to see the White House!

It was like a little kid waiting for Christmas....and then all too soon it was over. This is plaque hangs above the door we exited.

This is the area where the media is allowed to be. Amanda said that NBC gets the prime spot because they've been there the longest. Obviously there was going to be some sort of coverage there that afternoon with all of the equipment out.

This is the press briefing room. Familiar, isn't it? Too think of how many presidents have stood behind that podium and addressed the nation......very cool.

On the news, isn't this where you always see the important people getting into their limos, waving, before they drive away?!


Well, I hope you enjoyed your tour of the White House as much as I did. AWESOME. VERY AWESOME!