good morning. demanding answers. the whiteouse orders a full review into how an attention-seeking, uninvited couple got into the obamas' first white house state dinner, as their lawyer insists his clients did not crash the party. set to tumble. wall street braces for a rough day after worldwide markets plummet overnight. this morning, the economic fear sending shock waves throughout the economy. ♪ and ready, set, shop! the black friday rush under way all across the country, as bargain hunters begin to look for deals today, friday, november 27th, 2009. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a friday morning. i'm lester holt. >> and i'm natalie morales. hope you had a nice thanksgiving. >> i did. did you have a good one? >> i had a great one. i felt like i cooked and cleaned all day, but it was good. >> that and football. >> matt and meredith are off. joining the millions of americans out for barrigains th friday. >> paramus, new jersey. i don't see meredith and matt, but i drove past macy's, the streets were teeming with people. >> for once you know you're not the only one getting out early. >> the inventories are smaller, so maybe they have the right idea. >> big sales to be had. if you are going to be out braving the stores today, we have advice for you this morning. also, the fallout over a couple who did not have invitations getting into the white house state dinner. who should be held responsible? should that couple face criminal charges? and was the president ever in danger? a lot of questions people are asking. this morning we'll get a live report from the white house, in just a moment. plus, the desperate search for a 22-year-old arizona man who has not been seen in more than six days. he was attending a concert with a friend and apparently vanished without a trace overseas. and just ahead, we're going to be speaking with his father in a live interview. as parents, we're told about our teens and the dangerous practice of sexting, but is there another group of americans we should be warning as well. coming up, you will not believe who is now using the technology to try and improve their love lives. but let's begin with the latest on that couple accused of crashing tuesday night's white house state dinner. nbc's savannah guthrie is at the white house to start us off this morning. savannah, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, lester. a lawyer for this couple says they did not crash the party. the white house says they weren't invited. now the secret service is investigating, talking to its own agents, white house staff, reviewing surveillance footage, and likely will soon want to talk to this now famous couple for themselves. among the bold-faced names at tuesday night's state dinner, this couple may be the boldest. >> mr. and mrs. salahi. >> reporter: the secret service says tareq and michaele salahi, a virginia couple, managed to get into the state dinner, even though their names were nowhere to be found on the official guest list. once inside, they snapped photos with everyone from white house chief of staff rahm emanuel to vice president joe biden, twice. the pictures then posted on michaele salahi's facebook page with the caption, "i was honored to be invited to attend the state dinner." michaele salahi is auditioning for the washington installment of the bravo tv series "real housewives." bravo, whose parent company also owns nbc news, taped the couple before the party. the cable network says the salahis claimed they were invited, and producers had no reason to believe otherwise. shown here in their wedding video posted on youtube, the salahis actively courted the washington limelight. tareq salahi comes from a successful wine family but spent years in a bitter lawsuit with his parents over management of the family winery in human, virginia. michaele salahi once modeled and is a former cheerleader for the washington redskins. but they never really broke into washington's elite social circles. >> my impression was that they were posers, that they were wannabes, that they were people who desperately want to be famous and would do almost anything if there's a camera around. >> reporter: but they did rub shoulders with the rich and famous, from their winery's website to michaele salahi's facebook page, a vast collection of snaps featuring the salahis and every imaginable celebrity. one face shot appears to show them with president obama and the music group the black-eyed peas. as an invited guest to the state dinner, nbc news anchor brian williams shared his reaction to the story. >> if this turns out to be somebody's 15 minutes, the equivalent of state dinner, balloon boy and girl, i think that will be tragic and almost pathetic, because people in the white house, all white houses, work hard. it's hard to put on a state dinner. and it was an honor to be invited and an honor for all the invited guests to be there. >> reporter: now the salahis face questions from federal authorities, and some say should face criminal charges. >> the idea of 15 minutes of fame, perhaps at the security of the country or president is just something we're not going to stand for as a nation. >> reporter: a white house spokesperson couldn't answer whether this couple had actually interacted with the president once inside the party or whether they had had their picture taken with them, although you do need a name card for that. the secret service also points out, the president and no other guest was ever in danger because every guest, no matter what, is put through screening, including a metal detector. now, a senior official at the white house confirmed that the white house social office was not present right at that first checkpoint where the problem apparently was, but was available nearby and could check on a computer to see if guests were or were not on the list. so, natalie, still a lot of confusion this morning about how this all happened. >> and a lot of questions. savannah guthrie, thanks so much. and nbc's david gregory is moderator of "meet the press." david, good morning. >> good morning. >> you've attended several of these events in the past at the white house. were you surprised to hear that there could be such a thing happening, gate craer at a state dinner that was the most sought-after ticket that night? >> oh, absolutely. look, i spent eight years covering the white house where i had to get in every day with a hard pass i.d., and if you didn't have it, that was a real problem, because there were layers of security to get through the gates. so, the idea of gate crashing here is incredibly surprising, both because as savannah described, you have a background check initially when you're invited and get processed, if you're on a list. there's a social office which has you on a list, and then there's layers of secret service protection to get into the white house. so, the notion that you could somehow slip past all of those layers is frankly shocking to me, and no doubt shocking to the white house at all levels, including the secret service, where they're going to be looking into this. what we know so far is that proper procedures were not followed, and the question is, why? who would have just sort of waved this couple in, and under what circumstances, especially for a first state dinner, any state dinner, and a large affair like this? >> yeah. i mean, you look at the pictures there, i mean, there is the salahis with rahm emanuel, vice president biden, and by all appearances was that this was something of a reality show stunt -- they were trying to be on "the real housewives of washington, d.c., " clearly, this goes beyond embarrassment, though, for the secret service and the white house. they've got to view this as a real serious breach,right, david? >> no question about it. this is a tremendous security breach. as brian alluded to in the past and savannah did, it would be pathetic if this was just a publicity stunt and somebody's 15 minutes, but to get into the white house, to be close to the president, the chief of staff, the vice president, is something that can pose a real danger if somebody has another means to be threatening, and this is what the secret service does. the secret service is there to prevent this kind of thing from happening anywhere near the president or other protected persons like the vice president. so, it's a tremendous breach and a tremendous embarrassment not just for the secret service, but also for the social office, which is coordinating all of these things. >> meanwhile, let's switch gears here and talk about the president's plan for afghanistan, which we'll find out much more in detail about on tuesday night when he delivers that address to the public. it sounds like the president seems to be mulling over a plan that is somewhat middle ground, david, not exactly the pullout that some democrats were wanting, but at the same time, not exactly the 40,000 troops or so that the commander general mcchrystal wanted on the ground there in afghanistan. tell us more about what you expect to hear from the president on tuesday. >> well, i think we're going to hear a lot about an exit strategy, frankly. i think you heard from the president the other day saying that he wants to finish the job. so, this is going to be a reiteration of the goal of eliminating al qaeda, eliminating the threat that comes not just from afghanistan, but of course from neighboring pakist pakistan. and doing so in a way that really charts the course for what victory looks like and what an exit plan looks like. i think the difficulty the president's going to ve with his own party is just what you mentioned, any escalation here of a war at this point is going to be seen contrary to how the president campaigned at some level against iraq, though he was more supportive of the war in afghanistan, doing it the right way, in his view. but he's going to get a lot of pressure there, both for the actual cost and then the winnability question, of whether this is an enterprise that is going to produce victory in the end. so, i think that end game is what he'll spend a lot of time talking about. >> absolutely. what do you have coming up on "meet the press" this sunday? >> we're going to take a break from the rough and tumble of politics and talk about the spirit of giving on this thanksgiving weekend. we have pastor rick warren, author of "purpose-driven life" and bill and melinda gates lking about giving back and their felon tlopic efforts around the world. >> thank you, david. looking forward to it. thank you so. seyou on sunday. it's now 7:10. here's lester. natalie, thanks. now to black friday and the traditional start to the holiday shopping season. this year, the struggling economy is making for fierce competition, not only between shoppers, but also the biggest retail chains in the country. we've got it all covered this morning. we begin with nbc's janet shamlian. she's at the grapevine mall in dallas. janet, good morning. >> reporter: lester, good morning to you. the lines are long, the crowds can be brutal, but some say the savings are worth that early-morning wake-up call. this mall opened at midnight. by 1:00 in the morning, the shopping parking lot, which is the size of an 18-hole golf course, was completely full with shoppers who were hoping to score a deal. it's the olympics of holiday shopping. as the bargain hunting and sleep deprived go for retail gold. >> a lot of people, a lot of crowds and limited savings. >> reporter: there is limited quantity, no rain-check, while supplies last deals, door-busters. if you're one of the lucky few, a 50-inch hdtv for $600, a gps unit for $60 or a $3 toaster. >> there's a few items that we're looking for on black friday. don't know if we're going to make it out early. >> reporter: for merchants, it's an early dash for cash after last year, the worst sales season in decades. but even with deep discounts, it could be another bah humbug holiday. the national retail federation forecasts a 1% drop in sales. >> american households are not in the mood to rush o and spend this holiday season. >> reporter: some are ramping up the marketing. this california shopping center looks like something out of ciue du soleil, but will consumers open their wallets? >> we had to cut back on things. it's been tighter, definitely. >> reporter: then there's the hassle factor. retailers realizing not everyone wants to braze the mall or even the parking lot. some are now offering mobile computing. yep, there's an app for that. and this year, many deals will also be available online. but for those who prefer the in-store thrill of the hunt, it's doors open and game on. and if you are enjoying your morning coffee with plans to head out a little bit late you should know that the black friday pros, the real mall gladiators, it's about this time of morning they are finishing up their shopping and abouto head home. natalie, back to you. >> clearly, i've missed out on the bargains, so i'm not even going to bother. janet shlian, thanks so much. toys are always hot items to snatch up on black friday, and nbc's jeff rossen is just a few blocks away at the toys "r" us flagship store, my son's favorite, in times square. jeff, good morning. >> reporter: natalie, i think your son was one of those in line this morning. many stores across the country opened up at midnight. they were trying to avoid the 5:00 a.m. openings where you have thousands of people pushing in at once. so, people went literally from thanksgiving dinner -- maybe they went home first to change, i'm giving them credit here -- then they camped outside, with their children in some cases, and pushed their way in at midnight when the doors opened. it happened here at toys "r" us in times square. hundreds of people came on in and they've been shopping all overnight. now remember, this is just the first day of really the biggest shopping weekend of the year. by some estimates, 128 million people will shop today, tomorrow and sunday looking for those great black friday deals. and really, the big weekend deals. 50%, 60%, 70% off. but industry experts say that it's really the low-ticket items, not the flat-screen tvs, not the high-end electronics, where you'll find the deals. and of cour, natalie, we mentioned the toys. so, let's get to it with the hottest toys of the year, according to our friends here at toys "r" us. the first -- and this may say a lot about our economy -- the zhu zhu pet. you've heard of this hamster, natalie? >> i have, yeah. >> reporte you hit the button -- >> you can't find them anywhere. you found one there? >> reporter: yeah, i'll bring it back for you. it crawls up your arms, has all e anoyess of a hamster and only will cost you $9.99. a couple others -- this will cost you $100. they come together, buzz light year and woody from "toy story". they talk to each other with infrared technology. >> that's cool. >> reporter: this will be perfect for my daughter, for the fashionista. it gives you a model and you can give different fabrics of cloth and dress it up and make your own fashion designs for $40, natalie. >> excellent. i'm glad you did some of my shopping already for me. >> reporter: it's done! >> jeff rossen, thanks very much. it's 7:14 now. natalie, thanks. brian dunn is the ceo of best buy. he's in their eden prairie, minnesota, store. mr. dunn, good morning. it's good to see you. >> good morning, lester. thanks, it's great to be here. >> as you know, shoppers tightened their wallets in a big way last season. this season, the retail federation says people want to spend even less this holiday. how are you and other retailers adjusting this year for that reality? >> you know, lester, we've really been focused on what can we do differently for our customers. and this year we've got a number of things. we've had a black friday event early for our customers that haveone the most business with us over the year, and this year we're really focused on providing a great value to customers. >> and what are people buying? i mean, has the definition of a necessity versus a luxury item, has that changed and how shoppers are viewing your merchandise and other things out there? >> you know, it really has, but maybe not in the way y might expect. through the course of this whole difficult time, we've seen growth in categories like smart phones and computers and flat-screen television, digital cameras, categories we call our connected categories. we've actually seen growth through this whole difficult period, and we think those are going to be key, core categories for this holiday season. >> what about inventories? there's been a lot said recently that retailers are going to be carrying fewer items this year to adjust to the reality of people wanting to spend less and maybe not buy as much. if you're not out there in those lines today, do you risk missing out on big items? >> well, i really think that's going to vary tremendously by retailer. the categories i talked about, we have definitely taken a strong inventory position. a year ago, when the difficulty came across so rapidly, people had to react very rapidly in their inventories. this year we've had an opportunity to build our inventories so that they reflect what the customers are in pursuing, and i think we're in terrific position for at. >> as i said, people want bargains. there was a survey out here that found that 70% of the people say they want discounts of at least 50% before they're going to buy. is there going to be heavy discounting throughout the season? >> i'd like a discount of 50%. i think there's going to be a great discounting, but i'll tell you what, i think it's a really great year to be a customer >> all right. best buy's ceo brian dunn. it's good to talk to you. have a good holiday. >> you, too, lester. thanks. all right, now let's get check of the other top stories of the morning. peter alexander is in for ann at the news desk. good morning. >> natalie, lester, good to see you. from asia to the u.s., economic problems in dubai are sending shock waves through financial markets this morning. cnbc's erin burnett is at the new york stock exchange this friday. erin, what's happening? what's going on? >> good morning. it's a shortened trading day, and usually that means relaxation, markets go higher. not so today. a sharp sell-off on wall street, and the reason is dubai. the city is famous for its indoor ski sort. we've all seen the pictures, the palm-shaped islands, the world's tallest building. well, news comes over the thanksgiving holiday that they may not be able to make payments on tens of billions of dollars of debt. the ripple effects, a potentially default here could hurt month more than 00 banks worldwide, and that's what's ruling the markets. back to you, peter. >> thank you very much. the head of the national atomic agency says his group's investigation into iran's nuclear program has reached, in his words, a dead end. today, mohamed elbaradei's group voted to censure iran for secretly developing a uranium enrichment site and demanded it freeze that project immediately. this morning, researchers are out with a dire prediction about diabetes. they say they expect cases of diabetes in the u.s. will nearly double in the next 25 years, and they say if obesity levels here rise, that number could go even higher. the study is in the journal "diabetes care." roman polanski remains in a swiss jail this morning. officials say it will be at least three more days before he's released under house arrest after posting $4.5 million bail. officials are deciding whether to extradite polanski to the u.s. for having sex with an underaged girl in 1977. and a dramatic rescue thursday in colorado, where a deer fell through thin ice and then into a pond. wildlife officials, fortunately, were able to get him safely to shore. they say the deer should be okay. somewhere at the north pole, santa's saying donder, i told you to keep a close eye on blitzen! lester, natalie, that's the news. now back to you guys. >> thank you, peter. now let's get a first check of the weather with the weather channel's stephanie abrams, in for al this morning. >> happy thanksgiving. good to see you again. i think the people who didn't fight the crowds are making a good decision, because the weather will be pretty gnarly in the northeast through the day today. the rain has started to fall and will continue through the day today. also, snow. let's show you how much will come down as we make our way through the day today. there it is, into the higher elevations, above 1,000 feet, we good morning. temperatures around the region are chilly, under mostly cloudy skies. now 43 degrees in washington and another 40 in the suburbs and rural areas. rain in southern maryland now moving across the eastern shore and a few flurries. snow may accumulate later on today. for us windy and chilly with highs in the upper 40s. make it a midday shower. overnight tonight, maybe a few flurries through the evening. clearing out and down near >> natalie, back to you. >> stephanie, thank you. this week, millions of muslims from all around the world are making the annual pilgrimage to islam's holy city of mecca. it's an ancient religious ritual, but this year, swine flu fears have officials taking modern-day precautions. nbc's tom aspell has details. >> reporter: it's the largest single gathering on the planet. more than 2 million muslims from 160 countries at their annual pilgrimage to the holy sites at mecca, an ideal breeding ground for swine flu. saudi arabian officials fear the virus might spread here and then be carried across the world when the pilgrims go home. >> we areoing very heavy surveillance at this point, looking for the h1n1 virus and also checking if there's any change in the virus strain. >> reporter: saudi arabia's front line of defense against swine flu is at its airports. arrivals are screened by thermal cameras to check for abnormal temperatures. health workers check vaccination papers and offer free shots. a fleet of mobile medical units, more than 200 health care centers and 25 fully equipped hospitals are on standby to deal with outbreaks of disease. >> confidence in our preparation, confidence in the team, and confidence in the facilities that are enough, if needed. >> reporter: around the grand mosque in mecca, sanitation workers disinfect the ground, where the virus could linger. volunteers hand out face masks. but not all pilgrims wear the masks, even though they know the virus is dangerous. >> it depends on who wants to believe it, but i don't really worry about that very much. >> reporter: for muslims, the hajj is the most important journey of their lives. it's the biggest religious congregation on the face of the planet. but disease is no respect er of religion. and the saudi arabian authorities are cooperating with international health organizations in an effort to stop the spread of the h1n1 virus. so far, fewer than 100 cases of swine flu have been detected, and only four deaths confirmed. for "today," tom aspell, nbc news, mecca. just ahead, the mysterious disappearance of a 22-year-old american in germany. he vanished six days ago following a concert and hasn' been heard from since. his worried father speaks out in a live interview. right now, she's saving money and it's not by giving haircuts at home that she does for fun she's found an easier way to save so easy, it's automatic with suntrust, she sets aside money every month without having to think about it which is good because her boys would really appreciate her full attention right about now more and more people are turning to suntrust to help them live solid and bank solid still ahead, why black friday may not be the best day to find the best holiday deals. plus, who's sexting now? the surprising group of americans now sharing racy text messages. [ male announcer ] this is it. that one weekend of the year when you sacrifice sleeping in for cashing in. 'cause the home depot has lowered even more prices throughout the store. more gifts. more savings. like a maytag energy star washer and dryer set for just $578. that's 400 bucks off. merry christmas to you. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. our time right now is 7:26. good morning, everyone. welcome on this 27th of november, 2009. i'm barbara harrison. in the news at this hour, a winding line of people waited outside the best buy in potomac yards overnight. that's just one spot where shoppers showed up early to cash in on deep discounts. at 5:00 a.m. sharp, the doors opened and people trickled in in a very organized fashion. some shoppers tell us all the lines made some people a little bit cranky inside the stores. most experts are predicting sales will be about the same as last year. we're going to come back and take a look at the forecast for you and see what it's going to be like this weekend and look good morning. the sky has broken up a little bit. a little bit of sunshine around on this friday morning and the winds are picking up gusting to around 30 miles an hour. we'll have gusts over 30 to 35 later on today, and clouds returning midday maybe with a few passing showers. highs in the upper 40s. winds diminish torrow. milder over the weekend. how is the traffic, jerry? >> good news. the earlier accident involving the tractor-trailer gone. lanes open. the backup is already cleared up. one more stop, i-66 at 7100, both directions moving along very nicely. barbara? >> thank you, jerry. we'll be back again in 25 minutes with another local update. 7:30 now on this friday morning, the 27th of november 2009. you call it black friday. as you can see, malls and stores already jam-packed with some bargain hunters. our plaza is packed as well with a large and enthusiastic holiday crowd joining us. we'll get out there in just a little bit to say hello to them. meanwhile, inside studio 1a, i'm natalie morales along with lester holt. matt and meredith have the morning off. and just ahead in this half hour, this story, really, you just hope for the best, but there's a desperate search going on for a 22-year-old arizona man who vanished after attending a concert in germany. his friend says he turned around to ask directions, and when he turned back, devon hollahan was nowhere to be seen. we're going to talk to devon's father, who is heading to germany to help in the search in a moment. then, the unexpected group taking part in the growing sexting trend, and in some cases, they're encouraged to engage in it. is it such a good idea? we'll talk about that, coming up. plus, don't want to simply reheat the turkey day left-overs? we're turning leftovers into a tasty meal that's not going to taste a thing like thanksgiving, but likely as good. >> all right. look forward to that. first, let's begin with that mysterious disappearance of a 22-year-old american in germany. we're going to talk to his father in a moment, but first, nbc's stephanie gosk has the latest. stephanie, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, natalie. well, last saturday, devon hollahan took out money at an atm machine in frankfurt, germany. his father says it was just enough for one day, maybe two. now every five hours his parents are checking the account, but no one has used the card since. jeff and lynn hollahan still cooked their thanksgivin turkey at home in arizona, but this year there was no celebration. >> we're really simply waiting for the phone call that would make this the happiest thanksgiving ever. there's still no word at this point. >> definitely have our highs and lows and more lows than highs. >> reporter: no word since last saturday when devon and a friend went to this club just outside of frankfurt to see a concert. this is the last photo taken of the 22-year-old backstage after the show. >> we were drinking at the club, you know, for a few hours afterwards, and just, you know, we were in a foreign country. we were having a good time. we were on vacation. >> reporter: around 3:00 a.m., the two friends caught a cab back into the center of town with members of the band. after being dropped off, they couldn't find their hostel, so josh asked for directions. >> and i turned around to be like, okay, devon, like, we've got to go this way, and he was gone. >> reporter: devon's friends say he sometimes would leave without a word after a night of drinking, but he always made it home. >> he's not the type that would wander off and be gone for a week and not tell anyone. >> reporter: described as very independent and very responsible, devon has been teaching english in prague since july. the money wasn't great, but he loved the city, and his parents say he is an experienced traveler. >> what he did going to frankfurt was nothing out of the ordinary for him. what was out of the ordinary was the result. >> reporter: emergency rooms and police stations have no record of devon that night. through facebook, members of the band confirmed they hung out with him but don't remember anything suspicious. no one seems to know anything. devon hollahan just vanished. devon's friend josh texted and called him multiple tis after he disappeared but not no reply. eventually, josh went to the hostel hoping devon had checked in. when he didn't turn up, josh searched other hostels in the area and finally had to report devon missing to the police and then make a very difficult call to the hollahans in arizona. natalie? >> stephanie gosk, thank you. devon's father, jeff hollahan, is with us now. mr. hollahan, good morning to you. >> hi, natalie. >> let's take a look once again at that photo of devon. it was the last that was taken of him on the night he disappeared, novembe 21st. what can you tell us more at this point that you've learned from authorities in germany? >> natalie, the only thing new came in about 4:00 this morning. i got a call from the u.s. consulate in prague, and their plans today are to go to devon's apartment to pick up his laptop, which he left behind, and check that for any indications through his social networking, through e-mails, anything like that, whether he did, in fact, have other plans that he had not disclosed once he got to frankfurt. the other thing they plan to do is to take sampl of his clothes back to frankfurt, to use those to trigger the sniffer dogs. >> now, i know that you received, as we heard that phone call from josh friedman, who was the last person who was with devon on that night last sunday. can you tell us about that phone call? >> yes. every parent's worst nightmare. >> yeah, i can only imagine what that would have been like for you. when is the last time, though, that you were able to speak with devon, and how frequent with your conversations with him, given that he was overseas, in prag and then traveling to frankfurt? >> to be honest, we probably spoke with him more often in prague than we did when he was in college, not that that was infrequent, but we kind of had a standing date sunday morning about 7:00 our time, we would get on the computer and do a video chat, usually for half an hour or so, and then usually, once or twice a week, we would try to give him a phone call. i would usually call him at the end of his day, you know, again, about 10:00 our time in the morning, from my office, and just kind of catch up with him. and usually, my wife lynn had a conversation with him also during the week. so, pretty frequently. and i talked to him last tuesday -- or the tuesday before he disappeared -- and my wife talked to him wednesday, and he looked -- or not looked, but he certainly sounded good, very positive, very upbeat. >> how do you feel tt t german officials have been handling this case? >> we have nothing but the highest regards. the last conversation i had -- and again, they're long days because we're putting ten-hour days in here and then ten-hour delays europe time, but our day in europe usually starts about 2:00 in the morning, and i talk with an officer in the missing persons department of the frankfurt police, and they have four or five officers committed full time to this caseight now. >> and i know that devon, as you said, was an experienced traveler. he never has done anything like this. >> nothing remotely like this. >> and you feel comfortable that he, you know, he was learning the language, he could get around? >> no, he was not a linguist. fortunately for americans traveling in europe, especially among the youth, english is pretty widely spoken. so, i don't anticipate that would have been a problem for him. >> well, i know you plan to head to germany on sunday. what are your plans once you arrive there? >> immediately to hook up with the contacts that i've made over there in the state departments, department of homeland security, the u.s. consulate. they have been an enormous amount of help. i'm getting regular updates from them, just to kind of see where we are. i want to meet the officers who have been helping us with the frankfurt police department. but more importantly, through social networking, we've got an incredible team of people on the ground already. it's my understanding that tuesday we had 200 people on the ground handing out iers. so, i want to coordinate efforts to make sure that the stuff that we're doing apart from the official sources, is as efficient as possible and not stepping on the toes of the officials. >> right. well, jeff hollahan, we are hoping for the best for your family. thank you very much for spending your time with us this morning. >> thanks, natalie. thanks for helping us get the story out. >> all right. now let's get another check of the weather. it's such a sad story, but you're just hoping for the best. >> we sure are. let's get the check of the weather once again. stephanie abrams in for al. >> we have aunt bee, who is celebrating her 50th birthday by ing 50 different things throughout the year. here's a look at her list. aunt b., how was the mechanical bull? >> fantastic. >> what are you looking most forward to on the list? >> i would say the "today" show! >> really? great! all of these things from the statue of liberty down to the train ride aunt b. will be doing this weekend. let's look at the forecast in the northeast for all your activities and festivities this weekend. we are seeing unsettled weather today. the good news is, our system is moving out for a saturday. an good morning. we areinm the sky watch camera showing just a few clouds in our sky. otherwise a little bit of sunshine breaking out around the region this morning. temperatures are chilly. right now just into the low 40s around washington and nearby suburbs, near 40 in the rural areas. and over the last six hours, we've had the overnight rain now moving across the eastern shore getting some snow showers out of the mountains. they can get 2 to 4 inches. and it's rivalry week with the college football teams. give me a dog, sick 'em skrks. >> go dogs sick 'em! >> let's talk about what's happening in the nfl. we have, look at this, the ravens -- the steelers are visiting the ravens on sunday. temperatures will be in the 40s. so, really a nice forecast. for your football forecast, all you have to do is go to weather.com 24 hours a day. natalie, back to you. >> thank you, stephanie. coming up next, the growing sexting trend, not among teens, but much, much older americans. we'll tell you more right after this. , to the world. those words changed my life and inspired my open hearts collection at kay jewelers. as the number one jewelry store in america, kay was the perfect choice to help me turn my mom's inspiration into something beautiful and eternal. you were right, mom. keep your heart open, and love will always find its way in. i've got good news. you need more fiber. huh? n't worry, it tastes great. froot loops now with 3 grams of fiber. it makes your tummy happy so it can absorb the good stuff you need, which your mom is gonna love. it does taste great. fiber is a great way to keep ya healthy. i can never read these things. kello's froot loops and apple jacks cereals, now provide fiber. kellogg's makes fiber fun. the reason that i picked alli was because its approved by the fda, it was safe. it will block 25% of the fat that you eat and keep it from being absorbed. that's got to be better for you than something that is absorbed into the system. alli is not only just a pill but it is a total program. it's a way of teaching yourself to eat more healthy. it does force a lifestyle change. (announcer) join the millions of people who are losing weight with alli. it's time for holiday bargain hunting. which requires a razor sharp eye and blazing speed. especially if you're shopping for a chevy. can we speed this up? not only do they come with the best deals of the year, they come with the best coverage in america. you snooze you lose. hey! i'll take it! let the chevy red tag event begin. now during the chevy red tag event, get 0 percent apr for 72 months on most '09 models. see red and save green. now at your local chevy dealer. is to do a little holiday shopping at walgreens. they have so many great gifts at great prices. i'm a winter, in case you were wondering. so get to walgreens soon because, like me, you'll want to avoid any last-minute meltdowns. can we get the cute snowman? i call shotgun! friday only, $9.99 webkinz lil'kinz pets are buy one, get one free... and the wireless sports plus game console... with 20 games is $19.99. walgreens. there's a way to find your joy. we're back at 7:43. it's called sexting, using a cell phone to send explicit messages and photos. you may have warned your children about doing it, but as nbc's mike taibbi will tell us, you also might want to have a chat with grandma and grandpa. >> this one is a wild girl -- >> reporter: wheshe's not volunteering with her therapy dogs at boston area nursing homes, 65-year-old grandmother mitch callahan does it with dennis, her husband of 50 years. >> it's about flirting, and in my case, flirting with my husband. >> reporter: a divorced computer tech named bob does it, too. back in the dating game in the digital age. >> it's just made it really interesting and fun. >> reporter: they're talking about sexting, exchanging sexual texts or instant messages with other willing correspondents. "you may need to find a hotel." and remember at the bench in the secluded garden where we -- well, bob remembers. >> and one thing led to another and led to another and led to another. >> reporter: sexting started with the younger set a few years ago and it's been controversial. just recently, carrie prejean said she was only sexting when she made the youthful mistake of posting photos and a so-called sex tape to an ex-boyfriend, but the aarp crowd is more careful. >> i would never send a face picture. >> you can send a picture to someone who could send it to 100 other people. >> reporter: concentrating instead on the object of the exercise, recapturing the delicious anticipation of sex. >> i don't want that missing from my life. so, this is a way to add a little bit more excitement. >> reporter: more and more therapists and relationship coaches are telling their older clients to give it a try. >> it's connecting to that spicy, juicy courtship, you know, that those red stiletto heels, those late nights of passion. >> reporter: it all sounds good to new yorker ruth rosner, who at age 93, still, as she puts it, has her engine running. sexting? why not? >> this is a new possibility for me. i have been saying, what am i going to do while i hibernate this winter? where am i going to find my excitement? >> reporter: are there risks even for careful seniors? sure. and to avoid embarrassment or worse, before you hit the send button, it would help to know enough about the person on the receiving end just as with any evolving relationship. >> the rules of life should be applied towards sexting as well. >> reporter: bob buys into that. >> most of the people that i end up sexting with have been people that i've been texting with for a long time. >> reporter: a new media bonus that folks of a certain age are just discovering is available. for "today," mike taibbi, nbc news, new york. still to come, how to turn all those thanksgiving day leftovers into a quick and easy gourmet meal. but first, these messages. this weekend only, the home depot has lowered even more prices throughout the store, on more gifts people will actually use. like an 18-volt ryobi combo kit for just $49.88... a savings of 100 bucks. better bring your sleigh. