Michelle Obama on the cover of new People Magazine (w/ some excerpts)

[TeamJordan23]

On family time in the White House: “We have dinner as a family together every night, and Barack, when he's not travelling, tucks the girls in. We haven't had that time together for , so that explains a lot why we all feel so good in this space.”

On how her husband is coping with the job: “Barack has always amazed me at his level of calm. I see him thriving in this; I don't see the weight. He is calm and clear in a way that reassures me as a citizen.”

On her marriage: “I don't want anybody to think it's that easy. It works because we really work at it…We have a strong marriage, but it's not perfect.”

On the kids: “Our girls are just complete comic relief. We're dealing with that age range where they're pretty funny in their observations and sort of lack of being impressed with any of this.”

On the kids doing chores in the White House: “People want to make your life easy, and when you have small kids – I've explained this to the staff – they don't need their lives to be easy. They're kids.”

On the timing for the first dog: “So Sasha says ‘April 1st.' I said, ‘April.' She says, ‘April 1st.' It's like, April!”

On dog names: “Frank was one of them. Moose was another. I'm like, no. Come on. Let's work with the names a little bit.”

On her being a role model: "I embrace that. I don't feel that to be a burden in any way, shape or form. I'm excited by the possibilities."

http://thepage.time.com/2009/02/25/flotus-on-life-in-the-white-house/

[Minimus]

1. Another beautiful of our First Lady. I just may have to actually buy that issue of People.

[Serial Mom]

2. Role models Extraordinaire!

I love this quote “People want to make your life easy, and when you have small kids – I've explained this to the staff – they don't need their lives to be easy. They're kids.”

Some problems that occur with kids is that parents feel so guilty for working and not spending much time with them that they try to always make things "easy" for their kids. I believe in expecting more from kids, challenging them to do better and work hard!

[MiniMe]

3. Personally, I would LOL if they names the dog Moose

A shot across the bow to Sarah. Moose is a perfectly acceptable name for a dog, but you know the right would be all over it.

[skeewee08]

4. Her ARMS ROCK!!!! I want arms like that:-)