Photos

President Barack Obama signs into law a bill on Nov. 21, 2011, granting tax breaks to employers hiring veterans. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

President Barack Obama (left) speaks to crowds gathered outside the White House on Dec. 1, 2011, with (left to right) his mother-in-law Marian Robinson, daughters Malia and Sasha, and wife Michelle as they prepare to light the National Christmas Tree. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Senator Daniel Inouye (right), D-Hawaii, accepts the Congressional Gold Medal with Grant Ichikawa (left), representative of the Military Intelligence Service, on behalf of the 100th Battalion 442nd Infantry on Nov. 2, 2011 Washington D.C. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

A Japanese American veteran of World War II receives a supporting hand to stand for the presentation of the colors in the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 2, 2011. Veterans of military intelligence and the 100th and 442nd batallions received the Congressional Gold Medal for their services despite discrimination against Japanese Americans during the war. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

A WWII veteran of the Military Intelligence Service listens to Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio at the Capitol Building on Nov. 1, 2011. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks at a meeting in the Capitol on Nov. 15, 2011, about his bill promoting college study abroad programs. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Police blockades ensure strict crowd control at the Nov. 24, 2011 Macy’s Day Parade in New York City. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Ticker tape floats high among the New York City buildings from the Nov. 24, 2011 Macy’s Day Parade. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Balloons are enveloped by ticker tape at the Nov. 24, 2011 Macy’s Day Parade, telling revellers to believe before the arrival of Santa’s parade float. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

One attendee at the lighting of the National Christmas Tree on Dec. 1, 2011, shows her holiday spirit with a festive hat. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

An ornament celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts adorns a Christmas tree as crowds gather for the lighting of the National Christmas Tree on Dec. 1, 2011. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Worth the wait. Festival-goers avoided around-the-block lines for cupcakes in pumpkin with maple frosting (top) and red velvet with cream cheese frosting at Georgetown Cupcakes by attending the Taste of Georgetown on Oct. 15, 2011. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Take a walk. A gentleman is escorted by a policeman from the Taste of Georgetown after locking his bike to a historic bridge on Oct. 15, 2011. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Time for seconds. Strong winds at the annual Taste of Georgetown on Oct. 15, 2011 upset festival patron Tiffany Lane’s bowl of pad Thai noodles. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Many options. Festival-goer Tiffany Lane checks a festival map to find another sample booth at the Oct. 15, 2011 Taste of Georgetown. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Tracye Redd is a foster care all-star, a foster care alumnus who grew up in the Iowa system and now lives in Washington, D.C., advocating for the adoption of foster care kids. Pictured above on Dec. 1, 2011. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Joseph Bozik volunteers on Oct. 22, 2011, in the green house at the Franciscan Monastery in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington D.C. He works with the brothers to caretake the grounds which include a dozen urban bee hives. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

A sweet treat. The wildflower honey is sweet like a floral bouquet, which Bozik says is unique from either store-bought or farmers market honey. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Home sweet home. The monastery began its first two hives in 2007 and now keeps a dozen. A mature hive can house about 50,000 bees in the height of summer. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Busy bears. Volunteers loaded about 75 pounds of honey from two boxes into honey bear containers. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Extraction. The honeycombs are loaded by Joe Arsenault (left) and Felipe Witchger (right) into an extractor, a tall plastic container that spins honey out of the comb. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)

Ready to go. The bears are wiped clean and labeled by volunteer Mark Brzozowski before being taken to the monastery gift shop for sale. But not before the volunteers get their pick. (Chelsea Wallis/MNS)