President Barack Obama delivered one hell of a victory speech early Wednesday morning (Nov 7) after winning the 2012 election and securing his second term in the Oval Office.

Just after 11 p.m. EST Tuesday night, most major news organizations had projected that President Obama had won enough electoral votes to win the election, and thousands of his supporters inside the McCormick Place convention center in Chicago erupted with applause as they waited for the President to take the stage and give his victory speech.

After a little over 2 hours, at around 1:40 a.m., the President and the First Family — including First Lady Michelle, and the First Daughters Sasha and Mali Obama — finally stepped out on stage, appearing before the cheering crowd to the beat of Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed and Delivered.”

And with a strong, passionate voice, President Barack Obama gave a heartfelt speech thanking his supporters and speaking of moving the country forward. He promised that he will return to the White House “more inspired about the work there is to do and the future that lies ahead.”

“We are an American family, we rise and fall together as one nation, as one people,” Obama said. “For the United States of America, the best is yet to come.”

“Our economy is recovering. A decade of war is ending. Our long campaign is now over. And whether I earned your vote or not, I have listed to you, I learned from you,” Obama said.

“Tonight you voted for action, not politics as usual. You elected us to focus on your jobs, not ours. And in the coming weeks and months, I am looking forward to reaching out and working with leaders of both parties,” he said. “I have never been more hopeful about America.”

The President thanked those who voted “whether you voted for very first time, or waited in line for a very long time — by the way we have to fix that,” he joked.

The President also applauded the futile efforts of his opponent Mitt Romney, saying, “We may have battled fiercely, but it’s only because we love this country deeply. From George to Lenore to their son Mitt, the Romney family has chosen to give back to America through public service, and that is the legacy that we honor and applaud tonight.”

President Obama added that in the weeks ahead, he plans on sitting down with Romney to “talk about where we can work together to move this country forward.”

Obama proclaimed his campaign team to be the best in the history of politics, saying he “will always be grateful for everything that you’ve done and all the incredible work you’ve put in.”

Obama also spoke highly of his family, saying he’s never loved his wife more, and that over the past four years he has been proud “to watch the rest of America fall in love with [her], too, as our nation’s first lady.”

Addressing his two daughters Sasha and Malia, Obama said, “You’re growing up to be two strong, smart, beautiful young women … I’m so proud of you.”

President Obama concluded his speech with a unifying message. “We are not as divided as our politics suggest,” he said. “We’re not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states.

“We are and forever will be the United States of America. And together, with your help and God’s grace, we will continue our journey forward and remind the world just why it is that we live in the greatest nation on earth.”

Sasha and Malia Obama are two very fortunate, and extraordinary girls … which is not a total surprise, since they are the progeny of the very accomplished First Lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama.

On Thursday night in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Democratic National Convention, Sasha and Malia got to witness their father, President Barack Obama, accept the Democratic nomination for president for a second time.

Four years ago, in Denver, Colorado, the two girls witnessed history as their father won the Democratic primaries and became the party’s first black presidential candidate.

While President Obama has been busy working day and night to save the U.S. economy, secure its borders, liberate the people of Libya, pass the healthcare reform bill and kill Osama Bin Laden, he’s also been a devoted and attentive father.

After his wife, Michelle, introduced him as he walked on stage to accept the party’s nomination, President Obama took a moment to acknowledge his daughters, telling Sasha and Malia how proud he was of both of them. But he couldn’t turn his Daddy mode off as he warned the girls that they’d still have to go to school in the morning though.

“Malia and Sasha, we are so proud of you, and yes, you have to go to school in the morning,” President Obama deadpanned.

But as the two elegant young women in the audience laughed at their daddy’s joke, it was hard not to notice how much they’d grown since his first run in 2008.

Here’s a quick snapshot comparison of Sasha and Malia Obama from then and now:

Back in 2008, Malia and Sasha were 10 and 7 years old. Today, in 2012, the girls are 14 and 11, respectively. By the time their father leaves the Oval Office, they’ll be 18 and 15.

Which means we have a lot of time to admire the girls as they grow and blossom through puberty into womanhood. Thankfully, they’ll have the love and support of their father, President Obama, along the way.

Do you feel old yet?

2008 seems like yesterday, but look at how much the girls have already grown.

Among the 5,500 fans at Beyonce‘s opening night show at the Revel Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey Friday night (May 25) was First Lady Michelle Obama and her two young daughters Sasha and Malia.

A source backstage told the New York Daily News that word of First Lady’s Obama’s appearance started spreading shortly before the concert took place at the $2.4 billion Atlantic City resort.

“People backstage kept saying, her good friend Michelle is coming,” said the source. “I thought they meant Michelle Williams from Destiny’s Child.”

Though Presiden Obama didn’t attend, the First Lady and the First Daughters had plenty of company, as they were reportedly joined by Oprah’s BFF Gayle King, and a group of 13-year-old Malia and 10-year-old Sasha’s friends.

PHOTOS/VIDEO: Beyonce Kicks Off Revel Concerts in Atlantic City; Pays Tribute to Whitney Houston

While Beyonce sang “Irreplaceable,” concert attendees say that Mrs. Obama and her girls were mimicking the “to the left, to the left” finger gestures that Beyonce does in the video.