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. more saving. more doing. we call the bunches in honey bunches of oats the prize in the box. well, now there's a prize inside the prize. pecans! pecans! baked into crunchy oat bunches. taste the delicious surprise in every spoonful. new honey bunches of oats with pecan bunches. beautiful. smells good. it's a cookie exchange. we're baking up holiday spirit to share with friends around the country. you know, priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service makes shipping simpler than no-bake peanut cluster. if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. so sending macadamia moos to miami costs the same as sending sugar trees to sante fe? same price for snicker doodles to spokane or pumpkin pinwheels to poughkipsee. okee-dokee. okee-dokee. priority mail flat rate shipping starts at $4.95, only from the postal service. a simpler way to ship. we break it, then we fix it. so you can start your day sunny side up. that's what we're made of. ♪ ♪ (announcer) throughout the years, she thought... then one day...there was. with natural oils that soothe... ...and relieve itchy skin. brings calming one step sooner. ♪ where my gift santa? ♪ i've been good. ♪ better bring me sport equipment like you should! ♪ ♪ where you at santa? ♪ i ain't playin'. ♪ i got a nice pidly park to slay on. ♪ ♪ elves, elves, ♪ where your wife. ♪ you bring me the fancy electric knife. ♪ ♪ you don't know me santa. ♪ i've been good. ♪ i've got plenty milk and cookies in my hood. ♪ ♪ fa la la la la. ♪ ho ho ho. ♪ fa la la la la. ♪ ho ho ho. the sands of egypt hide many secrets, and one of the most intriguing is what hpened to the lost army of a powerful persian king. as dawna friesen tells us, one team of archeologists is stirring up controversy, claiming they may have found the answer. >> reporter: in ancient times, the persian army, portrayed here in the hit movie "300," was the most powerful and feared in the world. but according to legend, one of those armies -- 50,000 men -- vanished without a trace somewhere in the desert 250,000 years ago. they had been sent by a ruthless persian king to attack the oasis of sewa, where an influential temple oracle had refused to recognize the king as the pharaoh. and anyone who's seen the movie "the mummy" knows sandstorms are egypt's secret weapon. and according to the ancient greek historian herodotus, the army marched across the desert for days until a cataclysmic sandstorm swallowed them up. now a team of italian archeologists claim they have finally found the first remains of that legendary army. >> i'm sur that those guys, those 50,000 guys are over there somewhere very close to the area we surveyed. >> reporter: searching a more southerly route than previous archeologists, they claim to have discovered arrowheads, jewelry and bronze weapons, all dating to the time of the army, plus hundreds of water pots buried in the sand, water that would have made a desert march possible until the sandstorm hit. >> translator: they were thirsty and tired and dispersed, some under natural shelters. >> reporter: the team also claims to have found bones and bleached skulls in an area where veteran stories have led them. >> there are stories about a field, a valley, a total, complete valley full of white bones. >> reporter: not everyone's convinced the bones would have survived the centuries in the egyptian desert. the relentless winds and shifting sands may well have eradicated any human evidence, which is why experts in egypt are so skeptical. >> wonderful story, but there's no truth at all. there is no evidence. nothing has been discovered. there is nothing scientific at all. >> reporter: but the italian archeologists are convinced 13 years of study and five expeditions to the area have brought them a step closer to turning a legend into history. for "today," dawnafriesen, nbc news, london. >> fascinating. now, you've been to egypt recently. >> yeah, yeah. i mean, well, in terms of egyptian anquities, i think they only cover just a small percentage of what's actually there to be discovered. >> exactly. unbelievable. still ahead, switching gears. is black friday really the best day for deals? >> what you need to know before battling the crowds today. and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse... (announcer) this season, walmart will match any other store's advertised price. so you can stop chasing sales, and start enjoying christmas. save money. live better. walmart. (announcer) throughout the years, she thought... then one day...there was. with natural oils that soothe... ...and relieve itchy skin. brings calming one step sooner. saturday. but it feels like black friday all over again. that's because it is. awesome! find black friday doorbusters every saturday starting at 7am... at the guaranteed lowest prices. like 60% off a great selection of coats for the whole family. and 50% off this gearwrench ratcheting wrench set. plus get this 40-inch 1080p sony lcd for a low $879.99. more values. more christmas. that's life. well spent. sears. you'll love too... from snuggle exhilarations! it's the difference between waking up... and coming to life. drying off... and snuggling up. with a variety of unique scent combinations, like sweet blossom and pomegranate. exhilarating, tening-- and it costs less than downy simple pleasures! because everyone loves to snuggle! beautiful picture out there, isn't it? this is black friday. lots of folks shopping, but at that particular store, not many there now. we'll talk about that coming up on news 4 midday, all of the shoppers out early. time 7:55. i'm barbara harrison. later this moing, the late washington wizards owner abe pollin will be laid to rest. it'll happen at 11:30 this morning. abe poe line died on tuesday after a rare degenerative brain disorder. there are some road closures today because of that funeral. at 10:00 this morning, mccomb street between massachusetts avenue and idaho avenue northwest will be closed and 39th street between massachusetts and newark street will also be closed. and we'll be back with weather and traffic. good morning. live picture from our sky watcher camera showing a few clouds floating through this hour. we have some sunshine in and out. later on today the clouds will increase as we look at temperatures now. it is a chilly morning. right now in washington just 43 degrees and temperatures in the suburbs right now are jus near 40 degrees with that sunshine and we'll see the clouds returning later on today. an upper level disturbance comes through triggering some snow showers out of the mountains right now. two to four inches of snow possible today. here maybe a midday shower, blustery winds. maybe even some flurries tonight and then sunny, winds diminish tomorrow. how is the traffic? the slow spot northbound around 210. northbound lanes remain closed off a serious crash and the detour which is livingston road could take you up to 30 minutes. a quick check elsewhere 270 wide open. we're looking great. barbara, back to you. thank you very much. and we'll be back in 25 minutes with another local update. we're going to go ♪ we are back now at 8:00 a.m. on a friday morning, november 27th, 2009, the day after thanksgiving. and i feel like we're in a shopping mall. look at all these people here, and none of them are buying a thing. they're just here to enjoy each other's company. we appreciate it. probably still full from the turkey and trimmings. outside on the plaza, lester holt and natalie morales. meredith and matt have the morning off. >> are you all going shopping, yes? after this? yes? okay, hoping to stimulate the economy, right? >> yeah, and if you are gearing up to search for bargains, we're going to tell you what you should buyhis weekend, what items you might be able to get a little cheaper in weeks to come. >> all right. as we take a live look there in dallas. looks like that mall is getting some action. also, we've got an amazing weight loss story to tell you about. get this, a guy who actually lost more than 400 pounds. he now is using his story to inspire others. we're going to talk to him, see how he's doing, coming up. and it is that time of year, we want to remind folks, our 16th annual holiday toy drive begins come monday. so, if you come to theplaza, please bring a new, unwrapped gift for a needy child. to find out how you can take part, if you can't make it to new york city, logon to todayshow.com. >> all donations very much appreciated and go to great, great causes and charities. first, though, let's get a check of the morning's top stories, and in for ann this morning is peter alexander at the news desk. good morning to you, peter. >> good morning to you, natalie and lester. and good morning to you at home. wall street is facing a serious test today because of debt trouble overseas. dubai and the united arab emirates says it needs extra time to pay its $60 billion debt. and fear of a ripple effect sent asian markets falling overnight. oil prices also fell. malls and main streets are counting on after thanksgiving specials to boost their bottom lines today. shoppers lined up to take advantage of the deep black friday discounts. working against the merchants, tight credit and the highest unemployment rate since 1983. we'll have more on the national shopping spree coming up a little time from now. the secret service says it's identified the checkpoint where an uninvited couple was able to slip through and crash a white house state dinner this week. an agency spokesman said its own security procedures were not followed at that checkpoint where reality show hopefuls tareq and michaele salahi entered the party. meanwhile, the couple's attorney is insisting his clients did not break any laws. leaders of the united nations nuclear watchdog agency today voted to censure iran for developing a secret uranium enrichment site. it ordered iran to freeze its project immediately. on thursday, the outgoing head of the agency said his investigation of iran's nuclear program had reached a "dead end." a new study predicts the number of people in the u.s. with diabetes will nearly double over the next 25 years. it suggests that annual medical spending on the disease will triple in that time. the study is in the journal "diabetes care." one of the nba's biggest players also apparently has one of its biggest hearts. shaquille o'neal covered the cost of sunday's funeral for shaniya davis. she, of course, is the 5-year-old north carolina girl who police say was kidnapped and killed. o'neal reportedly was touched by her case and wanted to do what he could to help. and check this out. traffic cameras in south africa captured a breathtaking sight. look at that, a meteorite lit up the skies over johannesburg last week. it landed in a burst of orange. unbelievable. looks like a sun setting. the meteorite itself still has not been found, but i bet the people who saw it won't forget it any time soon. it is 8:03 right now. we'll head back outside to natalie and lester. that's quite a sight if you're driving down the highway. >> an unbelievable sight. really amazing, that meteorite there. >> pretty scary. all right, let's get another check of the forecast, and joining us in for al this morning is the weather channel's stephanie abrams. stephanie? >> hey, natalie. we have a couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, but you guys are all by yourself. you ditched your family for thanksgiving? >> we came up here for our wedding anniversary. >> we said you're on your own. >> 50 years, i think they can handle it on their own. >> they can, they can. >> let's look at what you're dealing with today. throughout new york city, our pick city, looks like some showers. so stay good morning. overnight showers now on the eastern shore. clearing out here around the metro area, at least temporarily. temperatures are quite chilly just in the low 40s now, 43 in washington. we've had winds gusting 25 to 30 miles an hour this morning. and as we look at what's been happening over the last six hours, we have some snow showers out in the mountains. that's an upper level disturbance that will pass over the region middle of the day. may give us a few showers here, blustery winds tonight into tomorrow. maybe a few flurries tonight. winds die down tomorrow. sunshine back. >> and we have some ladies all ready for christmas in the reindeer costumes. natalie, back to you. >> very cute. thank you, stephanie. okay, all of you, who's going out shopping today, huh? this big crowd is going to take care of my shopping list, right? coming up, if you're getting ready to head out, what to make sure to grab today, what items to be wiser to hold off on. we're going to show you how to shop smart this holiday season right after this. what is this? oh, your mom brought that over. no way! these are the ornaments from when i was a kid. this is from mommy's first ballet recital. oh, and this is when i got a two-wheeler. pretty awesome. i used to have one of these. there's a new one. "for lucy, to get her started. love, grandma." look lucy, this one's for you. ( gasps ) hallmark keepsake ornaments. at your hallmark gold crown store. one of many ways to find meaning inside. at your hallmark gold crown store. to earn cash back from holiday shopping. that was easy. earn cash back on purchases to pay down your credit card or go into savings. with the power rewards® visa® credit card. only from bank of america. >> announcer: "today's consumer" is brought to you by bank of america. bank of opportunity. we're back now at 8:09 this morning. on "today's consumer," breaking down black friday. is it really the best day to find the biggest bargains? consumer correspondent and "reader's digest" contributor janice lieberman takes a look. >> reporter: the big question on everyone's mind this holiday season -- will it be jingle all the way or "how the grinch stole christmas"? heading into the prime shopping season, retailers are hoping that 2009 will shine just a bit brighter than last year. most holiday strategies were made months ago. their pl? to keep inventories low, preventing the mistake of last year, with too much stuff and not enough buyers. >> in past years, retailers used to say that they were stacking them high and letting them fly, meaning all the things that they were selling. this year, the mantra seems to be stack them low and see how things go. >> reporter: sobering news for an economy hoping to have an uptick in consumer sales, especially during this very important time of year. but retailers seem to be up for the challenge. teen fave american eagle is handing out discount cards and unveiling a closely guarded hoodie blowout sale this morning. stock is limited and they're hoping they'll go fast. and after black friday,he prices go up? >> after thanksgiving weekend, the price of these hoodies goes back to $29.50. that is, if we still have any left. >> reporter: across the mall at the body shop, the smells of the holidays are hopefully going to be a draw. >> and you've never tried cranberry, you don't know what you're missing, because this is our signature holiday scent. >> this time o year, we recognize that people are looking to get a great product but also to look for things that are affordable, and that's absolutely what we want to do. we want to make our products affordable for people. >> reporter: lee eisenberg is a former retailer and author of a book called "shoptimism." at a nearby mall, he gave us tips on how to arm ourselves with a holiday game plan. on apparel -- >> i think it might pay to wait, because you know, if you lose that dress or if you lose that necktie or pair of socks, chances are, it's not going to break your heart, and chances are, you're going to be able to find something as a self gift or as a gift that will be just as warm and fuzzy. >> reporter: what about toys and electronics? >> certain things that if you're really going to be heartbroken and not get your hands on them, certain specific pieces of technology, electronic gadgets, ipod, anything, iphone wil do well. electronic readers will do well, the kindle. a given toy or a video game or something like that. it probably is a better idea to buy it now. >> reporter: and what do we care most about? pricing. >> there's a very hot concept now which is called cost per wear. it's really a price, but it's really essentially about value. so, you take the price, the ticketed price, and then divide it by the number of times that you think you'll use it, and that's your cost per wear. >> reporter: so, it seems this year, it's the shoppers who are driving the bargains at the check-out counter. >> at a mall in paramus, new jersey, this morning. janice, is there any percentage in preshopping, the deals before you head to the mall? >> reporter: oh, absolutely. you have to come here with a plan. you have to know the layout of the mall. you have to have your coupons in hand. you have to have a list and you need to stick to it. and you don't have to say buy for me and somebody else. stick to who you really need to buy for. otherwise, you're just going to get so caught up in the mayhem and overspend. for sure you need a plan, preplan. >> if you're like me and you stumble into the store and think i'm just going to figure it out, give me some smart shopping tips. >> reporter: all right. come up with a plan. bring sizes along with you, bring colors along with you, bring model numbers along with you so you're not looking for shelves and looking through stacks and stacks of things and you have no clue of what you're doing. and there's some really neat technical savvy shopping tips that i can tell you about that are really just coming into their own. if you own an ipod or some blackberrys, you can go on a site called yowza, and they will pull up all different stores within a certain radius to you. you put in the item that you're looking for and you press on it and a coupon will come out automatically. so, if it's toys "r" us, it might be 15% off, or old navy. you bring your ipod to the register. all they do is zap the coupon. it just is amazing. or sometimes, you can go to ibenji is a different site. and you take a picture of the barcode and they will search for you and tell you the cheapest place to get it. so, there really is no excuse now for not using coupons. >> and what are the big discounts we should be looking for this season? >> reporter: oh, everything. all the stores are having huge discounts -- electronics, toys, apparel. if there's something that you really, really must have, now is the time to buy it. if you can wait on some apparel, perhaps, that you can live without, or you can exchange for something later, hold off on that, but if there's a hot toy or a hot electronic item, now is the time to buy it. and save your receipts, lester, because if they go down, you will get the price adjustment. so, you might as well have it in your house and just keep watching the sales. >> all right. janice lieberman, thanks. i can't believe what a huge crowd there is behind you. thanks. just ahead, one little girl's touching christmas wish to santa and how her dream has now come true. but first, these messages. ld hi? - i--i can't tell. - [sighs] oh, honey! - oh, yeah. he went to jared. - he totally went to jared. female announcer: celebrate life's unforgettable moments with pandora charms and bracelets, now at jared where you'll find a fabulous pandora selection. girls: awww... - they are so cute at that age. how about a coastal soup and grilled shrimp salad combination? or maybe our new savory shrimp jambalaya. seafood lunches starting at just $6.99 at red lobster. not even a mouse... (announcer) this season, walmart will match any other store's advertised price. so you can stop chasing sales, and start enjoying christmas. save money. live better. walmart. the chevy malibu and toyota camry received 5 star crash safety ratings. but only malibu has onstar. big deal. i'll just use my phone. let's say we crashed. whoops, you lost your phone and you're disoriented. i'm not disoriented. now you are. onstar automatic crash response can call to see if you're ok. onstar emergency. is everything ok howie? you don't answer, they can automatically send help to your exact location. i think i'll ride with you. the award-winning malibu. from chevy. yep! (mom) i'm so proud of you. the bus is here, gotta go mom. okay hunny, have a great day. look in your bag, made you something. (announcer) it's more than just that great peanut taste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone how much you care. choosey moms, choose jif. ♪ this morning we are wrapping up our special series "thanks & giving," highlighting the life-saving work of st. jude's children's research hospital. marlo thomas has been with us all week. she's the national outreach director. and she's here along with st. jude patients elizabeth walters and marit francis and some st. jude helpers doing some giving for us out on the plaza this morning. good morning, everyone. >> good morning. >> good to have you back again. >> thank you. >> marlo, just remind everyone what the "thanks & giving" program is all about. >> we're excited about it elizabeth and i, because today is the launch day of our "thanks & giving" program, so you can go shopping at our stores like target and williams-sonoma and cvs and kmart. we have 50 different stores. make a donation there. i know it's a hard economy, but this is a time of year when you'll be buying presents anyway, so leave a dollar for the children of st. jude or you can go shop online at stjude.org. i think they're running the names of our -- >> yes, they are, some of the retailers who are participating. but what they should look for is the st. jude logo, then? >> right. look for this logo, the st. jude green logo, a magnifying glass. wherever you see that, those are the good guys giving money to st. jude. you can also go to ticketmaster online, stjude.org and donate now. 1-800-4-st-jude, you can call in. this is a big day because we need to raise $702 million. it costs $1.4 milon a day at st. jude and we're affecting every community in this country. so we reach out to the communities of america and say help us take care of these children. >> and we heard stories earlier this week, elizabeth and marit's story. tell us why in a tough economy like this one, it's important to give back in special ways like this. >> it really is. and it's important to note that every dollar counts. if you only can give a dolr when you go to the store, then just give us a dollar or add it on to a ticketmaster or any online program. >> right. and cancer doesn't know a tough economy. >> cancer doesn't have a recession. >> right, exactly. >> at all. and these children really need you. and we've heard wonderful success stories this week, you know, just how much this hospital can do for these children. >> i know, elizabeth, we were so touched by your story. you were diagnosed with cancer over a year ago, but you got back on your horse, montini. >> yes. >> and your dream is to go to the olympics. >> yes. >> are you closer to that dream now? >> slowly but surely. >> slowly but surely. >> hopefully, some day, but st. jude has definitely helped me get there. >> well, we hope so. and what is your christmas wish? do you have a christmas wish? >> i wish for things in my hair and you can braid your hair and it makes your hair different colors. >> oh, wow, that sounds wonderful. what's the name of it? >> i have no idea. >> but we'll look for it for you, okay? well, i know that you must be very thankful as well. are you thankful for all the great things that st. jude has helped you and your family with? >> yep. >> yeah. the target house is something they've benefited from as well. and that's really what -- >> well, her father is the reason we have a target house. >> that's amazing, i know. what a great story. >> and it's amazing that he ended up bringing his family there, and we're very proud of them, of target corporation and michael francis and his family, because they've taken care of so many families, and they do that on their own. the money we get from our donors does not go there. the target corporation pays for that. but the money that the people send in to us will take care of the research and the science that creates the cures that these children are now enjoying. >> and for the families who can't afford the care, they get it no matter what. >> well, no child is ever turned away, if a family can't afford to pay. if they have insurance, we take it but they don't all have insurance, and it runs out anyway. and we've had such wonderful, wonderful successes with leukemia, which started at 4%, is now 94% cure rate. overall, we're at 80%. so, what we're doing at st. jude is having the research and the patient care to take care of all these sick children. >> amazing. >> and even in this economy, we have not cut any of our programs, and that's really important to us. >> truly. >> and we need help to continue. >> absolutely. such a great cause. >> thank you. >> marlo thomas, thank you again for sharing it with us this week. >> bless you. >> have a wonderful thanksgiving and happy holidays, okay, elizabeth and marit? nice to have you both here. now here once again is lester. >> natalie, thanks. now to a heartwarming story brought to our attention from julie wolf from our affiliate wxia. it's about a little girl's wish for an organ translant and a special person who made it come true. here's nbc's ron mott. >> how are you doing now? >> i'm better. >> i'm glad. >> reporter: it doesn't get any more personal for quinn roberts. >> um, kidney and a hannah montana game. >> reporter: well, at least the kidney got top billing. >> santa, i will be good -- >> reporter: last year, quinn wrote a letter to santa. >> i did not get a kidney. >> reporter: putting the unusual request on her list, taking her mom by surprise. >> it was really charming and heartbreaking. she did it at school. i didn't know about it. it was really an example of how much kids take in. >> reporter: quinn and big brother gage both suffer from polycystic disease, pcd, a disorder where cysts form on the organs, typically leading to failure. there is no cure, though transplant and dialysis are treatments. so, when santa didn't come through for quinn -- >> well, sure, why not? >> reporter: family friend sheryl thomas did, making good on a decision she says was made long before last month's surgery. >> i'm a mother. to see your friend go through at the roberts had to go through when they found out about their children, to me, there was no other response if i could help in any way. >> sleep well, sweet pea. >> reporter: when that help finally arrived, emotions gripped quinn's parents. as a healthy kidney was wheeled down a long, narrow hallway toward their daughter. within just a few hours here at children's health care of atlanta, sheryl thomas was minus a kidney. quinn roberts was the new owner, transferring the power of life, creating an inseparable bond. ♪ happy birthday to you >> ready? >> they are an extended part of our family, and they will be with us forever and we love them and they love us, and you know, we've got many special occasions to celebrate in the years ahead. >> reporter: a celebration of love and life filtered through one kidney. for "today," ron mott, nbc news, atlanta. >> and i know quinn's mom wanted us to mention the work of the pkd foundation and what they have done. if you'd like more information on polycystic kidney disease and the pkd foundation, logon to our website, msntodayshow.com. >> we hope people do that. still ahead, how to turn your thanksgiving left-overs into a gourmet feast. our time right now is 8:26. 43 degrees. this is a live picture inside pentagon city mall in northern virginia. you can see some early christmas shoppers, holiday shoppers this morning, trying to get some breaks on this plaque friday. later this morning the late washington wizards owner abe pollin will be laid to rest at 11:30. abe pollin died on tuesday after a rare degenerative brain didirder. some road closures today because of that funeral. at 10:00 a.m. between massachusetts and idaho avenues northwest will be closed. and 39th street between massachusetts avenue and newark street northwest will be closed. good morning. we have some sunshine now. temperatures in the low 40s. highs upper 40s with blustery winds developing in the afternoon. might have a passing midday shower and a few flurries tonight. sun back tomorrow. diminishing winds. milder on sunday. sunny. things looking good this morning. no big deals. northern virginia, everything is moving along nicely on the interstates. the scene of an accident earlier in the day at the interloop at connecticut avenue long gone. thanks very much. we'll be back with more news, weatr and traffic in 25 minutes. 8:30 now on this friday morning, black friday, november 27th, 2009. we've got a very large and energetic crowd spending part of their long holiday weekend with us here in rockefeller plaza. always so happy to have them stop by. so, thanks to all of them for bringing us their energy. meanwhile, i'm natalie morales outside along with lester holt and peter alexander. our regular crew, matt, meredith, al and ann, probably enjoying left-overs now. >> well, they had the big day, parade yesterday. >> that's right. so they're getting a day off today. anyway, take a look behind us, because you notice something? the tree minus the scaffolding today. >> rockefeller center tree. >> beautiful. >> they got the scaffolding down, the lights are up, and now they've got to bring these 30,000 l.e.d. lights to life. it's 75 feet tall, a norway spruce. the big moment is almost here. it will be the 77th annual tree-lighting ceremony wednesday, december 2nd. it will feature aretha franklin, michael buble and alicia keys and others. you can watch it right here on nbc. >> that's going to be great. >> yeah, this is when it starts to get really fun around here. a lot of big names coming in to perform. so coming up in this next half hour, we'll introduce you to a person we first introduced you to over the summer. this guy lost 400 pounds. >> amazing. >> the big question today is has he been able to keep off the weight? we'll speak to him coming up in the next 30 minutes. and of course, much more on the couple accused of crashing this week's state dinner. their lawyers now saying they did absolutely no such thing. so, the question is, why weren't their names then on the guest list? we're going to get the very latest on that. >> of course, a lot of us were asking the same thing, why weren't our names on the guest list? >> exactly. >> and the tree lighting is wednesday, the 2nd. it is wednesday on nbc. >> we'll remind them several times before then. >> you think? >> don't worry. i think we get that plug in. first of all, let's get a check of the weather once again from the weather channel's stephanie abrams, across the plaza for us. >> well, it seems to be a morning of bliss. we have the bucket list, alice here. alice, what do you want to do on your list after new york city? >> probably mt. rushmore, colorado, maybe chicago. >> keep going, keep going! i like it! >> england, maybe. >> england, maybe. well, let's have a look at the forecast, where there are at least a couple of those places on your bucket list as we head through the weekend. here's a look at the afternoon temperatures. warm as you head toward mt. rushmo rushmore. look, warmer there tre t partly cloudy, breezy and chilly this morning. winds will increase as the day progresses. right now just 43 in washington. near 40 in the suburbs and rural areas. and over the last six hours been watching that rain that came over us overnight dissipating on the eastern shore, getting snow showers out of the mountains 2 to 4 inches possible in west virginia and western maryland. here a small chance of a midday shower, maybe some evening flurries. otherwise partly to mostly cloudy at times and the winds gusting >> and we have visitors from? >> charleston, south carolina. >> lester, over to you. >> stephanie, thanks. now to a boot camp for butlers, a place where people learn the finer points of delivering formal old-world service. here's nbc's john yang. ♪ >> reporter: fine wines in sparkling crystal, nine gourmet courses on elegant china, a sumptuous dessert. >> mm. really good. >> reporter: this formal dinner in a denver mansion is the final drill of a boot camp for butlers, or household managers, as they prefer. >> we make service as our expertise, wherever it goes, hotel, private home, private club. servic is our deal. >> reporter: these jeevs in training pull together everything they've learned over two months -- flower arranging -- >> just close up the entire picture. >> reporter: how to dress. plates, silver and glasses placed just so. even the napkins get special attention. >> and it just unfolds. >> reporter: with jobs vanishing in other industries, many students are seeking a new career path. >> i don't qte have enough time left to start over with a four-year college career or something like that again. >> reporter: the starkey institute has been training high-priced help for 19 years, including classes in washington for personal aides to generals and admirals. these days, tough economic times have made graduates' job searches longer and driven down top salaries from about $120,000 a year to $90,000. but there's still demand from a certain clientele willing to pay for highly trained professionals schooled in managing staff budgets and inventory. >> practice what we have been working on. it is impossible to have in excess of 6,000, 7,000 square feet of home or multiple homes and not have help. >> dinner is served. >> reporter: we take our seats, and remember that thing with the napkin? >> if you take your napkin and go like this, it just fills into a perfect little thing you put on your lap. come on, yang. >> i'm already screwing up here. can't take me anywhere. >> reporter: and the ballet of service begins. ♪ each course has a little lesson not only for the servers, as they're learning what to do, but also for those of us dining here at the table, learning a little bit about how this is all done. and formal doesn't have to be stuffy. >> one just let's go. >> reporter: she's so excited about the "today" show being here, i haven't had the hrt to tell her i'm not matt lauer yet. >> well, i could pretend. >> reporter: when the ballet ends and the final dish has been cleared, a curtain call from these sophisticates of service. john yang, denver. up next, a man who has lost more than 400 pounds what he's doing to help this morning on "today's update," a man who dropped a stunning amount of weight. we first met david smith back in july. after hitting 650 pounds, he turned his life around and lost an astonishing 400-plus pounds with help from personal trainer chris powell. their journey was documented in the tlc special "the 650-pound virgin." well, now david and chris are teaming up again to help others lose weight in a sequel called "the 650-pound virgin: the wait is over." and david, chris, good morning. good to have you back. >> thank you for having me. good morning. >> when we met you last time, david, you were just getting used to your new body, the transformation had just happened. how's it going? >> it's going good. there's ups and downs, of course, and i was just trying to get used to, you know, being myself. it's been a little bit of a struggle, but -- >> yeah, because you talked about how embarrassed you were. i mean, it's not just a physical transformation that you've made -- >> oh, yeah. >> -- but i also imagine the social or psychological transformation, because you were sort of a recluse. you would only go out at night because you were afraid of being out in public. >> yeah, i had a lot of bad social phobias. i wouldn't step outside until it was pretty much dark out. there was one time in my life where i only left the house 12 times in a year. >> so now you're out there. >> i'm out there. >> you're on tv. >> i'm doing it. >> you have tv camera crews following you ever. does that pressure make it harder? >> of course there's pressure with everything i'm doing, but you know, the pressure is nothing compared to everything that i'm putting forth out there and motivating and inspiring people and that's really what i wanted to do with my life. >> now, i've got to ask you the estion as far as the social life, have you met a special someone yet? >> i'm still single. i'm just, you know, doing the dating stuff right now and -- >> working on you. >> working on me, and of course i'm -- all my dating stuff is pretty awkward, but i still try to get out there. >> that's eat, though. and chris, i mean, tell me what it is that david has to do to keep this weight off? because i mean, you're talking 400-plus pounds. >> sure. it really still is a daily struggle. when we talk about a lifestyle, that's really what it is. this is something that he has to continue for the rest of his life. and especially -- >> how did he get there, though? >> oh, how -- >> how did he get there, in terms of the weight loss? i mean, you had an interesting strategy. >> sure. >> you didn't make him go cold turkey in a sense, literally. >> no, it's important to give him, and to give -- when people are going through such a transformation like this, you almost have to dangle the carrot every other couple of days. so we used a process called carb cycling. i'm a huge fan of it. it was born in body building, and they can lean out over a short period of time. all we did was threw a real-life twist on it, and whereas in the carb cycle, it's a series of high and low carb days is what we call it, and on the high days, you can reward yourself. >> you can't have pizza. >> you can, actually. if you can't have it today, you can have it tomorrow. and it's this constant cyclical lifestyle and it's extremely effective. the results speak for themselves, so. >> absolutely. david, you talked about how much motivation you get from just inspiring others, and i know that one of the peopl you've helped inspire is a 550-pound man named jeff flossy, and you're going to see him on the documentary on tlc, "the wait is over." >> yes. >> tell me what he learned from you. >> oh, he's been picking my brain quite a lot. he's actually lost 50 pounds in the last five weeks. >> good. >> so, he's working it off, just like me. and i'm like the blueprint for his success, basically. >> that's great. and what do you hope others can take away from your journey? >> just not to sell themselves short. >> yeah. >> a lot of people always doubt what they can do with their lives, but i came from the bottom of the bottom and i'm just working my way out of this hole. >> what a great story. you're a good guy. david smith, good luck to you. >> thank you. >> and chris powell, thank you. >> thank you so much. >> it takes two. it takes teamwork, absolutely. >> we're helping, so that's all that matters. >>okay, great. "the 650-pound virgin: the weight is over" airs this sunday on tlc. coming up next, the teacher who sends each of his students a birthday card, all 2,500 he's taught over the last 30 years. it's an incredible story. we'll ♪ we're back now at 8:45. whether you're still in school or graduated years ago, all of us have a favorite teacher. and while we don't always think of them, there's one teacher in indianapolis who thinks that every student he's ever taught each and every year. scott swan from wthr has the story. >> i'd like you to turn in your bibles all the way back to the book of genesis. >> reporter: for 30 years, his eighth grade bible class at heritage christian school -- >> i remember starting out with just three verses. >> reporter: -- has leaned o the words from scripture. >> isaiah 14, do you remember that now? >> reporter: but his most memorae lesson may be one carefully composed of his own words. quietly