First Lady Michelle Obama participates in a discussion on higher education in the East Room of the White House. The First Lady hosted the 2015 Beating the Odds Summit to recognize youths who have overcome substantial obstacles to persist through high school and make it to college, as part of the “Reach Higher” initiative
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President Barack Obama makes a surprise visit to the Beating the Odds Summit, part of the First Lady’s Reach Higher Initiative, in the East Room of the White House (Photo by Pete Souza)
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Jayson Rodriguez: Michelle Obama Talks Ambition, Educations & #TodaysKidsWillNeverLearn
Michelle Obama is nothing if not gracious. Since moving to the White House in 2009 following her husband Barack Obama’s presidential election win in 2008, the Chicago native has used her mantle as the First Lady to fight for military families, children’s health and young people’s pursuit of education. Her charm, intellect and warm personality have created a collaborative environment where politics are left at the door and people connect to get things done.
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Do you find yourself being more ambitious about your designs to help young people now more than any other point in your life, and why?
I’ve always said that the role of First Lady comes with this big bright light that follows you wherever you go, and you have the privilege—and the responsibility—to shine that light on important issues and tell the stories that too often go untold. So I do find myself being especially ambitious right now, especially because so many of the issues I work on are deeply personal to me.
A perfect example is my Reach Higher initiative, an effort to inspire young people to continue their education past high school. My parents didn’t have college degrees, and while they loved and supported me, they really couldn’t help me with things like standardized tests and financial aid forms. So I often had to figure stuff out on my own, and I didn’t always get it right (I actually applied to one college simply because I liked the pictures in the brochure). And today, I have a chance to reach back and help young people struggling with these exact same challenges, and I intend to use my time as First Lady and beyond to do everything I can to empower them so they can fulfill their dreams.
More here
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E! News co anchor Terrence Jenkins, First Lady Michelle Obama, Brown University student Manuel Contreras, musical artist Wale, and Education Secretary Arne Duncan participate in a discussion on higher education
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https://twitter.com/Wale/status/624306569899982848
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President Barack Obama greets guests during a suprise visit to First lady Michelle Obama’s event on higher education in the East Room of the White House
The Obama Diary 
Fabulous pics. FLOTUS is gorgeous! Thank you!
🙂
Congratulations to Jackie and LP on getting here the same minute. So inspired by everything the Obamas do to mentor and encourage young people. Students who are first generation and far away from home for college need support from faculty and fellow students. There needs to be a critical mass of people who look like them and understand the challenges of being the first from their family to take such a big leap away from home. Then they can be mentors to younger folks.
attention Speaker Boehner #wherearethejobs
For a 7 minute press avail LMAO
good to know
Like Jeb!, now that’s a slogan. How ’bout Jeb? – methinks that slogan also has a ring of truth to it. Especially the ???????? marks. Some folks never tire of making an ass of themselves in public.
Yes it is just a slogan to the governor who sign “Stand your ground”. And it help Zimmerman get away with murdering Tryvon Martin.
Fabulous, Nerdy, I loooooooooove them!!!!! 🙂
🙂
Oh lord, this is getting more horrific.
Saw that speculation last night LL, can’t even bring myself to think about it. Really disgusted, though, to see a fake mug shot of Sandra doing the rounds on Twitter, it’s beyond belief the depths some people stoop too.
“All Americans: 28% support, 24% oppose, 48% want to watch ‘The Voice'”
…an ever larger majority 68% expressed an intent to watch an iteration of ‘The Bachelor’ this year…
They don’t take their position in the world seriously. It’s a real shame that the plight of so many billions rests on the backs of 300 million people – many of whom don’t care at all.
Evening guys!
So I’m a little late, how long with POTUS be in Kenya and what’s the scheduled agenda?
Also too, is the entire family going or just POTUS
POTUS has gone alone – the rest of the family is here;
POTUS’ visit to Africa will be 5 days in total – not sure how many of these are in Kenya and how many are in Ethiopia.
I’m guessing that since the formal activities are in Kenya, he will spend most time there
I think it’s a three day visit to Kenya.
Ok, think I’ll go home, put on some mindless sports, and do the pre-cleaning before my Hardest Working Cleaning Lady comes tomorrow night.
