President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed visitors to the White House Tuesday to celebrate the first tours of the building in seven months.
Due to across-the-board budget cuts, the presidential dwelling closed its doors to visitors in March. Now, tours have resumed, albeit on a limited basis.
As visitors filed in, they were greeted by handshakes from Barack and Michelle Obama and sniffs from the family's two Portuguese water dogs, Sunny and Bo.
"We are happy to have the tours back," the first lady said to one visitor.
Tour groups were not informed that they would be meeting the president and his wife.
According to a statement from WhiteHouse.gov, the meet and greet is an example of President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama making it a "priority to open the White House to young people, military families, and Americans of all ages."
"You got a day out of school?" the first lady asked two children visiting with their father as they entered. "Tell your teacher you learned something."
Video of the impromptu welcome is available on the White House website or you can watch it here:
