is there a setting that I need to change so that they always get my texts through my cell phone number and no longer receive them through my iCloud email?
Go to Settings>Messages>Start New Conversations From, and make sure that you have your cell number checked and not your iCloud email.
Also, if you are replying to a text that was not originated from you, and it was sent to your iCloud email address, it is likely that that is what it will show on your reply. If you only want texts to come to your cell number (you won't get them on your Mac or computer if you do this), under the "You can be Reached by iMessage At" section, uncheck your email addresses.
Cheers,
GB
Sometimes when I send texts through iMessage the recipient shows that the text was send through my iCloud email instead of my cell phone number
