Michelle Obama posts Barack throwback for Father's Day at the White House

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Michelle Obama posted photo with the caption, 'Thinking today and every day about the father of these two'
President Barack Obama revealed that when his daughters were growing up, burdens of family life 'disproportionately - and unfairly - fell on Michelle'
The president will not be spending Father's Day with his wife and two daughters Sasha, 14, and Malia 16
Obama will be golfing with friends in Palm Springs as the ladies fly home from a week-long European tour
He arrived in Palm Springs on Saturday to golf with childhood friends Bobby Titcomb, Greg Orme and Mike Ramos

By Kelly Mclaughlin and Chris Spargo and Wills Robinson For Dailymail.com and Associated Press

Published: 09:27 EST, 21 June 2015 | Updated: 22:45 EST, 21 June 2015

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Despite not being together today, First Lady Michelle Obama posted a photo to Instagram to wish her husband, President Barack Obama, a happy Father’s Day.

‘Thinking today and every day about the father of these two. Happy Father's Day! -mo,’ the post read.

Obama is spending his Father’s Day in California golfing with high school friends as Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha, 14, and Malia, 16, fly back to Washington DC after a week-long trip to Europe.

The Instagram post comes as Obama admits that when his daughters were growing up, his wife Michelle Obama felt 'a little like a single mom sometimes'.

Scroll down for video

Michelle Obama posted a photo on Instagram on Sunday wishing President Barack Obama a happy Father's Day. The family is spending the day apart. The photo shows President Barack Obama with Malia and Sasha as young girls

US President Barack Obama steps off Air Force One upon arrival at Palm Springs International Airport in Palm Springs, California on Saturday, where the high for the day was 115 degrees

Despite the heat, Obama is spending his Father's Day weekend golfing in Palm Springs while his wife, Michelle Obama, and two daughters are traveling through Europe

Golf bags are seen outside Air Force One shortly after Obama lands at Palm Springs International Airport. While in the area, the president typically favors two private courses: the Sunnylands estate and Porcupine Creek. Obama headed straight for the course at the Sunnylands estate, which is closed to the public for the summer

Obama was greeted and escorted by Rep Raul Ruiz (left) upon his arrival in Palm Springs on Saturday, where he plans to play golf with childhood friends Bobby Titcomb, Greg Orme and Mike Ramos

Obama visits with Rep. Raul Ruiz, third from left, his wife Monica Ruiz, second from left and his press secretary Hernan Quintas, left, and Ruiz's twin daughters as he arrives at Palm Springs International airport

Obama holds one of the twin daughters of Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., background, as he arrives on Air Force One in Palm Springs, California

Obama holds one of Rep Raul Ruiz's twin daughters at Palm Springs International Airport while Ruiz's wife Monica holes the other daughter

Obama, right, hugs Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Tribal Chairman Jeff Grubbe, while Rancho Mirage City Mayor Dana Hobart, left, looks on

As the girls were growing up in Illinois, Obama taught at University of Chicago's law school and commuted to the state capitol in Illinois to serve on the state legislature as Michelle Obama worked part time and took care of the kids.

'The combined pressures sometimes put a real strain on our marriage, as they do for many working parents with young kids,' Mr. Obama wrote in MORE magazine, according to CBS. He added that burdens of family life 'disproportionately - and unfairly - fell on Michelle, as happens to many women.'

Though the first lady's mother, Marian Robinson, helped raise Malia and Sasha, 'Michelle was understandably stressed and frustrated,' Obama wrote. '[A]nd I suspect she felt a little like a single mom sometimes.'

Obama did say, however, that being in the White House as brought the family together and allowed him to become 'a better father'.

'People often ask me whether being President has made it more difficult to spend time with Michelle and our girls,' Obama wrote in the column. 'But the surprising truth is that being in the White House has made our family life more "normal" than it's ever been.'

The move to Washington made it so the family could eat dinner together every night, and the president could then attend his daughters' dance recitals, basketball games and tennis matches.

'It just so happens that I'm fortunate enough to be surrounded by women,' he wrote. 'They're the most important people in my life. They're the people who've shaped me the most. And in this job, they are my sanctuary.'

The family does not, however, appear to be celebrating Father's Day together this year.

President Barack Obama is spending the weekend golfing in California with his high school buddies, while his wife and daughters are on a plane heading back to Washington after a week-long trip to Europe.

Obama arrived in Palm Springs on Friday and went straight to the course at the Sunnylands estate, which is closed to the public for the summer.

U.S. First lady Michelle Obama, right, flanked by her daughters Malia, left, and Sasha, waves as they arrive at Venice's airport on Sunday to head home to Washington, DC

While in Europe, the ladies visited London, Milan, and Venice, as well as Vicenza, Italy, where they visited U.S. military service members and their families stationed in the city

Michelle Obama and her daughters Malia, 16, and Sasha, 14, spent three days in Venice as part of their major European tour before they headed home

While in Venice, the ladies took a ride down the historic canals and went to the US Pavilion in Venice where they went to see the Venice Biennale

A forecast high of 115 degrees wasn't keeping Obama and childhood friends Bobby Titcomb, Greg Orme and Mike Ramos off the fairways.

Obama typically favors two private courses in Palm Springs - the Sunnylands estate and Porcupine Creek, owned by software billionaire Larry Ellison.

