I will try to detail the events of the day as they unfolded, starting at about 5:30 a.m. until we got home just before midnight.  I will get some photos up soon, I promise, hopefully in the next day or two.   Part 1 (an overview) is HERE, plus added First Batch of Photos Part 3 and More Photos Part 4.

5:30 a.m.  We had packed the backpack the night before and taken showers, so all we had to do was dress, brush our teeth, fix our hair, grab some grapes and juice from the refrigerator to shove in the backpack and we were ready to go.

6:30 a.m. Waiting for taxi to take us to the train station, we had arranged for it the day before.  Waited…watched clock…called taxi company to confirm that it was on its way.  It was 10 minutes late, but we still made it to the train station in plenty of time.

7:10 a.m. Board the train, me, hubby, my daughter Angelgirl, my friend Patty and her friend Bob and 2 great nieces (from where they live they had taken the Riverline local train to get there).  We all found seats fairly close together, even though the train was very full. 

We arrived in Washington D.C. about two and half hours later. Managed to figure out the metro system from the map.  (Washington D.C. subway is clean, fast, and well laid out).  We decided to just take the redline and walk a little bit further to the White House, rather then have to switch to the blueline and get a couple blocks closer.

We arrived near the White House about 11:30ish.   Severl benches lined the park area near the sidewalk and I found a bench  to sit on (by that time I was in a lot of pain in my knees and everywhere), while every one else scoped out the area.  They checked out the White House visitors center and also found out where the spot was for us to lineup for our time slot which was 3-5 p.m for the Easter Egg Roll.

There were some street vendors, we got a snack and a few little sourvenirs – I got an Obama refrigator magnet, a knit Obama hat for my mom, and Angelgirl got a light green Washington D.C. cap.

About 1:30 p.m. we got ready to get in line (2 p.m. was our scheduled time to line up).  Tickets were limited to two adults and up to 4 children (one of which had to be 10 or under)  So hubby and Patty’s friend Bob left to do some sight seeing (Lincoln Memorial, Viet Nam Memorial, etc.) while we went to the Egg Roll.

Patty had asked one of the staff watching the gates if there was a place for people with mobility issues to wait.  Because of my arthritis and inability to stand for any length of time, we were allowed to enter the gate near the actual check in point, and given a chair for me to sit until it was time to check in.  This way I didn’t have to stand in the extremely long line leading up to the check in point.   Another family was there with two children, the mom had a cast on her leg.  We chatted a bit and found out that they were both in the military.  President Obama had given out several hundred tickets to five military bases, and they were one of the families that had four of these tickets.  It was an honor to meet them.

The first check in point we had our tickets scanned and wristbands for the adults.  At the next stop right after the ticket scan we were all given a plastic bag with the White House Easter Egg Roll logo on it, containing a small booklet (a welcome from Michele Obama, history of the egg roll, a map of the various event locations and list of activities), a half-sheet of paper with the schedule for our group E (3 to 5 p.m.), and a large postcard size card with a big sticked of the White House Easter Egg Roll and the signatures of Barack and Michele Obama (I don’t plan on removing the sticker).

We crossed a big field to the next stop for our security check – metal detectors and all bags searched.  Then across another big field where every one was divided into about 5 different lines to wait.   In one part of the field there was a stage and a fun kids type band playing various songs to keep the kids occupied.  Some folks gathered in front of the stage to dance and play.

All together it took about an hour and half of waiting to get in.  We did not get to enter the activities until 3: 30 p.m.   It was apparent many, many folks from the early groups had stayed, so it was already crowded.   As we entered everyone was handed a bottle of water (which we all needed!).  The path divided and we chose to go to the left first.   There was stage with Jessica Jarrell singing.

Next we saw was the Kid’s Kitchen.  We walked around a little and Patty took her great nieces to the egg decorating activity (they couldn’t keep the eggs because they had been hardboiled 3 weeks earlier), while I found a place to sit in the shade near the Kid’s Kitchen to rest.   Chef Andres and his daughter were making some spanish style dishes like savory pancakes.  In front of the demo a roped off area was set up with tables so that the first 20 or 30 kids who there got to sit there and sample the food.   To the side was a group of 4 or 5 chefs posing for folks to take pictures and after recognizing one of them from White House photos and confirming on the scheduled who was up next, I realized it was the White House chefs.  I had Angelgirl go over and get a few photos.

While I rested, Angelgirl went exploring.   When she came back walked around a little together.  We were able to see the White House garden, passed several tables of activites for little kids to make things, a few places were set up for photo ops (like an egg chair), a few characters wandering around like Easter bunnies, Theodore Roosevelt, and Winnie the Pooh.

We walked around to the other side to see what was down the other path and to see the White House and, of course, I took lots of video while Angelgirl took photos.   We got to see the story telling area and demos of jump roping.  Another band was playing, The Electric Company.  

I found a spot to sit on the small hill near the White House.  Angelgirl continued to explore and take photos, stopping back to check in with me from time to time.   Patty and her great nieces also got to do the Easter Egg hunt (staff tossed out a few eggs and let small groups of young kids run out and get one),  stood in line for one of the photo op spots and also got to do the egg roll.  Between the long lines and a lot of the activities having already run out of supplies by the end of the day they didn’t get to do a whole lot but they had a great time.  The last band to play was Zigg Marley – I let the video camera just record for the whole set (about 20 minutes) so that hubby would be able to get to hear it and get a sense of what it was like to be there.  I did my best to scan the crowds but the taping isn’t going to be good, especially since I was sitting and could barely see the stage from where I was and there was a lot of jiggling at some points, like when I did stand up and zoomed in to get a better shot of the stage.

Before we knew it, it was  5 p.m. and time to go.  There were about 30,000 people there, the largest crowd ever according the news.  Overall it was very well managed and totally awesome.

As we exited all the kids were given a wooden souvenir egg (with Barack and Michele Obama’s signature).  Hubby and Patty’s friend Bob were waiting for us a the exit gate.  We then stopped at a cafe a couple blocks away to get something drink and sit for a few minutes before heading to the metro. 

Since we exited on the opposite side of the White House, on our way to the metro we were able to take group photos in front of the White House from that side.

Once at the train station we had about an hour and half to wait for our train.  I was totally exhausted and almost unable to move (pain levels were off the charts).  We were all hungry and tired at that point.   We stopped at a pizza place that had salads and a few other items.

Once on the train it felt so good to just be sitting.  My mom was kind enough to pick us and drive us home. 

It was a whirlwind day, with tons walking, thousands of people, and lots of smiles.  It was definitely an adventure to remember. 

Bright Blessings, Lady Rose

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