Policies that support families aren't political issues. They're personal. They're the causes I carry with me every single day.

Some kids have never seen what a real tomato looks like off the vine. They don't know where a cucumber comes from. And that really affects the way they view food. So a garden helps them really get their hands dirty, literally, and understand the whole process of where their food comes from. And I wanted them to see just how challenging and rewarding it is to grow your own food, so that they would better understand what our farmers are doing every single day across this country and have an appreciation for ... that American tradition of growing our own food and feeding ourselves.

You can't make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen.

It's all about patience and persistence - you often have to expose a child to a new food numerous times before he or she will begin to like it. So keep trying!

Throughout my life, I've learned to make choices that make me happy and make sense for me. Even my husband is happier when I'm happy.

This is really what the White House is all about. It’s the “People’s House.” It’s a place that is steeped in history, but it’s also a place where everyone should feel welcome. And that's why my husband and I have made it our mission to open up the house to as many people as we can.

Hope and change are hard-fought things.