I’ll be doing my cleaning tomorrow night, before the cleaning team comes on Saturday. Seems ridiculous… I’m often tempted to let them come in to the mess as it really is…
This is welcome news!!!
FLOTUS looks especially young and pretty in that lovely dress. POTUS definitely shows his age—while obviously remaining handsome—but FL Michelle O seems more youthful than ever. Perhaps she is counting the days. Not with the dread TOD is,
refers to flowery dress in today’s event.
GE Vicki.
Late as usual, but wanted to comment on how absolutely stunning FLOTUS is in that dress and her beautiful peachy-pink lipstick.
Just gorgeous.
Now imagine this dress on someone really fair, and that person would be overwhelmed by the dress. FLOTUS’ incredible skin-tone (in both senses of the word) offsets this great dress.
So hard to choose, but I think it’s my favorite non-floorlength dress of hers.
Thanks Nerdy, for posting all the great info.
Ta-daaaa! Here I am making my entrance! So what have I missed since you guys crawled over here? 😦
The most trusted name in news….smh
In a forum for employees yesterday, CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker said that the network had taken the necessary steps following a screw-up in which it reported that an Islamic State [also known as ISIS] flag had appeared at the London Pride celebration on June 27. As it turned out, that “ISIS flag” was actually a parody flag festooned with images of sex toys. “What amazed me most about the whole debacle was that not only did Pawle, nor anyone else on the editing/broadcast team, notice that the images were of dildos, but that nobody could spot that it wasn’t an ISIS flag,” Paul Coombs, who carried the item in the parade..
Yet a conscientious CNN employee pressed Zucker on the question in the town hall. According to sources familiar with the exchange, Zucker conceded that the reporting had embarrassed CNN but insisted that there was nothing to merit an apology. CNN investigated the matter and took necessary action in the aftermath, Zucker told his colleagues…continued’
The 24/7 coverage Trump is getting is deeply depressing.
Troubling, even. The entire nomination, primary, debate structure of the GOP seems to have been swept away by a dangerous rich racist.
Who or what can stop him?
I don’t share the popular opinion that Trump is good for HRC or any Democrat. The Donald has no filters and a mixture of racism and the occasional truth coming our of him jeopardizes his party and the rest of us too.
I am not laughing.
He is a pompous racist whose ego is the size of Manhattan, an ill-informed and dangerous carnival barker who most exemplifies P.T. Barnum’s adage: there’s a sucker born every minute.
Vicki, the Trump mania we’re living through this summer is a reflection of the baseness of the US media. Following a clown around is an easy gig for our media because they don’t have to think, research an issue, actually assess truth vs lies or make any difficult choices at all. It’s all fun and games because to them the future of their country, not to mention their own ‘profession’ is irrelevant.
He’s proposing to run as an independent. How is this not a good thing?
I agree. His existence ad constant coverage makes his vile garbage more acceptable, to society because it’s tolerated. Doesn’t help anybody.
Yes, Theo. That is what I was getting at. Dangerous demagogue.
😀
Now, ya’ see, I might be able to answer this question if I had even a remote idea what the heck he’s talking about. 😉
‘On average, 330 million pairs of shoes find their way to peoples’ feet every year in the UK alone. unfortunately, with each new pair, another finds itself on the way to the landfill where it will take over 50 years — minimum — to decompose. due to the large amount of materials used in a contemporary pair of sneakers, as many as 65 in some cases, recycling is difficult and expensive.
Designer ammo liao created ‘bio-knit’ in response to the unchecked waste caused by the shoe industry. By mimicking organic organisms and systems in nature, liao developed a single, multi-functional material that can simultaneously display soft, flexible, and robust textures. goods made with a single element could potentially have massive effect on the manufacturing and recycling of any industry, not just footwear. Obvious benefits include: conservation of natural resources, less solid-waste in landfills, energy savings, greenhouse/pollution reduction due to ridding of unnecessary creation processes, and drastically reducing the cost of recycling. A pair of sneakers was made by liao with no other material then ‘bio-knit’ in order to showcase the potential it has…continued’
thank you very much for sharing this – incredible and impactful innovation;
I wish I was this smart ad and creative as Mr. Ammo Liao
My pleasure, Global! These kinds of innovations along with 3-D printing are going to provide endless opportunities for things we can’t even imagine yet.
