Christmas at Mount Vernon!

Yesterday I went to Mount Vernon for the first time and I loved it! There was so much to see and do and I didn't even get to half of it.  Good thing I bought a year pass, though, so I can go back whenever I want.  I am already planning on going there for Independence Day in 2012 and before that too.

In the visitor's center, they had a bunch of awesome Christmas trees set up!  The trees were decorated with ornaments that described an aspect of George Washington's life.  He loved books and learning.  He had a large library in his home with over 900 books, if I remember correctly. 

George Washington was a soldier.  How many different items can you see in this picture?

George Washington liked exotic animals and brought a camel to Mount Vernon for Christmas one year. This camel comes to Mount Vernon every Christmas season.

This is the National Thanksgiving turkey that President Obama pardoned this year that will live at Mount Vernon from now on. 

George Washington's house!  It's pretty spectacular and it's huge!

This is the view from the porch in the back of the house.  Look at that view! It's beautiful!  And they said that the tree there on the left is an original tree from when Washington was there.  

I couldn't take pictures inside of the house, but here's a self-portrait of me on the porch and the view.

Inside the house was pretty spectacular!  The flooring and the woodwork and some of the furniture and paintings were original pieces from Washington's time. (If I remember correctly).

They had a lot of guest bedrooms in their house.  One tour guide said that the Washington's once had over 500 guests stay with them in one year.  They fed them and entertained them and accommodated them with sleeping arrangements . (I cannot even imagine having that many guests in a ten year period, but especially not in one year.)

We also got to see the attic of the house which is only open for tours during the Christmas season. The attic has 4 bedrooms, including the bedroom that Martha Washington stayed in after George died.  (George died in their bed on the second floor and Martha could not handle living in there anymore after he died).  (The floor in the attic is fragile, hence why it is not open all year round.)

The back of the house.  As you can tell I am standing down a hill.

I thought this carriage was pretty funny!  A regular chair attached to the buggy part.  Washington actually used a buggy like this to get around sometimes.

Here's a carriage similar to one that the Washington's might have ridden in.

George and Martha Washington's tomb!

The inside of the tomb!

This scripture was on the inside of the tomb.  It made me happy :)

These bulls were just hanging out there on the estate.

The toilets.  I put this picture here for two reasons.  I thought it was funny that there were three toilets in one room.  Second, I found it interesting that there were drawers under the toilets so that they could pull out the waste and clean it out pretty easily and then they would use the waste to fertilize the gardens.  (A little gross but resourceful).

A side view of the house!

Prayer at Valley Forge! I really like George Washington for many reasons, which I will talk more about below.

I love this quote by Washington as he was resigning as commander-in-chief from the continental army, which goes a long with the picture above.

A gingerbread house of Mount Vernon!  All of the animals and trees and grass and house and people are all made of food.  It was very impressive!

 

 

 The back of the gingerbread house!  

I really liked Mount Vernon! It made me like George Washington even more than I already do. When I first got to Mount Vernon, they had a short orientation video and a video about George Washington. In the video, it showed Washington with so much hope and courage.  When all of the other military and political leaders were ready to give up and did not think they could win the war, Washington was so full of hope and encouragement and said we will not lose this war, because this is our land and we are fighting for our freedom and our families.  We must go on.  We cannot give up. 

He was humble.  He was full of hope. He was a man of God.  He was courageous.  He was intelligent. As I was talking to my roommate about this, she brought up that he seemed like Captain Moroni.  I agree with that.

In Alma 46 this is what it says:

12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

 13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren...

Sounds like George Washington to me :)