delivered outside the classroom. >> everybody likes getting mail, but nothing like finding a letter in the mailbox. >> reporter: today, one of mr. stroup's students will begin to understand that. >> happy birthday. >> happy birthday. >> "dear rachel" -- >> i didn't want it to be a form letter. >> "i appreciated your good participation as a pleasant student." >> i want it to be about them and let them know that i remember them. >> i think it's really nice of him, because the fact that he takes time to do that for everyone. >> reporter: every one of these students will get a letter this year. >> not just like a few students, but for all his students that he's ever had. >> "dear liz, happy birthday." >> i did it through the years that they're in high school. >> right after eighth grade, after freshman year, sophomore year and after junior year. >> they go off to college, and i thought, you know -- >> my first letter is this one from 1997, all the way up until last year, so, 11 years worth of letters. >> they get married, they move other places. >> and he has written me over the past 30 years omy birthday. >> it's just something that i have never found an end game to, just, so i kept going. >> reporter: sometimes it takes only a few minutes. >> he always has a verse at the bottom in red. >> reporter: and other nights, he will spend hours writing. >> tim, jenny and sarah -- >> reporter: the names -- >> august 3rd, 2009. >> reporter: -- and birthdays of every student. >> john's birthday's on christmas. >> reporter: right here in this book. >> matt, hannah, leslie, brooke and samuel. >> reporter: a total of 2,500 students, and all of them will get a handwritten letter on their birthday. >> it seems like every year he pegs what's going on in my life, and i think god really uses him. >> reporter: tony's letter arrived at an important time. >> "dear tony" -- >> reporter: shortly after death of his father. >> "although there has been sadness in recent weeks, it has been nice to keep in touch and talk on different occasions." and on the bottom, it says" i'll be sure to get to the store and get you some fruit or two." that's mr. stroup, always thinking of someone else. >> it's just awesome to get this on my birthday. >> every year i know it's coming. >> reporter: handwritten reminders of school years past. >> you look at the writing. you don't even have to see where it's from. >> reporter: and encouragent for today. >> he wrote "do not merely listen to the words, but do what it says." >> reporter: what keeps bringing you back to the living room, to the pen, the paper? >> the one letter that goes out today might be one that will really encourage somebody. i don't know who going to need what on what day, and i don't know how god's going to use this, but i want to make sure that i don't drop the ball and that maybe, maybe this letter today is exactly what that person's going to need. >> happy birthday. >> happy birthday. >> happy birthday. >> sincerely, mr. stroup. >> reporter: for "today," scott swan, nbc news, indianapolis. >> what a terrific story. are better holiday shopping deals just around the corner? still ahead, why it might pay for you to avoid the stores on ♪ >> announcer: "today at the rink" is brought to you by smucker's. with a name like smucker's, it has to be good. ♪ skating away this morning on "today at the rink," three-time u.s. national champion michael weiss. he's part of an all-star skating cast taking part on an nbc sports special, "holiday celebration on ice," which is this sunday at 4:00 p.m./3:00 central time right here on nbc. michael, so great to have you here! >> great to be here. >> so, tell us a little bit about the special. what are some of the things we're going to see? >> well, is very unique because we have live music involved with skating as well. actually, reo speedwagon and rick springfield are at the event. >> wow. >> i toured with smucker's stars on ice, and we performed with reo speedwagon with "roll with the changes." and so, to be able to perform with them live was actually a cool experience. >> amazing. and some other big headliners as well, not just you. >> brian boy tanno, elvis, myself. a great group of skaters, great cast, come together. now that thanksgiving's over, moving to the next season and it's going to be a great holiday show. >> fantastic. you do a signature move, only you can do this, i hear, called the tornado. >> yes. >> what is this? >> it's actually a backflip with a full twist. i'm the only skater to do a backflip with a full twist. i know scott hamilton was on here before. actually, my dad was an olympic gymnast and taught scott hamiltono do that. and we've added a full twist. >> you're not doing it here, i guess. >> no, it's not big enough, but we'll do some fun stuff. >> i'll let you get into place. i'll take your jacket. i want to remind everybody, again, the sports special, "holiday celebration on ice" airs this sunday, 4:00 p.m./3:00 p.m. central time here on nbc. michael weiss, go ahead and take it away. ♪ ♪ you know the day destroys the night, night divides the day ♪ ♪ try to run, try to hide, break on through to the other side, break on through to the other side ♪ ♪ break on through to the other side, yeah ♪ >> woo! ♪ we chased our pleasures here, dug our treasures there, but can you still recall the time we climbed ♪ ♪ break on through to the other side, break on through to the other side ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ everybody knows my baby ♪ everybody loves my baby ♪ shake it ♪ shake it. ♪ shake it ♪ ♪ i found an island in your arms, country in your eyes, arms are changes, eyes aligned ♪ ♪ break on through to the other side, break on through to the other side ♪ ♪ break on through, oh, oh yeah ♪ ♪ ♪ plain to see week to week, day to day, hour to hour, strength deep and wide ♪ ♪ break on through to the other side, break on throu to the other side ♪ ♪ break on through, break on throu through, break on through ♪ >> woo! very cool performance by michael weiss, who skates to "break on our time is 8:55. 43 degrees. not there but inside pentagon city mall. you can see some choppeshoppers roaming around trying to get some good deals. in the news for today, yep, the sign might have risen a couple hours ago but many bargain hunters have been up for hours, some all night, because this is black friday. some waited in line for 24 hours to be among the first to grab des at best buy at potomac yard. this store opened promptly at 5:00 a.m. the virginia department of transportation has put traffic signals in sync at 14 shopping centers in northern virginia. vdot says this will help minimize backups. good morning. it's partly cloudy around the region and it's a rather capitol hilly morning. afternoon highs only in the upper 40s. and we have some snow now moving into the mountains of west virginia and western maryland, two to four inches may accumulate there today. here maybe a passing midday shower. otherwise part ly to mostly cloudy at times, winds gusting over 30 miles an hour into tonight through midday, saturday. might hav a few flurries tonight. cold tomorrow morning, near freezing. afternoon highs, low 50s with bright sunshine. maybe some rain monday. how's the traffic? things looking pretty good both directions on the capital beltway. a little wind. hang on tight to the steering wheel. one more stop interstate 66 a little bit of volume both directions. it's the busiest we've seen it all morning. the travel lanes are open. we'll be back with more news, weather and traffic in 25 minutes. ♪ we are back now on a friday morning, the 27th day of november, also known as black friday, but these nice folks chose hanging out with us over fighting the crowds in the stores, at least for now. but eventually, they all end up there. i'm lester holt along with natalie morales and jenna wolfe, who's helping us out on this holiday friday as matt and meredith and al have the day off. >> it's nice that all these people could be shopping, but they're shopping here. >> nothing left at the store. >> exactly. coming up, we have seen the picture almost everywhere, this couple that's been labeled party crashers. their lawyer says, hey, they didn't break any ls by showing up for tuesday night's steak dinner at the white house. we'll learn more about the salahis, just ahead. okay, also ahead, it's not exactly the season you would think for house hunting, but not so much, not so fast. we're going to tell you why barbara corcoran says it is the time to go out there and do it anyway. barbara corcoran will show you some good deals that you can find pretty much across the country right now. and this is going to come as a shock to you guys, but there's shopping going on right now. did you get that memo? >> there's word on the street. >> anybody get that memo? >> i missed that. >> are you going to leave here and go? >> i'm all about cyber monday. >> terrific tuesday, wednesday, you can go throughout. coming up, strategies that may save you some time and money, whether you hit the stores likelielike lester and i or do it online. first, a check of the headlines. peter alexander is in for ann at the news desk. good morning, peter. >> good morning to you. good morning to you at home. plenty of questions are still being asked about this week's state dinner at the white house and those two uninvited guests. how did they get in? savannah guthrie has more. >> reporter: good morning, peter. a lawyer for the couple says the couple did not crash the party. the white house says they weren't invited and no one from the social office waved them in. now the secret service is investigating. among the bold-faced names at tuesday's state dinner, this couple may be the boldest. >> mr. and mrs. salahi. >> reporter: the secret service says tareq and michaele salahi, a virginia couple, managed to get into the state dinner, even though their names were nowhere to be found on the official guest list. once inside, they snapped photos with everyone from white house chief of staff rahm emanuel to vice president joe biden, twice. the pictures then posted on michaele salahi's facebook page with the caption, "i was honored to be invited to attend the state dinner." michaele salahi is auditioning for the washington installment of the bravo tv series "real housewives." bravo, whose parent company also owns nbc news, taped the couple before the party. the cable network says the salahis claimed they were invited and producers had no reason to believe otherwise. shown here in their wedding video posted on youtube, the salahis actively courted the washington limelight. tareq salahi comes from a successful wine family but spent years in a bitter lawsuit with his parents over management of the family winery in hume, virginia. michaele salahi once modeled and is a former cheerleader for the washington redskins. they never really broke into washington's elite social circles, but they did rub shoulders with the rich and famous. from their winery's website to michaele salahi's facebook page, a vast collection of snaps featuring the salahis and every imaginable kind of celebrity. one facebook shot appears to show them with president obama and the music group the black-eyed peas now they face questions from federal authorities, and some say, should face criminal charges. >> the idea of 15 minutes of fame perhaps at the security of the country or president is just something we're not going to stand for as a nation. >> reporter: it's unclear still whether the president interacted with this couple at all or even had his picture taken with them. the secret service, by the way, says that the president and any of the guests were really never in danger because every guest still must go through a metal detector. peter? >> still quite a story. savannah guthrie at the white house, thank you. the head of the international atomic energy agency says the investigation into iran's nuclear program has come to a depend end. mohamed elbaradei's group demanded iran freeze its site project immediately. it is homecoming day for the crew of the shuttle "atlantis." after an 11-day mission to brick spare parts to the space station. among those returning, randolph r resnick, whose wife gave birth to a baby boy while he was in face. and the governor's mansion was toilet papered. this is the first time in the mansion's 101-year history that it got the official toilet paper treatment. the governor has teenage children at home and says it was likely a prank, not a political statement. at 5 minutes after 9:00. no matter what it was, lester and natalie and stephanie, you have to believe this was a pretty brazen prank to roll up to the governor's house and say, yeah, i'll just roll up and start throwing toilet papers. >> that's almost as bad as showing up at the white house without an invitation. but that's been done. >> that's happened. >> peter, thanks. hey, the holiday spirit is definitely alive here at rockefeller center, which means our toy drive is about to begin. and starting monday, we'll have a surprise guest out on the plaza every day, monday through friday, collecting toys for babies to teens. if you can't be here in person, you can still donate a toy to an underprivileged child by going to our website, todayshow.com. >> well, i'll tell you, one toymaker, they've been so generous with us here on the "today" show for nine years, is jack's pacific, and janet rosenburg is the official spokesperson along with baby lennie. >> she's with her cabbage patch kid. >> tell us about jack's for donation. >> jack's specific is proud to support -- this is our ninth year. and lennie is a california girl, so she's not used to wring this big winter coat. weonated cabbage patch kids and disney toys and so many fabulous arts and crafts, nascars, and you know, this has been obviously a very tough year for everybody, especially, you know, families around the country and around the world. and more than ever, we're giving this year -- yeah. >> well, we really appreciate that. >> jack's specific employees have been paying it forward all year long and we're so happy to be supporting you again this year. >> you guys are great. we really appreciate it. >> thank you very much. >> and she has a lot to say. >> i love the sparkly shoes. so cute. >> she's head to toe in sparkles this year. but thank you. and everyone at jakks. >> jakks pacific. good donation as always. al is off. stephanie abrams is from the weather channel, is here with the forecast. hello to stephanie ain. >> and sparkly shoes on one side of the plaza and a sparkly glitter here for two 16-year-old birthdays. what's your favorite thing about new york? >> shopping. >> let's look at your shopping forecast across the country and show you that here in the northeasrtheas overnight rain is now long gone. we have a little bit of sunshine around the region this morning but clouds will return over the next few hours. temperatures right now are in the low to mid-40s. 45 degrees in washington. and as we look at what's been happening the last six hours, some snow showers out in the mountains could accumulate later on today. we might have a midday shower. otherwise partly to mostly cloudy by this afternoon. winds gusting over 30 miles an hour. the winds will die down tomorrow with the sunshine back. milder on sunday. >> and yet another 16-year-old here on the plaza. what, did you guys all get together and decide to come to new york? >> yesterday for my birthday. >> did you get your driver's license yet? >> yes, i have. >> watch out. another young one on the road. jenna, over to you. ♪ when black friday comes along ♪ stephanie, thank you. this morning on "today's money," a black friday shopping survival guide. between door-buster bargains and extreme store openings, retailers are trying to get people to part with their hard-earned cash any way they can. we have our correspondents at all the hotspots. let's start with nbc's janet shamlian. she's at the grapevine mall in dallas that opened at midnight. that's n a typo. janet, good morning. >> reporter: jenna, good morning to you. yeah, even as the turkey was still warm, people were shopping. as you said, opened at midnight here, and by 1:00 in the morning, the parking lot was completely full. now, crowds are dwindling a little bit, presumably as some of the early birds went off to catch some winks. but they're expecting the next wave in the next couple of hours. now, those door-busters, the $600 50-inch flat-panel tv, they always bring in the crowds, we know that. but are the sales of today sustainable over the next couple of weeks? that's what retailers want to know. there is a 1% prediction drop in retail sales. also, retailers this year are offering a lot of online sales, jenna. so, if you don't want to come out, if you want to stay in your jammies and sleep from home, this year you can do it online as well. back to you, jenna. >>hat's exactly what i was planning to do. thank you for allowing me now. janet shamlian. nbc's jeff rossen's at the toys "r" us in the heart of new york city. he's out of his jammies. jeff, what's going on down there? >> reporter: that's good for all of you at home. >> we know. >> reporter: just a few hours out of my jammies, and a lot of parents are basically still in them. no sleep overnight. it's kind of scary, parents walking around with children without any sleep. a lot of them came straight from thanksgiving. jenna, this is just the beginning of a long holiday shopping weekend, the biggest of the year. this is black friday, the official start of it, but there are some estimates that 128 million americans will head out to the stores this weekend. and of course, we're at toys "r" us. we've got to talk about the hottest toys of the year. i want to start with this. it's called the zhu zhu pet. says a lot about our economy, actually, that the hottest toy of the year this year only costs $9.99. you hit a button on the back and it crawls up your arm, if you can see this hampster crawling around here. that's one of the hottest toys. let me show you another one. this is called chuck the tonka truck, and you can talk to it. hi, chuck! and it talks back to you and it goes around and it does all that. finally, if you're a big spender, $100. it's a mind probe from "star wars." you put it on your head, jenna, and you can levitate a ball. we can put our brains together at this hour and probably not even succeed in that. back to you. >> what did the truck say to you? i didn't get a chance to hear that. i'm sure it was poignant. >> reporter: it was telling me to go to sleep, i think. >> that's what i thought. jeff rossen, thank you. cn cnbc's carmen wong ulrich is here with advice for shoppers. >> good morning. >> you're here and not out there. >> yes, thank goodness. >> i know it's early, it's black friday, only a couple hours in. any shot of an assessment at this year versus last year so far? >> it is different because we're eased into the recession, where we're living in it now for over a year. last year was really a bit of a shock for everyone, for themselves and for retailers. so, now folks are spending a lot less. 84% of folks say we're not going to spend as much. also, inventory at retailers, they now know we're not going to spend as much, so now inventories are down to 2003 and we know we'll spend less. so expectations have changed. >> doesn't sound like a lot, but 1% can go a long way. what is the payment method this year? where are people looking now? >> it is cash and debit, and this is a huge change. th national retail federation holiday survey shows 70% of folks are either going to pay with cash or a debit card. this is a big shift from a couple years ago, which is closer to credit card. when you use cash or a debit card, you spend 15% to 20% less. so that'shy retailers are saying we know you're going to use your debit and spend less. >> granted, we hear everybody, everyone's out there, we have reporteraround the country. it started at 3:00, 4:00, 5:00 in the morning. is it too late, pajamas or not? >> not at all. a lot of the stores will be open until 10:00, 11:00 at night. and don't forget cyber monday. don't forget online. i'm a big fan of online shopping because i'd rather be in my pjs, but going online, cyber monday starts sunday night and you can go online and get some great sales. they're going to roll out online, so check that. go to dealnews.com, it's a great site. it's kind of like the gossip site of retailers. >> sure. >> so, they'll have the sales up there before anyone else. >> so, deeper discounts are coming? we shouldn't worry about today -- >> don't worry that's the end of the line. >> okay. >> my intrepid reporter, my sister-in-law was out at 5:00 a.m. at walmart and managed to get a nintendo ds for $98. that sale did not exist online this morning, but it may in another three weeks. but will they be there? that's the question. >> okay. we'll go shopping, we'll find out. carm carmen, thank you very much. >> thank you. >> always good information. . i remember being at the hospital, thinking about my wife. i should have done more to take care of myself. now i'm exercising, watching my diet, and i trust my heart to lipitor. 