‘This weekend, smoke smothered the high-rises of downtown Vancouver. Sunsets as far south as Ohio took on brilliant hues of red and orange. And humanity reached another potential milestone in climate change—all thanks to hundreds of wildfires burning in Alaska and Canada. The problem isn’t just scorched landscape—though that’s bad enough, to the tune of 3 million acres and 600 fires in Alaska and over 4,000 wildfires in Canada. This year has been exceptionally hot and dry—just ask a Californian—but even so this year’s blazes haven’t yet surpassed the toll of the even fierier 2004. As Sam Harrel, spokesperson for the Alaska Fire Service, puts it in understated terms, “We are on a track for a lot of acres this year.”
But the real problem is that the fires could accelerate the melting of permafrost, a layer of ground that’s never supposed to get above freezing. And permafrost is one of Earth’s great storehouses of carbon. Release it, and you speed up climate change. What ties all that together is “duff,” the thick layer of moss, twigs, needles, and other living or once-living material that blankets the forest floor. Duff can be up to a foot thick, and it provides the insulation that keeps permafrost cold through even the sunny days of summer. But when fire comes along, duff becomes fuel. Burning duff releases carbon too, of course, but losing it is like ripping the insulation out of a refrigerator…continued’
NW, thank you for these beautiful photos. Needed something uplifting and leave it to our gorgeous FLOTUS to provide it! So looking forward to seeing PBO in Kenya and Ethiopia.
🙂
so, how did blowhards’ banshee with kerry go y’day?
DNC is fundraising off an exchange between SOS Kerry & Rubio….so I assume not so well 😕
not so well for the rethugs? or for sanity?
rethugs. There was basically no coverage on any evening newscast or cable re the hearings…only thing that came out was whacko bird Ron Johnson’s exchange w/ Sec. Moniz
http://www.vox.com/2015/7/23/9023489/congress-hearing-iran-deal
This part of the hearing was mind-boggling. Johnson really thought he had a gotcha moment and Moniz was extremely polite but likely stifling a serious amount of laughter. What a joke!
Still catching up with the day, but this tweet probably summed it up:
SoS Kerry held his own and pushed back, IMO.
I encourage you to watch the video.
what did I ever do to you?
Whaaat?
You asked and I answered 😎
The GOP crew was no match for Kerry, Moniz and Lew. The Repubs mostly spent their time demagoguing the issue. Johnson and Barosso were the worst, spouting nonsense. Rubio said some stupid things, trying to sound smart but failing miserably. Menendez was a real idiot, too.
Kerry has earned a lot of respect in that chamber, having served there for so many years. So it definitely could have been worse but it was still a clown show. There were several times Kerry showed them up big time. He is armed with facts and he wasn’t taking any guff. All in all, Kerry, Moniz and Lew took first prize.
Thank you meta. And yet the nyt went the judgmental ‘skeptical senate’ instead the stupid senate. Other than the about-to-go-to jail mendendez, how many senate dems backstab?
Cardin was definitely asking tough questions and Coons was sounding on the fence but most of the other Dems were in Kerry’s corner. Boxer and Shaheen called out Corker and others for saying Kerry and his team were fooled and bamboozled. They were not happy about that sort of personal smear.
Guess that’s why coons is on that flight to kenya with unohoo.
‘Polar bears have rougher times coming as the Arctic sea ice is melting and climate change is taking its toll on them and their environment. During an intensive new study, researchers have found that polar bears are now facing the danger of starvation as the accelerated melting of the Arctic sea ice has stranded many of them on land, unable to hunt for seals. Summer sea ice was their quick delivery of food. Now, the chances are getting slimmer that they hunt seals. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Wyoming tracked 43 bears for two years, between 2008 and 2009. Previous studies had suggested that in order to conserve energy, polar bears, particularly those that are stranded on land fall into a state of walking hibernation which would protect them in the face of starvation.
