Last summer, my husband spent countless hours in our backyard, putting down new weed control tarp, digging up aspen shoots, and planting a garden.

We don't have a particularly large backyard, but we had enough space to grow sugar snap peas, cilantro and rosemary and basil, Roma tomatoes, strawberries, and even a pumpkin vine that wound its way around the base of our deck. Every evening, we'd all go outside to check on our garden and see if there was anything ready to be picked.

So I was pretty tickled to read that the Obamas are planting a garden on the South Lawn of the White House. Not only is it a fun, everyday sort of family activity (well, with the help of some local elementary students, too), but it sets a fantastic example for the rest of the country.

Not only should we all be eating more healthfully (I'm looking at you there, with the super-sized value meal on the passenger seat next to you), but we ought to concentrate more on teaching our children about eating well. Not to be thin and attractive and good at sports, but primarily to keep our bodies in top condition, right from the very beginning.

As the First Lady commented in the New York Times article: "[the garden's] most important role...will be to educate children about healthful, locally grown fruit and vegetables at a time when obesity and diabetes have become a national concern."

I wrote a series of pieces on my personal blog about where our country is going wrong in regards to diet and exercise. It's not just about high fructose corn syrup or budget cuts in physical education; it's about what we teach our children at home.

Planting a garden together, caring for it and using the harvested vegetables and fruits to create meals at home all serve so many important purposes. First, it's a family activity -- one where everyone has a role and a stake in its success. Kids really get into it; my four year old is already asking about when we can start planting again this year. She, who hates peas, happily ate sugar snap peas off the vine in our backyard last year.

Another benefit of a backyard garden is that you can simply pop outside to pick some fresh herbs or grab a ripe tomato. Speaking from experience, I'd much rather do that than run back to the store for a forgotten ingredient. Saves gas, time, and money.

But to me, the greatest reason for a backyard garden is to set an example for our kids. We want them to eat their veggies; we need to eat ours too.

Michelle Obama and her girls know this from experience: "Eating out three times a week, ordering a pizza, having a sandwich for dinner all took their toll in added weight on the girls, whose pediatrician told Mrs. Obama that she needed to be thinking about nutrition."

While I sometimes feel like a bit of a zealot writing about the topics of diet and exercise, especially where it comes to establishing healthy habits and preventing disease, it's nice to see that I'm not the only one who shares these values. Thanks for the support, Mrs. Obama, and bon appetit!