Sneak Peek: American Grown

Crown Publishers, an imprint of Random House, Inc.'s Crown Publishing Group announced the title of Mrs. O's upcoming book today. American Grown: How the White House Kitchen Garden Inspires Families, Schools, and Communities by First Lady Michelle Obama will be on sale nationwide on April 10, 2012. Get your wishlist ready!

More from the official press release:

The book, Mrs. Obama’s first, will be issued simultaneously in print and digital editions. The print edition will be a gorgeously illustrated four-color hardcover that includes stunning photographs of the White House garden and Mrs. Obama throughout the seasons, as well as other community and school gardens from around the country. Mrs. Obama accepted no advance for the book and will donate all net or after-tax author proceeds to a charity or charities to be named later. Random House, Inc. will also make a donation to an appropriate charity to be named later.

Through telling the story of the White House kitchen garden, Mrs. Obama will explore in American Grown how increased access to healthy, affordable food can promote better eating habits and improve health of families and communities across America. Mrs. Obama will describe how her daughters Sasha and Malia were catalysts for change in her own family's eating behavior, which inspired Mrs. Obama to plant an edible garden on the South Lawn - the first since Eleanor Roosevelt's “Victory Garden” planted during World War II. The book will be inspirational and instructive and will provide ideas and resources for readers to get involved in the movement to create community, school, and urban gardens, support local farmers’ markets, and make small lifestyle changes to achieve big health results. 

Bus Tours and Baseball

Photos by Susan Walsh, Tom Gannam and Paul Sancya / AP Images

Wednesday was another jam-packed day for the First Lady, who started out with an appearance alongside the President at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, VA for the final day of his bus tour. While the President pitched his Job's Act, Mrs. O had good news of her own. The First Lady announced that the American Logistics Association (ALA) and their 270 affiliate companies have committed to hiring 25,000 veterans and military spouses by the end of 2013 -- certainly a big win for the Joining Forces effort!

After a quick stop at a pumpkin patch, the First Lady was off to St. Louis to attend Game 1 of the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers. There, Mrs. O greeted veterans in a program sponsored by Major League Baseball and Joining Forces. Mrs. O and Dr. B also made an on field appearance, joined by Marine Lance Corporal James Sperry and his daughter Hannah for the national anthem. 

On a style note, Mrs. O rewore a few pieces seen earlier this year, including a Reed Krakoff blazer and Marc by Marc Jacobs sweater, both seen here.

Update: Bonus video!

A Fashion Motto

Perhaps more directly than she ever has before, Mrs. O discussed her style strategy with FabSugar during a recent White House roundtable:

"My motto is I have to feel good in it; I have to wear what I love. I try to be thoughtful about spreading the wealth: young designers. Mixing things up is important to me. But my day-to-day wardrobe choices are very practical. I’m like, what’s the temperature? Am I going to be sitting on the grass? Will I be playing with kids — because I usually want to." As for her shopping habits, Obama admitted, "I don’t buy it if I don’t love it. Everything in my closet is something that I love so that I can make choices based on what makes sense, knowing that I’m going to love whatever it is."

"I don’t want to waste anxiety on something as limited as clothes. I’d rather be anxious over the issue, or worry about the remarks, or think about the veteran that I’m talking to and making sure I’m listening and paying attention; the clothes are just the secondary part or the third part of what is happening over the course of the day." Obama's secret to erasing that anxiety is simple: "If I’m comfortable in what I have on, that’s second nature, and then all my attention can go to the people in the room that I’m with at that time, and I don’t have to worry about whether something is riding up or whether my feet hurt."

"Michelle Obama Reveals Her Fashion Motto" [FabSugar]

Mrs. O & Bo

Official White House Photo

Those who have been to Whitehouse.gov recently may have noticed a new official portrait of the First Lady, wearing a Talbots dress. 

Mrs. O explained the new portrait to PopSugar:

"We get so many letters from kids, who want to hear about the garden, they want to see it, and they also want to see Bo. Bo is really the most popular. So we decided to do this official picture that we could send to them when they write in. And we've heard so many great stories from kids who've been inspired and doing things like changing the way their families do things. And those letters are always just a joy to get. So we want to have something a little more tangible than just a letter to give to kids, because often it's the visual thing that makes it real."

"Michelle Obama and Bo Sitting Pretty in the White House Garden" [PopSugar]

Latest and Greatest

Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson

Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy

Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy

Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy

Enjoy these new photos from the White House Flickr stream!