Mount Vernon and Alexandria

One of the very best things we did was visit Mount Vernon and the Washington Mansion. History gets ahold of my heart, and I really could have moved right in. In fact, I think we sort of did, because when we got back out to the city, it felt a bit like time travel.
These statues are to scale of the Washington's and their grandchildren. George was the same height as my husband and Martha even more petite than I.

This is on the pack porch of the mansion. The view of the Potomac is awesome! We weren't allowed to take photographs inside the mansion itself, but it was awesome to see all of the intricate details and many original furnishings. We toured the blacksmith shop, wash house, gardener's house, stables, smokehouse, guesthouse, and numerous other places.

Once again, we saw how very much our country was founded on Godly principles. Washington's army was outnumbered 10 to 1, but Washington prayed to a God who is never outnumbered. Being the first, Washington set the standard for all presidents who would follow him including but not limited to taking an oath on the Bible. His last words were, "Tis well."

This is a pew from the parish that Washington's family attended. I love the cozy family design and the fact that it has a door--ingenious! That would certainly assist in corralling the little ones! :)

Mount Vernon is on the edge of Alexandria--a colonial port city. We toured some of the smaller museums, including a factory that made torpedos during WWI and II here and walked F.O.R.E.V.E.R. in the cold rain.

At the end of the day, we made our way to Gadsby's Tavern--a restaurant built in 1785. It was originally a hotel as well. George Washington ate here many times. Thomas Jefferson's Inaugural Banquet was upstairs here. Andrew Jackson climbed out a White House window and walked here...6 miles to escape all the noise and people at his inaugural ball.

Our meal was fabulous, the atmosphere quaint and quiet with candles and soft music. The original woodwork and floors throughout were A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. We saw so many historal homes and buildings including General Robert E. Lee's boyhood home, which is still a private residence.