Eyewitnesses say the also Obamas danced to “Single Ladies,” the last song in Beyonce’s over two-hour set.

Mrs. Obama’s appearance at Beyonce’s concert isn’t that surprising either, as the First Lady and Beyonce have both recently expressed a great deal of mutual admiration for each other.

Last month, Beyonce wrote in an open letter posted to her official website that Mrs. Obama was the ultimate example of a strong African American woman.

And just last week, The First Lady told People Magazine that if she could be anyone else, she would want to be Beyonce. “If I had some gift, I’d be Beyoncé,” she said. “I’d be some great singer.”

And, as The Associated Press noted, she came pretty close, judging by the audience’s reception when she walked into the Revel Resort Friday night:

The first lady got a roaring cheer that matched Beyonce’s as she made her way to her seat in a shiny green dress. Some fans took photos while others screamed her name. One yelled, “This is history!

Beyonce’s four Atlantic City concerts this weekend are her first since giving birth in January to her first child Blue Ivy Carter, her daughter with her husband, rapper Jay-Z.

The fourth and final sold out concert takes place on the night of Memorial Day (Monday, May 28th).

President Barack Obama poses with his family — First Lady Michelle and their daughters Malia and Sasha Obama — in a brand new White House Family Portrait, revealed just in time for the upcoming Holidays!

The Obama family in their 2009 family portrait.

The last time the First Family posed for a family portrait was back in 2009, so the White House thought it was time for an update, especially since now 13-year-old Malia and 10-year-old Sasha have grown so much in the past 2 years.

The photo, taken by Pete Souza last Sunday, shows the First Family smiling and sitting in the Oval Office.

A portrait of perfection, if you ask us!

Your thoughts on the picture?

The Obamas were joined by a host of celebs — including Jennifer Hudson, Justin Bieber, Cee-Lo Green, Conan O’Brien, Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice and The Band Perry — as they all got into the festive spirit Sunday (Dec 11) in Washington D.C. at the annual Christmas in Washington ceremony.

“This is the season to celebrate the story of how, more than two thousand years ago, a child was born to two faithful travelers who could find rest only in a stable, among cattle and sheep,” President Barack Obama, who was accompanied by First Lady Michelle and the First Daughters Sasha and Malia, said near the close of the concert, which was hosted by Conan O’Brien.

“He was no ordinary child,” Obama said. “He was the manifestation of God’s love. And every year we celebrate His birth because the story of Jesus Christ changed the world.”

Singers Jennifer Hudson, Justin Bieber, Cee-Lo Green, Conan O’Brien and Victoria Justice took turns singing classic holiday tunes like “This Christmas,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” “Let It Snow,” “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “Away In a Manger,” “Silent Night” and several others during the concert, which is set to air on TV this Friday (Dec 16) on TNT.

Check out 20+ pics below:

President Barack Obama officially pardoned the National Turkey outside the White House in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday (Nov 23).

Obama, grinning, raised his hand over the lucky bird named “Liberty,” and pronounced it safe from slaughter.

President Obama brought his two daughters Sasha and Malia along as he performed the annual Thanksgiving tradition that dates back to the Harry Truman administration.

The Obama family later went to a local food bank where they donated two not-so lucky turkeys. “Later today, Michelle, Malia and I will also be taking two unnamed turkeys, who weren’t so lucky, to a local food bank here in D.C. that helps those in need,” the President said.

Check out the photos below:

The first family — President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle, the first daughters Sasha and Malia, as well as Grandma Marion –  attended the official unveiling of the brand new Dr. Martin Luther King  National Memorial in Washington, D.C. Sunday (Oct 16).

The dedication ceremony, held at the Washington Mall, was also attended by notable figures like Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Cicely Tyson, Diahann Carroll, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and others.

The ceremony was originally scheduled to take place on August 28th, but was postponed due to Hurricane Irene.

“Nearly 50 years after the March on Washington, our work — Dr. King’s work — is not yet complete,” President Barack Obama noted in his speach. “Progress was purchased through enduring the smack of billy clubs and the blast of fire hoses. It was bought with days in jail cells and nights of bomb threats.”

President Obama continued, “Let us not be trapped by what is. We can’t be discouraged by what is. We’ve got to keep pushing for what ought to be. [Dr. King] will stand for all time, among monuments to those who fathered this nation and those who defended it. A black preacher, no official rank or title, somehow gave voice to our deepest dreams and our most lasting ideas.[...]I know we will overcome. I know there are better days ahead. I know this because of the man towering over us.”

Here are a set of photos from President Obama’s Inauguration in D.C. a couple of weeks ago on January 20th 2009 in front of the Capitol building. Continue reading for an amazing set of historical photos. Download them and put them away for safe keeping. We can only celebrate having the first Black president in office once in a lifetime!

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES / AFP

Dear Malia and Sasha,

I know that you’ve both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn’t have let you have. But I also know that it hasn’t always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn’t make up for all the time we’ve been apart. I know how much I’ve missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.

When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me-about how I’d make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn’t seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn’t count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that’s why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.

I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential-schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college-even if their parents aren’t rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity.

I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you’ll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.

Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country-but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free-that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.

That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something.

She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better-and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It’s a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.

I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you’ve had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much-although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.

These are the things I want for you-to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That’s why I’ve taken our family on this great adventure.

I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.

Love, Dad

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES