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42 Photos From the Obamas' Last Year in the White House That Might Bring a Tear to Your Eye

Apr 11 2017 - 10:00am

President Barack Obama's final year in the White House was 2016. Over eight years, we watched him, First Lady Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha all grow as a family [1] and have plenty of adorable moments together [2] while leading the country. Although they've gone on to live their best lives [3], let's take this opportunity to reflect on their incredible last year as first family.

Sasha and Malia shined at their first state dinner [5] in early March 2016, and Malia also played wingwoman to her little sister while she chatted with Ryan Reynolds [6].

The whole family looked incredible as they made their way down the red carpet at the White House state dinner in March 2016.

During Barack's opening remarks at the state dinner in 2016, he couldn't help but gush about his girls. "When I was first elected to this office, Malia was just 10 and Sasha was 7. And they grow up too fast," he said. "Now Malia is going off to college . . . and I'm starting to choke up."

The Obamas were all smiles while touching down for a historic visit to Cuba [7] in March 2016.

The president and first lady gave their best monster faces while reading Where The Wild Things Are at the White House's Easter Egg Roll [8] in March 2016.

Barack and Michelle traveled to Argentina in March 2016, where they showed off their dance moves [9] at the Kirchner Cultural Centre in Buenos Aires.

Malia has had quite a few adorable moments with her dad [10] over the years, and this giggly conversation between them in April 2016 as they boarded Air Force One is one of their cutest.

In April 2016, Queen Elizabeth II joined Michelle and Barack in the Oak Room at her Windsor Castle estate before having a private lunch with them.

After spending time with the queen, POTUS and FLOTUS braved the rain for a photo op [11] with Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate Middleton in April 2016.

The Obamas' April 2016 trip to the UK would not have been complete without meeting Prince George, who greeted the president and first lady in the world's cutest robe [12].

The first lady gave her husband a kiss after he spoke at the White House Correspondents' Dinner at the end of April 2016.

Michelle joined Prince Harry at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games [13] in May 2016, where they struck a supercute pose with two young fans.

Michelle made sure Barack's bow tie was looking its best before they welcomed the Prime Minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven, and his wife, Ulla Löfven, in May 2016.

After a weekend trip to Yosemite National Park [14] in June 2016, the whole Obama family hit this airport's runway looking like a magazine catalog.

Sasha and Malia chatted in Roswell, NM before taking a June 2016 visit to Carlsbad Caverns [15].

This heartwarming father-daughter moment between Barack and Malia came just in time for Father's Day [16] in 2016.

In June 2016, the Obama family looked primed to explore while celebrating the 100th anniversary of the creation of America's national park system in New Mexico, and we're not sure if Barack has ever looked more dad-like.

Malia rang in her 18th birthday on July 2016 [17] in spectacular fashion this year. After Kendrick Lamar and Janelle Monáe performed at the White House's party, she got a surprise serenade from her father. "And just because it's a job of a father to embarrass his daughters, I've got one last job. It just so happens that we celebrate our country's birthday on the same day that we celebrate my oldest daughter's birthday," he told the crowd, before they all sang "Happy Birthday" to Malia.

Michelle Obama [18], her daughters, and her mother, Marian, all jetted off to Madrid, Spain [19], in July 2016 as a part of the first lady's Let Girls Learn initiative.

While getting off the plane in Spain in July 2016, Sasha and Malia might as well have been strutting their stuff down a fashion runway.

Michelle's July 2016 trip to Madrid also included a meeting at the Spanish Royal Palace with Queen Letizia!

In August 2016, the president and first lady hosted a state dinner for Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and it's clear Barack couldn't get enough of Michelle's stunning gown [20].

Malia took the opportunity to subtly twirl on her haters [21] while attending Philadelphia's annual Made in America Festival in early September 2016.

While attending the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Phoenix Awards dinner in Washington, DC in September 2016, Barack gave his wife a sweet shout-out, saying, "I've been so blessed to have a wife and a partner on this journey who makes it look so easy and is so strong and so honest and so beautiful and so smart."

Michelle and Barack opened up all about their time in the White House, being parents to Sasha and Malia, and how they've shaped America in Essence's October 2016 issue [22], where they also posed for this ridiculously romantic photo.

The couple shared a sweet embrace during an event at the White House Kitchen Garden — which the first lady established in 2009 — in October 2016.

Michelle supported the Democratic presidential candidate at an October 2016 event in North Carolina.

We've been blessed with Barack's epic dance moves [23] before, but his routine to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" with Michelle [24] at their last White House Halloween [25] party in 2016 was hilarious.

Barack couldn't take his eyes off of Michelle at their last state dinner [26] in October 2016 (can you blame him?!).

Cutest peck ever? Barack planted a sweet kiss on Michelle's cheek at a rally for Hillary Clinton in November 2016.

POTUS and FLOTUS strolled hand-in-hand on the White House lawn in November 2016.

Michelle beamed with pride at Barack's final Medal of Freedom ceremony [27] in November 2016.

At the Presidential Medal of Freedom Ceremony [28] in November 2016, Ellen DeGeneres [29] couldn't help but tear up as Barack placed the medal around her neck.

The 2016 Medal of Freedom ceremony, which honors individuals who have made "especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors," also included honoree Tom Hanks [30].

After making his final speech [31] during the pardon of the national Thanksgiving turkey in 2016, President Obama headed to the Armed Forces Retirement Home to personally serve Thanksgiving dinner with Michelle [32].

In late November 2016, Michelle brought the first dogs [33], Sunny and Bo, to bond with a group of military families at the White House, where they admired Christmas decorations.

For his final appearance at the annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony [34] in Washington, DC in December 2016, Barack invited Eva Longoria [35], Marc Anthony [36], Chance the Rapper, Kelly Clarkson [37], and more to help him celebrate the season alongside First Lady Michelle Obama [38], and their daughter Sasha.

The presidential couple went out with style at their eighth and final Kennedy Center Honors [39] in December 2016.

In December 2016, the brood kicked off the holidays [40] by jetting off to Hawaii. The family was all smiles as they boarded Marine One in Washington DC for their annual trip.

While vacationing in Hawaii in December 2016, Malia and Barack had an adorable father-daughter date. The duo giggled and smiled while enjoying a frozen treat.

Barack Obama delivered his farewell speech [41] after eight years in office in Chicago in January 2017. While his shout-out to wife Michelle was sweet enough, things got even cuter when cameras panned to his daughter Malia, who was crying in the audience. "Of all that I have done in my life, I'm most proud to be your dad," Barack said while addressing his daughters. Unfortunately, 15-year-old Sasha did not attend, as she was in Washington DC studying for a school exam.

Before officially saying goodbye, Barack gave Michelle a sweet kiss on the cheek at the White House on Inauguration Day in 2017.


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