The new study comes to contradict the walking hibernation hypothesis. The 43 polar bears were both shore bears and ice bears. The research team tracked the activity levels and the body temperature of the polar bears over summer months. Both the polar bears stranded on land and those that spend time on what’s left of the Arctic ice sea displayed similar declines both in body temperature, as well as activity. However, the decline is far less pronounced than the changes that occur during the polar bears’ winter hibernation. Continuing in a limbo of survival with less food, the polar bears are in fact facing starvation…continued’
I’ve been so consumed with work I just don’t know the answers to these questions and thought I’d ask someone who likely does ….
What triggered my asking is Tiffany Wills’ tweet, above …
bbl …
Tiffany Willis not Wills …
Hi Bob, so far I’ve heard a recording of one voicemail she left for a friend from prison, she sounded fine.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-33632894
Thank you Chips
Our First Lady is gorgeous
Yes yes yes! She is beautiful
I love those pictures of our POTUS and FLOTUS. I look at those pictures of FLOTUS and I want to slap the sh!t out of those who talk about our FLOTUS look like a monkey.
She is beautiful.
Found this: http://www.spiritscienceandmetaphysics.com/scientists-claim-that-quantum-theory-proves-consciousness-moves-to-another-univers
LIVE NOW: Man Opened FIre At Lafayette Movie Theatre – http://www.cbsnews.com/live/?ftag=CNMe94798
Another day, another mass shooting….
Paging Bernie “Guns-are-GREAT” Sanders
And another “mentally disturbed” man no doubt
Yes – as long as he’s white.
If he’s black, he’s an animal, thug, etc.
And if “of middle eastern appearance” – terrorism! But I did read one report of an “old white man” – hence the “mentally disturbed”
I know I am not alone in thanking Michelle for marrying Barack, and while he claims he does not rap, it will not surprise me one little bit when he one day comes out and raps into a mic, because he is that kind of guy. 🐻 ❤
MSNBC – hopefully “it’s an isolated incident” – guess it’s a white guy
http://variety.com/2015/film/news/shooting-reported-during-trainwreck-screening-in-louisiana-1201547708/
Two people are reportedly dead and at least six people have been injured after a shooting occurred inside a screening of “Trainwreck” in Lafayette, Louisiana.
“We think the shooter is dead,” police chief Jim Craft told reporters. “It really is a chaotic scene.
According to reports, the man–described as an “older white male”– stood up about 20 mins into the screening and started firing at the audience. Witnesses say the man later shot and killed himself.
“We heard a loud pop we thought was a firecracker,” one witness told The Daily Advertiser.
The incident occurred at the Grand 16 Theater.
This country…..*sigh*
We have a Congress that kowtowed to the NRA after Sandy Hook, folded their hands and did nothing.
Everyday, more innocent lives are taken.
But Bibi…
‘RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said Thursday the Iran nuclear deal appears to have the provisions needed to curtail Iran’s ability to obtain a nuclear weapon in what were the most favorable remarks yet from the kingdom on the recent agreement. Saudi officials had expressed skepticism over the U.S.-led deal struck earlier this month between six world powers and Iran, Saudi’s regional rival. But Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told reporters the kingdom has been reassured by Washington while consultations continue about the deal, which he said stipulates effective inspections, including of military sites, and the possibility of snap-back sanctions if Iran violates the agreement.
“We are currently in talks with the American government regarding these details, but it (the deal) generally seems to have achieved these objectives,” said al-Jubeir, who visited Washington in mid-July. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter also discussed the deal in the Saudi port city of Jiddah on Wednesday with King Salman and Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud…cont’
GM LP.
This is in response to your post on an earlier thread re:
I heard on CBS radio that Turkey is now stepping up to defend themselves now because ISIL is weakened compared to this time last year.
Surprised to hear MSM agree with the Obama Administration (Josh Earnest has been saying this for months when asked during the WH daily press briefings) — that the 60-nation coalition is making strides to degrade (and ultimately), destroy ISIL.
Indeed, Araphao.
Finally Turkey is not asking someone else to do their bidding….I have to continually remind myself they are supposed to be NATO allies!
Anybody here seen my old friend Bernie Sanders. Can you tell me where he’s GUN?!?!?
there are days when the world seems so bleak that it challenges all your belief in humanity;
to some segment of this country, it is not enough that they celebrate and justify the illegal arrest of a fellow human being, Sandra Bland.