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"today" real estate expert barbara corcoran has been busy, always searching for good deals for us. >> it's true. >> barbara, good morning. good to have you here. >> nice to see you, natalie. >> happy late thanksgiving to you. >> thank you. >> we have a great mix o homes, so let's get right to them. first, we're starting in macon, georgia, where you found a house for just under $500,000. tell us about this little gem. >> first, macon is a beautiful southern town known for its cherry blossom festival, probably the most famous throughout the world. it happens every march. this is a beautiful 1800s southern home with big, white columns, and have a look at that front porch. >> looks like a plantation home. gorgeous! >> it is, but it's manageable, because it doesn't have 18 bedrooms, which plantation homes have. that is the backyard with the big deck, the gazebo, perfect for entertaining. that photo doesn't do it justice. it's bigger than that. once you get side, it has wonderful small features and large features. you're looking at a 14-foot living room there. there's the beautiful dining room. that fireplace works there. there's an additional fireplace somewhere else in the house. >> wow. >> the kitchen has extra long counters, closet space galore throughout the house, including in those cabinets. those are stairwells that lead up to the beautiful master bedroom that has his and her sinks, a separate tub. it has all the bells and whistles, and it has loads of charm. >> i love all the molding in that house, too. very traditional, detailed, but a lot of color. now, is that going to scare off folks? >> most times, it's a mistake to make a colorful house to this degree, but in this house, maybe the exception -- >> wow! >> that's a little strong. >> shocking blue. >> and blue's my favorite color, and i think that's strong, but in this house, the colors really do work, because they have the windows and shutters to offset is, and it's kind of what you'd expect of a beautiful southern bell house. >> it is beautiful. good deal on that one. now up north to bismarck, capital of north dakota. we're showing people a very different kind of house. this runs about $425,000. >> yes, it does, and the funny thing about this place is it has the name bismarck. >> yeah. >> and i researched that to find out that a railroad company changed the name to attract german immigrants to move into the area. >> interesting. >> it didn't even work, but bismarck remains the name. well, this is a grand tudor style home. what you couldn't see from the outside is it's at the end of a private cul-de-sac, which is coveted by a lot of people. it has impressive brick and wood work throughout the house, raised panel doors, a cozy great room. there's the kitchen with brick floors, granite countertops, beamed ceiling. >> a lot of wood throughout the house. >> which sometimes makes people feel like a house is too dark, but for some reason, it really works in this house. it feels so darn cozy. >> it fits. >> absolutely. this is a house well priced at $424,000. that's one of the bedrooms. it also has a great covered porch out the back, which we saw a moment ago. that's the master bath there. >> and double vanities. >> everything about the house is meticulous. >> okay. now let's go to topeka, kansas. a home for under $220,000. and if you love victorians, then this one is the house for you. >> oh, this is like a doll house. you should have little dolls that pop in and out of the windows. it's so picture-perfect. it is definitely victorian from the front to the back, up and down. that's an added porch that you would think would absorb the whole backyard, but no, they have a huge backyard beyond that porch. >> wow. >> it's a quite formal living room the way it's set up. it doesn't have to remain that way, but it's an open floor plan. lots of th walls are taken down. it's a very workable kitchen. i love the extra paint over that window there. the dining room that leads to that great big porch we saw a minute ago. and again, nothing to be done in this house. so, you can move in with your toothbrush, settle into the drawers and say, i'm at home. and what's wrong with that? >> there quou you go. and it's in an historic district, i understand. >> a historic district is great if you love the home how it is. but if you want to make outside changes, it's not the house for you because it's very hard in a historic district. >> especially on a victorian home, too. >> what would you change about that? >> no, it's beautiful. speaking of history, another historic district in columbia, south carolina. looks a little like charleston. look at this house. >> it's smack in the middle of the state, as you can see from that map, a short drive to both the mountains and the beach. there it is. it's three stories. hard to tell that from looking at this cture. it's taller than it looks. it has an inviting front porch. there's the backyard, a lovely grassed area for kids. i just see a bunch of kids living in this house and being happy. it has, of course, the deck, and it's easy to maintain this house. it's an old wood house, but it's meticulous and nothing in the house is wrong. look at the floors. i feel like i could have a picnic on that wood floor and be happy and clean. >> it's beautiful. that room so cozy. >> spacious kitchen you'll see in just a moment. look at the tiles. it's all in keeping with the outside of the house. this is one neat little package. >> wow. >> everything looks like it belongs together and you're going to have a happy life there. >> and the price tag $280,000, so -- >> think about that. >> not a bad deal. >> $280,000 and low taxes. >> beautiful. barbara corcoran, some beautiful houses there. thank you so much. >> hopefully i can sell you one. >> yeah, you know, some day. just ahead, the scuttles will tell you what you can do with your leftovers. s. the honey-baked bunches! the magic's in the mix. my favorite part? 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'twas the night before christmas and all through the house... whoa! that's grandma! nothing was stirring, - not karah, not maya. - how did she do that? magic. grandma loves you. girls: good night, grandma. be there to read them a story every night. read to me again. new recordable storybooks, only at your hallmark gold crown store. one of many ways to find meaning inside. still ahead, sophia loren gives you something to look forward to. first, your local news and weather. okay. ahh... then we will all do it together. treats! teets... teets... teets! yeah! lk at this! oh! it seems like the best family traditions... you want some? always start in the kitchen. ( laughter, conversation ) rice krispies. happy thanksgiving. rice krispies. bottom. needs work. sorry, son. [ female announcer ] you can't pass inspection with pieces left behind. it's soft and more durable. so you're left with a more dependable clean. fewer pieces left behind. new charmin ultra strong. i'm george duran and this is the hunt's crash kitchen tour. what are we making? penne pasta with eggplant, chicken, and tomato. these tomatoes are not my favorite. this, my friends, is what i am bringing to the table. do you trust me? uh... hunt's flashsteams every tomato to keep that backyard garden fresh taste. get your hands out of there now. you're very lucky that it came out this good. isn't it time to take a fresh look at your tomatoes? now your chase card let's you make your own payment plan for what you charge. introducing blueprint. blueprint's free and exclusively for chase customers. for a big purchase, there's split. it lets you decide how much... or how many months you want to pay. so you can be comfortable managing all of your large purchases. if having a plan matters, chase what matters. create your own blueprint at chase.com/blueprint. turned out to be a nice day out there. look at that sky, nice and blue. a few puffy clouds. we'll talk about what we can expect from our weather. our temperature chilly 45 degrees here in washington at 9:26, november 27th, 2009. i'm barbara harrison. later this morning the late washington wizards owner abe pollin will be laid to rest. the funeral is at the washington hebrew congregation at 11:30 this morning. abe pollin died on tuesday after a battle with a rare degenerative brain disorder. there are some road closures today because of that funeral. at 10:00 mccomb street between massachusetts and idaho avenue northwest will be closed. and 39th street between massachusetts and newark streets northwest will also be closed. we'll take a look at our weather and traffic when we come back. good morning. it's breezy and chilly around the region. clouds on the increase and radar showing a few snow showers and rain showers quickly passing by into the shenandoah valley and we'll have afternoon highs in the upper 40s with blustery winds and a small chance of a passing midday shower, maybe some flurries tonight. near freezing tomorrow morning. sunny saturday afternoon. winds diminish top. highs low 50s and sunny and mild sunday. a live look along i-95, northbound/southbound down to fredericksburg way moving along nicely. about a 50/50 split in volume. heading for downtown, 395 wide open to and across the 14th street bridge. looking good. barbara? it is looking good, okay. we'll be back with more news and weather in about 25 minutes. ♪ ♪ ave maria ♪ that is none other than the incredible andrea bocelli, one of my all-time favorites, and his album "my christmas" is the number one christmas cd this season. coming up on monday, andrea bocelli's going to be here live in our studio with a special performance. i cannot wait for that. i'm natalie morales with some of the weekend crew by my side, lester holt, jenna wolfe are here along with peter alexander, and also helping us out, stephanie abrams. we all didn't get to enjoy some time off today. >> no, that's okay. >> that's okay. >> this is fun, though. >> we had a good time. >> we'll take it, we'll lock the doors. >> exactly. >> so, let me ask, when you were kids, did the family ever gather around the kodak projector to look at the family slides? you guys are all too young. >> we had film. >> do you mean on our ipod? >> yeah, right? >> i'm an average 15 years older than you guys. all right, never mind. >> that's okay, lester. >> of course, they were black and white. anyway, whoever wrote that set me up. chances are, when those images were taken with the film called kodak -- did you know that paul mccartney had another band before wings? those images were taken with kodachrome, the photo at the time. it captured memories. paul simon even sang about it. we'll look at the effect it's had on one small american time. this was before vcrs. >> yes, yes. >> you guys remember those. >> no! >> it was a big deal. my friend got a vcr. everybody went to her house and we watched movies all day long. >> that's from ebay, right? also today, piscottos are in the house. delicious grub made from yesterday's left-overs. wait until you see what they have in store for us. all thumbs up. >> the whole family's coming out. also, what you should donate and not even think about dumping the next time you enter cleaning mode, which happens, what, for us women once a week? we want to just get rid of everything. >> like right now, purging everything. >> exactly. >> you guys have a lot coming up this weekend. give us a preview. we'll tell you how to benefit from bargains on cyber monday. also -- >> like a well-oiled machine around here. >> it's beginning to look a lot like christmas at 1600 pennsylvania avenue. we're going to meet the lucky owners of the douglas fur that's about to stand tall at the white house. >> okay, tak one. and we'll take -- >> woo! >> sorry, mark. >> we'll take a light-handed look at all the news that was this week, courtesy of the clown prince of msnbc, willie geist. that's all coming up this weekend on "today." >> all right. sounds like a busy weekend. look forward to it, now that we're all working smoothly here. let's slowly toss it to stephanie, give everybody time to catch up. speaking of the weekend, let's talk about the weekend forecast, because a lot of people are still celebrating, perhaps traveling this weekend. for saturday, we're clearg out in the northeast. still in the northwest it will be on the unsettled side. and for the second good morning. it's partly cloudy, blustery and chilly. in the mid-40s around the region. it's 45 in washington. winds 30 miles an hour. and as the day progresses, we'll have the snow maybe two to four inches accumulating out of the mountas. they're getting it now out in west virginia. there may be a stray shower or snow shower just moving into the shenandoah valley. we may have one passing by midday today and maybe a flurry tonight. winds blustery if the midday tomorrow. cold tomorrow morning and sunny tomorrow afterno and of course, a big game monday -- or sunday night, i should say, on nbc. we have the ravens here in baltimore, and it's looking like we are going to see very nice weather for sunday night football. we have the pittsburgh steelers. and again, cloudy skies, temperatures in the mid-40s. i don't know about you guys, but i love football, so, this time of year, i start to get sad because it's winding down, and you know -- >> oh, this is when it just gets good. >> winding up for the playoffs. >> it's getting big. >> just getting good. >> three games yesterday. >> getting bigger and better. >> three? >> i watched all three. >> yesterday? my goodness, wow. when we come back, a snapshot of life in one american town. 75% of kids don't get the recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin d. that's where their favorite cereals can help. general mills big g is the only leading line of kid cereals that has calcium and vitamin d. help them get more of what they need with general mills kid cereals. new tylenol cold rapid release gels day and night release medicine fast to relieve painful coughs, congestion and sore throats. so you can feel better. have come home to custom roasted maxwell house. really great flavor. i love the taste. hmmm. hmmm. smooth. rich. fabulous. is it "hmmm?" hmmm. 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"today's american story with bob datsun" comes from parsons, kansas, the last place on earth still processing kodachrome kodak film. if you grew up in the '50s or '60s, some of your memories are probably on that film, but kodak has stopped making the kodachrome, making the small town ponder a big question. ♪ >> reporter: if you could leave the world only a handful of images, what would you shoot? >> shake hands. let's have a great game. >> good luck. >> reporter: what would you see that we might miss, even standing next to you? tough questions in a world where digital cameras let us take all the pictures we want. >> they're bound to get one good one, you know? >> oh, gosh, this is great. >> reporter: 90-year-old leon crooks remembers when photography was rare. >> this year is when we first begin to do color. >> oh, it is? >> yeah. >> reporter: a roll held just 36 pictures. so, people recorded the rhythm of life one carefully crafted picture at a time. leon's neighbor, dwayne steinley, developed those images. >> oh, betty, look at that. >> years, years since we' seen these. >> years and years. >> reporter: he and his wife had four children under 3 years old. >> oh, that's so colorful. >> reporter: the first successful batch was called kodachrome. >> it opened up a whole new world for people and for pictures. >> they've been with me all the way. and now at least, i'm coming home. ♪ ♪ touch the green, green grass at home ♪ >> love and pictures keep people together. >> kodachrome was kind of like the lipstick and makeup for life. yes, it took a picture in color, but it made us look so much better. >> yes, it did, didn't it? you could see the red lipstick as red instead of a dull gray color. >> reporter: half a century ago, 2,000 film labs processed kodasclokod kodachrome in the u.s. now dwayne's is the last one in the entire world. his son, grant, watches over all those colorful memories. when you woke up one day and realized you were the last of the last, what'd you think? >> it's kind of pride mixed with melancholy. >> reporter: because kodak isn't making kodachrome anymore. ♪ mama don't take my kodachrome away ♪ >> reporter: this is not just another invention whose time has passed. kodachrome was a game-changer like the internet or iphone. until 1995, only people who could afford to have their pictures painted ever saw themselves in color. for most of us, our memories were frozen in black and white. >> that's not the way the world really is or the way we picture the world. >> reporter: and that's why 1,000 rolls of kodachrome chlorophyllm still tumble into this tiny town every day. customers around the globe are scrambling to develop their last rolls before the lab stops processing kodachrome at the end of 2010. >> is there any way you can get like an outline around it? >> kind of red. >> that's too red. >> reporter: today's photographers have endless choices, but lauren yanez has been pondering what she would leave the world if she only had a few shots left. she chose a place most pass by. why did you pick the train yard? >> because it's what our little town was built on. not a lot of people know that this is what parsons was back in the day. >> reporter: before the depot burned and the trains moved on, taking 2,000 jobs with them. yet, the town survives. that's a lasting image. for "today," bob dotson, nbc news with an american story in parsons, kansas. up next, donate it, don't dump it. we'll tell you why. somehow i'm still getting deals on hot holiday gifts and everyday stuff too! this might surprise my sister who spent all morning in the parking lot knitting christmas cards and hyperventilating. oh sis! look at you awake in the day time! a slumbering beast awakes. roooarrr! and a cookie can deck the halls, don gay apparel, dash through snow, have a get-together. a cookie can be both nutty and nice, or a cookie can just be a cookie. get recipes at bettycrocker.com. the week before it was granny's. two pounds chicken, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, a packet of hidden valley ranch. tonight it's all me. ranch chicken. announcer: hidden valley ranch. mix it up. ...and plain tissue... ...caused quite a commotion. mom knows to use soothing puffs plus with lotion. plain tissue can irritate the sore nose issue. puffs plus with lotion is a more soothing tissue. of maxwell house's flavor lock lid. hear that? seals it tight. smells like fresh ground. fresh fresh fresh fre-- that's our favorite part. ...fresh! (announcer) taste why maxwell house is good to the last drop. romantic or steamy... they all have one thing in common. they all start with an embrace. venus embrace. with 5 blades surrounded by a ribbon of moisture. it shaves you closer, so you can get closer. venus embrace. 