As the state grapples with a crisis drought, however, the courses in the desert near Palm Springs have been criticized for their water use.

White House spokesman Eric Schultz responds that many courses have taken water mitigation steps aimed at conservation.

Schultz says Obama discussed the drought with California Gov. Jerry Brown in a meeting in San Francisco on Friday.

Michelle Obama, her daughters and mother, Marian Robinson, had been in Venice since Friday. They kicked their trip off with a ride down the city's historic canals in a police boat.

Venice security officers were seen hard at work as they searched the city's historic canals in preparation of the arrival of the first lady and her daughters.

Sasha and Malia rode in the back of a police boat with their mother as they made two stops at the Doge Palace and the San Marco Basilica.

The First Lady's mother, Marian Robinson, joined the trio as they were followed by officers on jet skis as part of the huge security operation.

First Lady Michelle Obama visits art exhibition in Venice

Michelle Obama visits the United States Pavilion along with artist Joan Jonas, her mother Marian Robinson and her two young daughters, Malia and Sasha in Venice, Italy

The first lady and her family were at the United States Pavilion to see the Venice Beinnale, a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place every two years in the Italian city

Artist Joan Jonas showed the Obama family around the grounds of the United States Pavilion. As Michelle Obama and her daughters tour Europe, President Barack Obama goes on a Father's Day weekend golfing trip in Palm Springs, California

The Obama family dressed down for the day, with Michelle Obama in a sundress and Malia, 16, wearing a jean jacket over her skirt and floral top

While in Italy with her daughters, Michelle Obama is expected to speak about her 'Let's Move' initiative to combat childhood obesity

Crowds lined the waters of the Italian city to get a glimpse of the President's family on Friday, but they were protected by small windows and curtains at the rear of the vessel in which they rode down the canal.

The divers were spotted in full diving gear, holding large branches and flashlights as they searched the waters of the canals, presumably for potential threats.

On Saturday, they were joined by artist Joan Jonas at the US Pavilion in Venice as they went to see the Venice Biennale.The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place every two years in the Italian city.

Sunday they were spotted at Venice's airport as they prepared to head home from their week-long trip to Italy and the United Kingdom.

When in Vincenza, the Obama ladies visted soldiers and their families stationed in Italy as part of their European trip.

Michelle Obama also did a book reading with children and meet expectant mothers on the base to discuss the challenges faced by military families, particularly those that are stationed overseas.

The trip is part of Obama's Joining Forces initiative, which urges and encourages all Americans to rally around military members and their families.

It has been a busy week for the family, who also spent time in London where the first lady enjoyed tea with Prince Harry and Milan where Sasha and Malia snuck off for a museum visit and a bit of shopping.

Italian security officers were hard at work was they swam through the Venice canals in full diving gear in preparation for Michelle Obama's arrival with her two daughters and mother

Despite the rain, the men dove into the canals in full gear, which included a wet suit, helmet, and headlamp, as they presumably looked for potential threats

The divers were accompanied by a large boat that held other Italian police officers. The divers were helped into the boat by fellow officers

An officer on the nearby boat helped the men with their gear as the took off their flippers and goggles. It appeared that the canals were being cleared for safety upon the arrival of the Obamas

The first lady and her two daughters visited Milan's Duomo cathedral on Thursday, where an official traveling with her said they lit candles in memory of the victims of the shooting in South Carolina.

Earlier on Thursday, Michell Obama visited the Expo 2015 World's Fair in Milan, which focuses on food and nutrition. She found kindred spirits in her campaign to promote healthy eating during visits to the U.S. and the Italian pavilions.

She spent some time discussing the vertical garden covering the length of pavilion, which has rotating panels of herbs and vegetables that are engineered to maximize sunlight exposure.

'The most impactful part of it, obviously, is the vertical farm, the largest of its kind. And I couldn't help but think about all the issues we face around hunger, around food deserts in our countries and places all over the world. And when you walk around this pavilion, you think the solutions are right in our grasp,' she told some 60 student delegates during a question-and-answer session at the end of the tour.

Michelle Obama was leading a presidential delegation to Expo, which included the U.S. Ambassador to Italy, John R. Phillips, star chef Mario Batali, NBA all-star Alonzo Mourning and the co-founder of sweetgreen, Nicolas Jammet.

Michelle, Malia and Sasha arrive by boat to San Marco Basilica

A peak inside: US First Lady Michelle Obama (right) and her daughters Malia, Sasha and her mother Marian Shields Robinson, arrive by boat for the start of their visit to the San Marco Basilica, in Venice

Restricted view: The First family sat in the back of a police boat leading to the Dodge Palace in Venice

Surrounded: They were followed by another police boat and officers on jet skis. Michelle was set to speak about her 'Let's Move' initiative to combat child obesity

Hidden away: The two teenage girls are seen wearing sunglasses in the back of the boat as they arrive for a visit at the San Marco (St Mark's) Basilica

Heavy security: Police block a canal and divers inspect below the water's surface ahead of the Presidential visit

Crowds lined the canals of the historic city ahead of the the arrival of Michelle Obama and her two teenage daughters

Open-top: In comparison, George and Amal Clooney's arrival in Venice after the wedding in September 2014 was slightly more lavish than that of the First Family