Rather, they feel some vindictiveness in smearing her reputation even after such a senseless and avoidable death.
since I first heard about her arrest and subsequent death, too many questions have been going on in my mind.
Each new claim or “revelation” from TX just raises my anger and sadness – such a young life, such brutality, such barbarism among some people who did not even know who she really was until she became a headline/statistic of police brutality
This tragic story about Sandra Bland has disturbed me so much this week, GCL.She was a vibrant young women, so full of hope and optimism about her new job and new life. To have it cut short so violently, especially just because an idiot racist with a badge thought he could get away with abusing a young woman simply because of the color of her skin. It’s depressing. Terrible.
Jesus Christ.
Wait.Who’s really scary and dangerous again??? Disgusting. What’s really disgusting is those NRA bought and paid for shills in Congress. I just want to fucking smack someone.
MSNBC is trying to find the motives – so they can stop this happening again – going to happen again and again until someone gets a clue about guns!
I just left a meeting and got in the car and turned on the radio to this nightmare. Yet, R’s are all morally convicted over who folks marry and when they decide to have babies but when it comes to guns well the more the merrier no matter who you are or what state of mind you are in. It is truly sickening.
Another tragic shooting has occurred since this post but I still have to comment on how amazing Michelle Obama is. Not only is she smart, engaged and beautiful, but I have never seen another First Lady exude so much warmth, energy, enthusiasm and love — so consistently. Think back, how many pictures of Laura Bush, Barbara Bush, Nancy Reagan, HIllary Clinton, Rosalyn Carter, Jackie Kennedy have you seen that show such connection and rapport with the people she is engaged with. She’s absolutely incredible.
She is an absolute delight. The last FLOTUS who captured the nation in this way was probably Eleanor Roosevelt – and she didn’t have to handle 24×7 media coverage looking for any minor flaw.
So MSNBC – “this was a man who was angry at society” – so now what part of “society” will be blamed because this man was “angry”?
But…FeelTheBernSanders tells me that putting Wall Street in jail will solve all the gun problems in America!
fuck you bbc. He doesn’t have to ‘admit’ to anything on this issue.
Agreed – this is NOT a failure by PBO – this is the US media supporting the gun nuts & the US politicians in love with the NRA
He also doesn’t admit “failure.” Says he’s still trying for the remainder of his term.
She really looked like her mom.
Amazing woman – I wouldn’t be able to speak at all. Her daughter’s time should not have been “up”
ICYMI: a gun-tooting fool, claiming to be a “patriot guarding a military recruitment center” in our state, “accidentally” shoot off some rounds;
luckily, no one was hurt but the guy is now facing 3 years in prison.
tell me how this guy was qualified to guard the military? Yes, thanks to gop, ours is now an open-carry state
Thank you for posting this , Alycee…I’ve shared with someone that didn’t understand…hopefully, this will make it clear as a bell.
I am not a fan of the NYT but this is unbelievable. This is a serious problem for HRC http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/24/us/politics/criminal-inquiry-sought-in-hillary-clintons-use-of-email.html
That does sound ominous. I hate that she’s dragging the State Department into this. UGH.
Which is why Vice President Biden may have to run. Here’s what I found really disturbing “Mrs. Clinton has said she used the account because it was more convenient, but it also shielded her correspondence from congressional and Freedom of Information Act requests” and two inspector’s general (state dept. and intelligence agencies) have referred to Justice for criminal investigation. This just makes me go Lord Lord Lord
SMH. She’s a controversy magnet of her own making.
My instinct when this first issue surfaced was that this would blow up. The whole set-up just defied logic and convention of any organization, let alone government. When it went away, I have to say I was shocked. But here we are.
A long while back I’d read that VP Joe was going to hang back and take his time to decide, waiting to see if she stumbled. No matter what, I hope he jumps in. We need his integrity and his loyalty.
And his class and his smarts and his energy and his warmth and his trusted global reputation. Thanks for reminding us!