2009 allure best of beauty winner. reveal the goddess in you. don't dump it, donate it. one of the ways to get into the spirit of the holiday is to donate your belongings to help the unfortunate. julie is the feature editor at "ladies' home journal." thank you for being with us on this day after thanksgiving. we spent thanksgiving being thankful for everything we have. how about spending the next day helping others that are less fortunate than us, right? this is a good time. >> such a good thing to do. so many of us have all kinds of old stuff, in the basement, in the attic, even in storage spaces we pay for, and you can really get rid of that stuff and do good with it. >> let's get to it. we have a bunch of things that we can actually donate instead of dumping. the first one is home goods, towels, sheets, blankets. you can donate your linens? >> animal shelters are desperate for your old soft towels, linens, blankets, something that may not be good enough for a goodwill, et cetera. we love pets911.com. >> okay. >> you can go in there and put in your zip code and find shelters near you and what they really need. >> the next one you say is old furniture, used furniture. it's not like a "seinfeld" episode where you're leaving a dresser on the plaza -- well, it said electronics. let's talk about electronics and go with the graphic. electronics is also something a lot of people have old stuff around, right? >> well, your old computers. i mean, how many old computers do you have? if they no longer work, they can be recycled, and if they are still in good working order, they can be donated. >> okay. >> there's a great -- we like earth911.com/electronics. you can put in your zip code and you can find out a place where you can either drop off or mail in your old computers and put them to good use. >> okay, the next one is used cell phones. let's see if the graphic's going to agree with me. okay, no graphic. everyone's got an old cell phone at home. instead of throwing them away, people use them. >> you might have bunches of them. >> sure. >> the national coalition against domestic violence will take your old cell phones and get them into the hands of women who really need them. what's so great is if you go to their website, you can download a postage-paid label. so, you just have to wrap it up -- >> they make it easy for you. >> but you can stick on their postage paid label and put it in the mail. great thing to do with old cell phones. >> and back to the furniture, you can give that to people, correct? >> yes. the national furnitu bank has locations all over the country. they work with different organizations. you can find one near you. they will often come pick up. it's a great thing to do. >> we should mention, along with electronics, electronic gaming consoles, a lot of kids are upgrading, right? that's a big one that you can -- >> there are a lot of things you can do if your kids no longer play with their handheld games. it's the number one request of soldiers overseas. >> interesting. >> yes. so, there is an organization called games for heroes that you can logon to that, find out where to send in your old handheld games, or maybe hook up with your friends and neighbors or your school and get a whole bunch of them, put them in the hands of soldiers. you can include a letter to a soldier. it's just a great thing to do. >> that's wonderful. we're running out of time, but clearly, clothing is the obvious choice and shoes, right? lightly worn shoes. >> yes. we work with soles for souls and who would think of your old shoes? but they get them in the hands of people who are in need all over the world. it's a great organization. you can find out where to drop off on their website. >> and we should just mention, as your kids grow up, there are a lot of things and toys and musical instruments and stuff. so, if you look around your house, there's a lot of things that you can donate from your kids as well. >> i have a whole closet. there's an organization where you can send in your musical instruments and they'll get them into the hands -- >> i think i had a used clarinet. my parents bought it for me. it had no reed. it didn't make any sound. >> the group is mr. holland's opus that works with that. >> julie bain, thank you, great ideas. we appreciate you being here. up next, do you smell it? ♪ it's turkey time yes, we're not done yet with our turkey time, and this morning in "today's kitchen," we've got a lot of people here to help us out. the scotto family. and they've got some great leftover recipes f us. they're mary and don, anthony, elena of the eatery. happy thanksgiving! you all worked yesterday, so today you get to enjoy with us. >> enjoying with you. >> we're making left-overs. my favorite that is right of thanksgiving is the left-overs. . >> this is the white meat turkey and dark meat turkey. and i'm putting in some sweet potato that was left over. >> okay. >> and then we need some eggs to bind it. >> a little egg. >> here, natalie -- >> you got it. see, i do this, too. this is the recipe i actually do at my house, and i put stuffing in mine, too. >> well, we haven't gotten to the stuffing yet. >> okay, it's coming. >> so, here's our croquet. >> okay, you put them in balls? >> we put it in flour, we put it in egg and we put it in breadcrumbs. and here they are sauteed. >> excellent. >> i'm going to do a few more here. >> very good. >> and there you are. >> perfect. >> so fast and so good. >> perfect. okay, then over here -- >> so, i'm making shepherd's pie. >> yes. >> so, basically, it's all leftovers from yesterday. i have pregreased the pan, i think mashed potatoes. >> mashed potatoes. >> i have mixed vegetables, which has the sausage in it, the mozzarella, corn, peas. >> and you added some rice. >> added some rice, put it right on top over the mashed potatoes -- >> that's going to be good. >> all right? spread it around, have some butter, parmesan cheese, add it right to the top. goes in the oven. >> ooh. >> you bake it for 30 minutes at 350. >> oh, my gosh. >> however, if you can't come to fresco or you don't want to cook, you can order our food on schwans.com, delivered to your door anywhere. >> there you go, always time for the plug. >> we've got some fettuccine and vegetables left over. anthony? >> you're out all day, shopping all day, looking at your refrigerator. you have your carrots left over from yesterday, string beans. i started with garlic. you have mushrooms from yesterday also, which is all wonderful. you're going to toss th. there's no reason to toss this. let's cook with it. i've cooked my fettuccine down ahead of time. we're going to add this right to it -- >> can i tell you that your left-overs look better than my dinner? >> so, we're going to put this together, toss it around a little bit. >> a little cheese, maybe? >> a little cheese if bewant to, but at the end, we'll kick it up a notch and add a little goat cheese to the top of this. >> see? >> now we're talking. >> this is the finished product. >> now we're talking. >> that plate's not big enough. >> enjoy. >> now, this is amazing. you can actually have leftover desserts. >> absolutely. >> i haven't heard of that, because in our family, we devour. can i start? >> yeah. we're making cranberry and apple bread pudding, simple ingredients, simple recipes. start with the eggs, some heavy cream -- >> this is from the apples you had from last night and the bread from last night? >> and the cranberry sauce. >> what's the best bread to use? >> any leftover bread. it was once called poor man's pudding, because it was a way of salvaging stale bread. so, you know, you could use that. >> feeling rich. >> exactly. >> tastes rich, too. >> anyway, we mix everything together -- >> okay. >> and then we put our apples in. >> that looks amazing. >> with our leftover cranberry sauce. >> i like to feel like i had a big part in this. >> delicious. >> we simply just cover our stale bread with it. >> excellent. and that's what it looks like when it's all done. >> 40 minutes at 350. >> you guys are the best. >> thank you so much. 9:56 is our time now. 45 degrees. looks like we have some sun out there this morning, a difference here in the nation's capital on this friday, the 27th day of november. some clouds above us as well. good morning. crews have repaired a water main that ruptured monday. work, however, continues at the site as crews finish up. they suffered a major setback, though, when a 59-year-old county worker was electrocuted on the scene after a metal ladder touched some power lines. another man was critically injured. arlington residents are being urged to conserve water. however, we're told the water safe to drink. to meteorologist tom kierein. breezy and chilly. we've had a few clouds in and out this morning. out of the mountains some snow right now. they could get two to four in parts of west virginia. for us, a passing midday or early afternoon shower. winds gusting over 30 miles an hour. highs only upper 40s with clouds in and out. and then maybe a few flying flurries in the air late tonight and then sunny. sunday milder. how the traffic? moving along nicely. no road work in sight. travel lanes are all open. 210 at kirby hill road long gone. >> back to the "today" show after this short this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb. from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> hi, everybody. it's friday. november 27th, known as black friday. hope you had an awesome thanksgiving. >> and you're all full. yes, indeed. >> i told you you would get through it. i told you you would. it will be fine with your family. >> they're still here. a lot of people, when it comes to this time of year everybody wants to try to see if they can take off a few pounds. we have ways to help you stop with the holiday weight gain. >> what i did after halloween. i had one tiny reese's pieces cup. i had no bread or anything until thanksgiving. you get a little munch and it's fine, you can do it. >> there's a lot of parties and stuff. that's the trouble this time of year. >> but there's always tons to eat. avoid certain things you know are the hardest for you. >> these people say this is what you should do before you leave the house. eat a high fiber, high protein snack. i have a friend who eats yogurt before he goes out. it's all right there. you don't realize how much you're eating. a little thing here and a tiny thing there. >> but the other part of that is try to avoid staying too long, they say. the next one is really, of course, go to the gym a little bit. okay, okay. i'm going to the gym for an hour and then going to the christmas party. >> people don't do that. >> take stairs going to the christmas party instead of the elevator. >> take your drinks and water them down with other things. >> that's not going to happen. you can also forget punch. people think it's fruit so it must be good for me. it's like drinking sugar. >> we have to stay away from the punch. those are good bits of advice. >> and limit the time of the events. who is going to leave a good party? >> not us. so, this is another thg. it's the time where people are shopping. is today the day people start shopping? >> yes, all the big bargains and everything. people get up very, very early. >> people are talking about -- i mean, people are talking about spending less because people have less. you don't want to buy a lot of things for people. and people are talking about the places they were going to cut back. one of the places they're going to cut back is they're not going to buy christmas presents for their bosses. >> i'm all for it. >> they don't need it. >> except for the people who work for me. no, no, i'm all for it. i'm all for having thanksgiving twice. i love christmas because of what it means spiritually. you can keep christmas in your heart all year round. we don't need so many gifts. i know the economy needs it for stimulation. remember when the whole holiday season was joyful and fun and you looked the forward to it? now it's like i got to do this, i got to get the cards. >> if someone gets you a gift and you don't have one, l -- >> that's why you establish up front. let's not give gifts. >> i have been friends with karen forever. we've never exchanged gifts. she goes, please don't get me anything. it will ruin the streak. literally, christmas and birthdays. >> get together and have lunch and and enjoy each other. >> the best advice came to me from a friend of mine years ago when we were little. she says you want to manage christmas, make it fun, make it joyful? i said, yeah. give your kids every year three presents like baby jesus got. >> did you do that? >> yeah, ever since then. three. it keeps it spiritual. it also keeps it manageable. >> i think a lot of parentses get stressed because they're trying to buy their kids everything. >> you want to ruin your kids, give them everything. honestly. you see the little kids that go, wah to christmas. an hour later -- >> they're over it. you can't remember what you got. if someone gave me this gift i would love it. look at this. thiss a travel pillow. i thought it was a wine -- it's not. you tuck it right here. think about being on the plane. you tuck it right here. i got to tell you, it's comfy. you could work on the plane. i don't like the ones that go all the way around the neck. i'm never comfortable. >> you're like a cow. i'm like a cow enough. >> what do you think? try it. try this. >> i like that. i just want a fatter one. >> a fatter one? >> i like to -- you know. >> we were talking about shopping. remember the fantasy job we talked about? >> australian island or something like that? >> that was a fantasy job. the other one was this deal where you go shopping. they send you to -- >> they pay you to shop. >> paris, tokyo. >> a paris-based website. they offered the winner one month, a whole month of traveling to seven world cities with a shopping budget of $15,000. not going to go too far in paris. but a business class and luxury accommodation. >> all you have to do is keep a blog. that's the deal. keep a blog on what the shopping experience was like. that's it. can you imagine going to all -- hong kong, berlin, tokyo, paris, mulan. >> they need to stretch the money a little bit. you know what a euro is now compared to the dollar? last i looked it's $1.50. >> you have until december 14th to sign up for that. get on it. >> that website is going o crash. >> yeah, it's. we don't know what it is. >> families -- >> this surprises me. families spend four days a year arguing. >> now, that would be the whole day. 24/7. >> yeah. they have at least three disagreements today with mothers causing most of the fights with shouting and sulking. >> because the mothers are saying who left their shoes here. if no one said anything the place would be a pig sty and no one would be arguing. >> that's not fair. >> that's not nice. >> this survey was done by -- what's it called? >> i don't know. most fights are over housold chores. kids treating the house like a hotel. and there are issues with couples about listen to me and all that. you don't hear me. i'm talking. all that. >> yes, i won't comment on that. >> why? >> but the results show fathers are getting more and more involved. >> are they? >> yeah. i don't have that problem. thank goodness. i can't imagine how difficult it would be to be a single parent. then you add all the financial problems people have and how somebody wants to give their kids a christmas or a good thanksgiving meal yesterday, it's very hard for people. the best way to feel good, honestly, you guys. the best way to feel good, go help somebody else this season who has nothing. >> we have to talk about okay or not okay. >> okay. >> we are okay or not okay every week. is it okay to skip your family thanksgiving dinner? hoda says thanksgiving is for families so suck it up and show up or else you'll be the turkey that day. kathie lee said, nope, it's better to deal with the holiday and be with family rather than have it bite you in the butt later. family does not forget. >> they will make grounds hog day so miserable. what's going on with you here? a double snuggie? >> we go everywhere together. donna. >> hi, donna. >> what's going on? >> this is a double snuggie. >> they sell double snuggies? >> for people you can't spend time apart from. >> what about if you have to go potty? >> that's going to be awkward. later, the results of a holiday weekend ambush makeover. first these messages. express each one more with downy simple pleasures feel more calm with new downy lavender serenity feel more daring with spice blossom dare feel more elegant with orchid allure now all have renewing scent pearls that help you express every side of you downy simple pleasures. feel more [ glass shatters ] [ female announcer ] it's the most wonderful time of the year, and walmart's here to help. this saturday only, starting at 8 am, get amazing prices on samsung tvs, like this 32-inch hdtv for $398. find even more specials at walmart.com/holidaysavings. save money. live better. walmart. when you can actually party at your party? with homemade chex party mix. five great recipes that wow the crowd. and you can make them in only 15 minutes. get out of the kitchen, get into the party. homemade chex party mix. not even a mouse... (announcer) this season, walmart will match any other store's advertised price. so you can stop chasing sales, and start enjoying christmas. save money. live better. walmart. okay. ahh... then we will all do it together. treats! teets... teets... teets! yeah! look at this! oh! it seems like the best family traditions... you want some? always start in the kitchen. ( laughter, conversation ) rice krispies. happy thanksgiving. i visit you every week. don't look at me like that. >> yes, that is the truly one and only film legend and academy award winner sofia lauren back onhe screen in the much anticipated up coming movie. >> it's based on the broadway musical. sofia plays the mother of the leading man, the incredible daniel day-lewiwhose character is going through a midlife crisis. such an honor to have you here with us today. thank you for coming on here. >> what is it about "nine" that interested you, sofia? >> well, the director called me one day. he said we are going to do a musical. and i'm not going to do this musical without you because i need a mother for daniel. the only italian mother that could cope with everybody, it would be you. but if there's no you in the film i'm not going to pitch it. >> you've sung quite a bit in the past, though. we don't think of you as a singer, but you knew there would be singing involved. >> yeah, i've done little records here and there. >> but she's not italian. you needed an italian mama. >> liza minnelli. >> he said if you're not going to be in it, i'm not going to do the picture. to save his career -- >> you had to do it. >> yes. >> i'm going to do it without reading the script. >> it's an incredible cast. >> without reading the script, she said. >> no, no, no. i wanted to be in a musical. i love music. american musicals are the best in the world. i said to myself let me get this opportunity. who knows what's going to happen ter on. one thing leads to the other. >> a you were a fan of chicago, the movie as well. he is so brilliant. >> absolutely. >> and this cast is incredible, sophia. unbelievable. >> what about daniel day-lewis. how did daniel day-lewis stack up? >> daniel, very good. >> the best, huh? >> oh, that's us. >> there you are. >> and there's nicole kidman, penelope cruz, kate hudson. >> look at mama. >> mama mia. >> how do you stay looking so youthful, sophia? >> it's a miracle. >> they used to say it was your bowl of spaghetti every day. not so much. >> that's not true. it was a joke. >> what is the truth? >> what is the truth? >> do you watch what you eat every day? do you have a lot of exercise programs? >> no, no, no. i don't do anything. i just work. >> really? >> i work and think. and to think thin. >> think thin? i like that. >> someone said there was an article about the time they got to an interview with you, you had been on a two-hour walk, you had been up. >> sometimes i do. not when i'm working. it's impossible. >> so you're loving life. how are your boys? >> the boys are fine. they're fathers of two young little babies. one is 2 1/2 years. and the other one, a girl, she's 3 1/2 years >> so you're loving life? >> oh, yes. >> we're so excited about "nine." >> we're thrilled. >> thank you so much. >> "nine" opens in a theater near you on christmas day. >> and still to come a holiday movie roundup. a technologically advanced clog buster and pipe wall cleaner... an unstoppable foam that penetrates the toughest clogs and pummels them away. liquid-plumr foaming pipe snake. unleash the power of the plumr. t2-day sale!key? shop it off friday foand kmart's post turky a trim a home heritage tree, just $79.99, save up to 60% on all holiday linens and accessories, plus joe boxer sleepwear, buy one, get one free. there's smart, and there's kmart smart. - no to fake foods. - and yes to real. yes to hellmann's. made with eggs, vinegar and oils... that are naturally rich in omega 3. with all the taste in the world. mmmmmm. hellmann's. it's time for real. making the perfect holiday pie requires one skill the ability to gracefully accept compliments making the perfect holiday pie requires one skill this holiday, do you really want to cut corners by using a broth with msg? only one canned chicken broth has no msg. so for a perfect holiday meal, the secret is swanson, 100% natural chicken broth. and to keep beef juicy and bring out its natural flavors, use swanson stock. we are back with today's ambush makeovers. they plucked two lucky ladies from the plaza for an instant makeover. >> now it's time to reveal the results. everybody ready? >> we're ready. >> i'm full, but i'm ready. >> how was it? how was the selection process? >> it was great. huge crowd. everyone is here for the thanksgiving holiday. it's a lot of fun. many people to pick from. >> our first lady is kathleen gates. she has two daughters and a life partner of 23 years. she now spends her days educating others about alzheimer's. in her free time she practices photography. she's had the exact same look for 30 years. >> your mom has had the same look for 30 years. we know she needs a makeover. >> definitely needs a make over she's beautiful. this will be a wonderful way to enhance her beauty. she was ill a couple of years ago. she lost her hair and it came back very different. this trip was a christmas present to her, so this is better. >> are you ready for the best gift ever? >> i am. i am so excited. i'm scared. but i'm excited. >> don't be scared. we'll take care of you. >> great. >> we already love kathleen. >> love her, love her. her daughter kirsten is sitting right there. don't take off the blindfold until you get the green light. okay, kathleen, let's see the new you. >> all right! come on over here. okay, hold on. your daughter is going to lose her mind. are you ready? take off your blindfold, honey. oh my god! >> we need the medics. all right, kathleen. turn around. do it slowly. what do you see? >> they won't recognize me on my driver's license. >> the hair, the hair, the hair. >> can you imagine the pressure of having the best christmas present of the year. i think we did it. number one, washing away the gray makes all the difference. you look years younger. we gave her this great haircut. layers. easy. she can blow dry or do it with her fingers. you're set to go. >> oh, thank you. >> look at mom. what do you think? >> it's incredible. reminiscent of many years ago. >> oh! >> she was so much fun. she loves to wear all black. we just kicked it up a notch. the pearls also from talbot. >> adorable. thank you, kathleen. >> thank you. >> our second lady is name debbie. we'll get to her real soon. she's 51 from illinois. she's been engaged to steve, get this, for 18 years. steve! >> hello. >> for the past 33 years she's worked as a bartender. in her spare time she likes to gamble and visit wineries. she begged us to make her over and give her an appropriate look for her age. there's steve. we're going to talk to him. don't take it off, steve. let's hear her story, debbie >> you've been engaged for 18 years. this better seal the deal. >> well, it could. it very well could. >> why do you want a makeover? >> i've had the same look for -- ever. i just need one. maybe it will make it seal the deal. >> we're going to find out if it works. steve is waiting. let's take one last look at debbie before. here's the new debbie. ♪ feel the rain on your skin >> oh, wow, deb. all right, debbie. step back, please. all right. steve, you ready? >> yep. >> take it off, baby. >> wow. i think it's time to seal the deal. >> all right, debbie. turn around, sweetie. look at yourself. >> whoa, i don't even recognize myself. >> well, seal the deal with a little bit of hair color. this made her eyes just pop. you look -- you're prettier than the "sex in the city" girls. layers by arson. the makeup looks beautiful. >> leopard and leather. that's the way to a man's heart, right? this is from ann taylor. it really ak sshows off her fig >> time to set a date. >> let's do it! >> ladies, congratulations. you have been officially ambushed by "today." coming up, we'll tell you about the hottest toys for black friday right after these messages. [ glass shatters ] [ female announcer ] it's the most wonderful time of the year, and walmart's here to help. this saturday only, starting at 8 am, get amazing prices on samsung tvs, like this 32-inch hdtv for $398. find even more specials at walmart.com/holidaysavings. save money. live better. walmart. okay. ahh... then we will all do it together. treats! teets... teets... teets! yeah! look at this! oh! it seems like the best family traditions... you want some? always start in the kitchen. ( laughter, conversation ) rice krispies. happy thanksgiving. coming up at midday -- >> funeral services begin in just about an hour and how the owner of the wizards is being remembered for his impact on the community. good morning. coming up on news 4 midday what would convince to you stand in line for nearly 24 hours? we'll hear from shoppers and what they walked out of the st . we're back with more of "today" on this friday. we're kicking off the holiday season with holiday movies. >> the best way to cope with the cold is to a trip to a theater near you. we have picks for the must-see holiday picks. >> so what is the movie we should see over the holiday season? >> the movie with the most hype is "avatar"? >> more than "new moon"? >> even more. it's james cameron's first movie since "titanic." it's in 3d. it costs $230 million. from the alien epic adventure. he's never really failed before. there's always hype and confusion about his movies. he always delivers. >> a mu we that has gotten a lot of buzz was "precious." the young girl that plays her. >> oh, gosh. she's so fabulous. >> you're going to see plenty of her during awares season. she's going to certainly get nominated for best actress. >> so is mo'nique. >> it's a good drama. if you want to see something serious, you have to prepare. you're going to cry. >> are they spreading it out more and sending it to more theaters? >> mariah carey is also great in it as a social worker. >> what's next? >> clint eastwood. >> he always does a great holiday movie. he's 79. a movie every year. this year he's starring with morgan freeman. takes place in 1995 in south africa. >> and matt damon? >> he directs it. he's not in it. he's a great director. this is a good sports movie. >> oh,good. >> i love matt damon, too. >> he's a versatile actor. >> who else is such a rock star and the sexiest man alive, jude law. >> he's got a couple of big movies coming out. >> two movies coming out. he has "sherlock holmes" with robert downey jr. >> guy richie was in that. >> jude law is one of the characters who subs in for heath ledger. >> an innovative way to save the film. i guess people are wondering if it works? >> it does work. johnny depp is in it. collin ferrell is also in it. >> he looks amazing. >> you better hurry. >> if you want light and disney is the way to go, at's good in the animated department? >> disney has that their first 2d animation in a while. "the princess and the frog." the first african-american princess. she kisses a frog. then she turns into a frog. >> hey, it happens sometimes. >> it does. >> happened to me after the prom once. >> that's a cute idea. and the one i've seen all the hype on is that show "nine." the musical turned movie. >> with rob marshall directing, come on. >> i know how much you love musicals. it's really interesting. kate hudson has a great number. penelope cruz. >> sophia loren. this is the epic musical. >> they were saying when you watch something like that it's hard to know where to look. you almost have to watch it a second time because there's so much going on. >> there certainly is. there's so many great performances in the movie it's hard to stuff them all into one movie. >> she's amazing. i think of all the the movies, that's the one i'm most excited about. rob marshall is my favorite director of that kind of mill m. >> thanks for all your picks. >> take care, buddy. >> up next, some of the hottest toys of the season for your black friday shopping and your little one. announcer: they came from all over the world. ten cows. one dream. to be the next california happy cow. - her! pick her! - i live... here. let's go to california! thank you! only one cow can win. only you can decide. vote for the next california happy cow. voting ends december 31st. great milk comes from happy cows. happy cows come from california. look for dairy brands with the real california seals. happy cows come ♪ from california. this holiday, do you really want to cut corners by using a broth with msg? only one canned chicken broth has no msg. so for a perfect holiday meal, the secret is swanson, 100% natural chicken broth. and to keep beef juicy and bring out its natural flavors, use swanson stock. t2-day sale!key? shop it off friday and kmart's post turky a trim a home heritage tree, just $79.99, save up to 60% on all holiday linens and accessories, plus joe boxer sleepwear, buy one, get one free. there's smart, and there's kmart smart. you'll love it. your old mop will just have to get over it... [ engine rattles ] [ man ] love stinks! ♪ love stinks! ♪ yeah! yeah! [ female announcer ] new swiffer wet jet is redesigned. it cleans deep in corners. its solution penetrates layers of dirt and its absorbent pad locks it away to clean better than a mop. the newly redesigned swiffer wet jet. ♪ love stinks! remember back in the '80s when parents waited in line for hours to get a coveted cabbage patch dolls. >> don't let that happen to you. we'll bring you the hottest kids toys for this holiday season. elizabeth iwith todaymoms.com. how are you? >> great, thanks so much. >> they seem to be very hot. they're totally ignoring us. this is great. >> why don't we start over here? >> this is the step two fresh market kitchen. absolutely love this. it has three sides to it. our girl are having a great time. there's a kitchen. there's a fresh market. they can actually play restaurant. it comes with all the accessories you see, which is great. >> i like it. >> can you turn on the oven? >> it turns red. >> doshl adorable. >> the kitchen your kids will play with for years to come. >> and this is plastic. >> nice sturdy step. >> now we're in barbie doll land. this is her dream house. >> we have an older child here. >> hello, mary ann. >> barbie is for all ages. this dream house three floors, elevator. there's a whirlpool, flat screen tv, tiki lights. it's a souped up version of what we had in the '70s. >> thanks, marion. you're a good little girl. now in the boy department. >> that's right. the transformers are hot this year. this is the bumblebee voice mixer. this actually changes their voice. they put the helmet on. they push some buttons. they can talk through it. they sound like bumblebee. >> will you put that on? >> try this for us. >> will you put it on your head? >>ut it on. make your voice sound different. >> buttons they push on the side can talk. this is great because they get to become bumblebee. a lot of fun. eli manning. >> i see you. >> this was the hottest property last year for boys. this is the newest of the bakugan line. you hear the boys yelling, yes, yes! . this makes one huge monster with a combination of brawlers and traps. very cool for the boys. >> affordable? >> all of these items arender $20 or $30. the ones for the boys. very cool. >> legos are still in. >> what i love about this, this is the builder's set of tomorrow. these don't come with the instructions that they go page by page and build one thing. this is a bucket of legos. sit down, use your imagination. you build together. anything you want. very affordable. under $30 for a bucket of legos. >> but for 4 and up because of the pieces. >> eli, come here. come to me, eli. show me what's going on here? >> the hottest toy of the year, these pets are it. these are little hamsters that we're going to play with. they are fully interactive. they make nurturing sounds. they drive cars. they ride surfboards. >> that's adorable. >> hoda loves them. >> i'm in. >> they make cute sounds. they have over 40 different sounds. they have back up. they have sensors in them. they're nice and soft. the inside are hard bodies where the mechanics are. >> all right, eli. what do we have over here? >> this is a candy factory. the girls can design and make their own hard candy jewelry in the little factory. little oven for them. they're going to make necklaces, rings and bracelets. >> what are we doing? >> they are playing wii sports remote. this is the hottest game. it gets every couch potato up. they have canoeing to jet skiing. my kids are fencing right now. this is a great way for my children to fence each other without hurting each other. they're not actually touching. under $50. tons of games. great for the whole family. >> great idea. >> thank you so much. >> we want to thank our litt guys as well. >> coming up next, a 13-year-old chef who talks turkey leftovers right after this. [ glass shatters ] [ female announcer ] it's the most wonderful time of the year, and walmart's here to help. this saturday only, starting at 8 am, get amazing prices on samsung tvs, like this 32-inch hdtv for $398. find even more specials at walmart.com/holidaysavings. save money. live better. walmart. but i've got a warm, fresh baked strawberry toaster strudel. see thdifference? mmmm. i do. (announcer) pillsbury toaster strudel. the one kids want to eat. let's go to last night's highlights. there's mom and dad cleaning up. and there's the meatloaf. yuck. look what sometimes happens with the ordinary bag. it slips, oh, bingo, it falls in. mom was mad. mom should have used glad forceflex with the new stretchable drawstring that grips the can and stays in place. plus, it has the stretchable streng of forceflex. at's all today for glad tv. both: don't get mad-- get glad! not even a mouse... (announcer) this season, walmart will match any other store's advertised price. so you can stop chasing sales, and start enjoying christmas. save money. live better. walmart. we're back with today's holiday kitchen and the chef who is probably younger than the turkey you ate, yesterday. >> that's right. 13-year-old joey is here with what to do with leftovers. >> you've changed a little since last year. what do you think? >> puberty. what's with the 'stache? >> i've grown over the years. >> it's been a good year for you? >> yes, i'm becoming a big boy. >> wow. that could be dangerous. >> what are we making today? >> we're making a turkey risotto. >> oh, i love risotto. >> we're going to get our mushrooms and saute them until their golden. golden and soft. we're going to get our turkey. pour that in there. cube your tour key. turkey. you saute that. >> i can do that for you. over here we have our onions sauteing. we're going to put in our arborio rice. stir those around. go ahead and stir. >> you throw them right in. >> arborio rice is a little bit different from regular rice. >> is it? >> yes. >> do you know how? >> harder. more absorbing. and you're going to get your white wine. >> you should not be holding wine. i'm sorry. >> you can cook with it. the alcohol cooks off. >> it's okay. i got a mustache. >> so do i. >> okay. that's good. >> sometimes i crack myself up. >> yes, you do. >> now it's absorbing the white wine. we're going to put our paprika and sage. that gives it a really good orange fall color. >> that's beautiful. how long do you have to cook this? >> it usually takes 45 to an hour. >> do you cover it and let it simmer down? >> yeah. >> so you cover it and let it simmer down. >> now after the white wine. >> i'm going to say it a third time in a minute. >> after the white wib is absorbed then you're going to get half a cup of chicken stock or turkey stock. then you let it simmer down? >> you have to stir it constantly. and it absorbs and it makes it really good. >> that looks delicious. >> it is. >> did you come up with this yourself? is this a family recipe or what? >> i came up with it myself. >> look how lounge joey's hair is? >> i'm growing it out to donate it to cancer patients. >> are you really? >> yes, i am. >> you're a sweet kid. not only talented but sweet. >> let's taste it. >> go ahead. >> turkey risotto. >> it looks delicious. >> uh-huh. mmm. mmm, nice. >> thank you, honey. thank you so much. >> that's when you're saying, you're welcome, hoda. thanks for having me. >> oh, sorry. you're welcome. >> we're going to be back. >> but first, tis the season to stuff thyself. >> does the thought of the treadmill have you running away? like not running? sarah haynes may have the solution to your problem. >> that's right. i hit up four different gyms and tested out four very hip and trendy workouts that promised to help your out of your workout run. >> today i'm training with brett. the hottie. can you please pronounce what we're doing today? come on. don't be shy. >> where am i going to feel this? >> you're going to feel it in your booty. >> is that a nice way of saying it? >> it is. >> look at that rhythm there. >> he called me mommy. >> loosen up. loosen up. >> i'm not loose? ♪ >> so i'm here today to try hard core. micha turner from wfpf. what the heck is hardcore? >> that's describing moving from point "a" tooint "b" using nothing but your body. >> i think i've practiced this one. if i don't have to move or jump i'm totally into this. i'm cool. i want to see you get to the gymnastic move. >> oh my gosh. don't let me fall. don't let me fall. oh my god! today we're doing body web. it makes me think of like spiderman. what types of things are we doing today? >> we're doing some aerial movement. a lot of either leaping off the floor or hovering off the floor. it will give you the feeling of getting to be a super hero, which is fun. >> so i can handle this. >> you can handle it. >> if i work it hard. >> yes. that's what i heard. i don't know. whoo! >> and relax. >> what does w.o.w. stand for? >> women on weights. >> are boys allowed? >> yes. it's great. it's the best way to lose body fat. >> you sad the magic words, burn fat. i'm in. ♪ >> one, two, three, wow! >> oh, wow. hi. which one did you like the best? >> the hardcore was like being a kid again. >> that was bizarre what he was doing. it looked scary. >> you should see that guy do a standing jump. amazing. >> did you feel good? >> i felt amazing. they hurt, though. the women on weights. could not sit down. >> would you continue with any of them? >> definitely. i got better workouts out of the body webbing and plates. hardcore was like playtime on mats. >> that's going to do it for this holiday weekend. we hope you guys have a great one. guess who is coming up? barry manilow has a new christmas record. >> we're very busy and important. >> have a lovely week. have a great, awesome weekend, everybody. >> we'll see you next week. because that's what we do. >> workout. >> do it.

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