Yes yes yes
She is that meta. I know we all remember how much the Clintons were hated when Bill was in office. They were accused of everything including murder. Honestly, though I grudgingly voted for Clinton both times, I thought it was all outrageous. Little did I know how much worse it would get with the election of Barack Obama. Considering their despicable behavior toward the President, I wouldn’t be surprised if many of these accusations were true. At any rate, there are still people in DC that hate them and would do anything to bring her down. Hillary’s continued sneaky behavior added to that will keep her from getting anywhere near the White House.
I’m sad because I thought FLOTUS and the girls would be in Kenya as well. I’m shallow because I was looking forward to seeing what lovely outfits they’d be wearing.
WHO is the MSNBC lady – “this was a movie theatre full of PEOPLE” – Are movie theatres full of other than “People” in the US?
Good question. First answer I thought of was, yes, GUNS, apparently. Guns and people.
Ah – I thought of cats and dogs – I don’t have the movie theatre/gun reaction – because it does not happen where I live.
Hope all was A1 when you saw your son today 🙂
I’ve never seen a gun in a movie theater, but we sure know they’re there now.
Thanks for asking about my son. He was doing so much better today, we literally LAUGHED and JOKED with each other most of the hours from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (between the serious stuff). It’s a wonder we weren’t tossed out. Some of the hospital personnel were laughing with us, and one woman mentioned his “singing to the music” in the operating chamber on Tuesday, so he seems to have made his mark. Ha. Don’t get me wrong, he’s not in the clear and he now has a big tube in his side draining fluid from his remaining lung and a possible third procedure next, and it’s going to continue to be a long, hard struggle and he knows that, but I cannot tell you how good that felt. In the instant case, he’ll stay in the hospital at least into next week. Kids can’t visit his floor, so his two youngest children are really missing him. My grandson (who’s 14) bought him a coffee mug today that says, “The only thing stronger than coffee is Dad.”
I’d better stop typing or I’ll cry myself to sleep instead of smiling, remembering our visit! Goodnight to you and TODville-at-large.
Thinking of you both JoB – he sure seems to have the right attitude to face what’s ahead. My thoughts are always – take it slowly – seems to be the best way to recover from major surgery. Amazing how in a few months time you’ll be thinking – that was a fast recovery 🙂
Sounds like music to my ears!
Apologies itgurl – this was not meant to be in reply to your post! – I’m sure there will be lots of colorful dresses watching PBO – and Michelle will be at home looking as beautiful as ever
Night all. Have a good night
g’nite df – 1st world problem – my dishwasher just got fixed! The supposed pump problem was a heater problem. Google knew all along – but not the manufacturer
Cancel that – it worked for 10 minutes and then got another error – bucket of bolts – as the google tells me – BAD BUY
DF, I feel your pain. A one day project of having the doors to my storage shed rebuilt, has turned into a four day project of having the whole shed reclad in new siding. Found termite damage in several areas; the simple fix would have been to remove the damaged areas and patch.. I’m Blessed in that my electrician is talented in several other construction/maintenance areas and he and his sons are doing the job. Yesterday, he brought a friend to help — Mr. Harold, an 80 something retired master carpenter. While I hated going to the expense of basically rebuilding the whole shed, a 12 x 20 structure, I’m thrilled with the design changes Mr. Harold has made. I’ve gone from a standard, off the shelf number, to a customized building, more befitting my little garden oasis. First world problems…
🙂 Love that it suits your garden oasis
That is what I have concluded also. Now the only thing that could revive gun control legislation is if Black folks started buying guns in large numbers.
#SlaughterHouseUSA
good night TOD
Goodnight, Bob. Chin up and all that.
I would add the media to that tweet Bob – they support the NRA and the GOP – no courage to say that GUNS KILL
bobby fucking jindal is all about fucking prayers.
don’t want to be shot? – pray
still shot & dead? – pray
wanna job? – pray
got sick? – pray
what a buncha corrupt clowns and their clownish voters.
Yup.
I’m looking at that picture up top of thread & thinking I must concentrate on what’s good in this world.
Good morning. Happy Friday!
Fabulous Friday greetings!
Fantastic roundup of FLOTUS so wam hearted & focused! I love her gorgeous smileO:-) and the President re: his rapping skills O:-) he is so cute! Thank you NW thank yu
🙂
Morning!
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/07/24/early-bird-chat-555/
Good Morning Everyone!