calorie progresso light soups. we are back on this saturday morning. it's january 4th, 2014. despite the cold temperatures outside, we have some great folks out on the plaza this morning. they get an extra special thanks for coming out in this freezing cold to start their day with us and looking forward to seeing them in person in a little bit longer -- in a little bit? in a little bit. we got folks from columbia, south carolina out there. >> your hometown! >> ladies from tennessee too. >> people who aren't from new york they look outside and people are excited. it's really cold! not just like new york regular, regular cold. for these guys to be -- it is really cold! we were only outside for a little bit. >> we should take them something. we have to find something to take them. >> we need to send craig out there! >> he can entertain. >> i could probably get them a bit of news.

>> isn't that interesting? speaking of. this half hour when the actor found out he would be playing nelson mandela on the big screen, ahead he tells lester how he prepared for the role coming up. then we are going to introduce to you a cheerleading squad that may perform like a typical team but this group is really anything but typically. >> looking forward to that. a breakfast staple in households across the country. cheerios, though, getting a little bit of a makeover. we will tell you what is changing and how it all came about, one little hint for you here, a little something called social media. >> big public outcry. a lot to get to. first, a 7-year-old girl has a lengthy road to recovery in front of her after she fell dozens of feet down a well. her family says despite her pain, her spirits are still pretty high. here is mark potter. >> reporter: after gaufalling t the bottom of a 50-foot well at

her grandparents home and rescued by firefighters megan winter has been in surgery to repair her broken legs and hip and another operation to realign bones in her face was postponed until next week after megan got pneumonia. she is being treated in atlanta children's hospital and in this photo provided by her family can be seen resting with her eyes swollen shut and arm in cast but a family friend says despite her serious and painful injuries, megan is feisty and determined to recover. >> she has always been a leader. a very strong stubborn child. >> reporter: the accident occurred on monday in rural whitesburg, georgia, where peg meggan was playing on top of this dry well. >> the well was covered but it was covered with plywood and stuff and it fell through when she jumped occupy it. >> reporter: firefighters say if the well had water in it, megan would not have survived. after falling down the shaft feet first, she land inside a twist position but still able to help the firefighter who went down the well to put a harness

around her. rescuers using ropes and pulleys pulled her to safety. she was taken to a waiting helicopter and flown to atlanta to begin her extensive treatment. >> at this point, we are all just thankful that she is still with us. she is still with us. it could have gone so terribly wrong. >> reporter: megan's rehabilitation is expected to take a long time. but her family hopes for a full recovery. >> we want her to be able to run and laugh and play like she did before. >> reporter: for "today," mark potter, nbc news, miami. >> scary b glad to hear she is on the mend even if it is a long road ahead. another check of the weather from dylan who made her way out to the plaza where it's balmy and beautiful. >> it is very balmy and beautiful out here. it's gorgeous! yeah. ! i got all of my troopers. where are you from and how are you staying warm? >> from tennessee and we have lots of layers on and hand warmers in our gloves and our feet. >> you know the cold is going to tennessee, too?

>> yes. >> so get your practice here and then bring it on down to tennessee. it is going to be brutally cold the next couple of days. right now, we are going to talk about more snow. it doesn't look like much right now but this is going to turn into a bigger storm system. because it's so cold have you a fluff factor. instead after couple of inches of snow it accumulates quickly and could have 6 to 12 inches of snow in the midwest so naturally winter storm warnings and advisories through the northern plains through the upper midwest and that snow is not going to make it to the east coast. in fact, despite how cold it is right now, it's more of a rain event as we go into monday. up and down the east coast with temperatures up around 50 degrees. but in the meantime, we will focus on the cold where i can't even see through my breath through the camera here and how cold it is outside r at least by our standards these numbers look kind of chilly out there. 30s and 40s, patchy fog in

oakland and san francisco and along the coast this morning. we're going to head down the coastline. some fog into santa cruz and reduced visibility around oakland airport. despite that, mostly sunny skies in the afternoon, numbers around 70 near santa rosa, upper 60s around the tri-valley for this afternoon. guys inside. >> we will take it, dylan. we are working on your hot chocolate so don't worry. >> my elementary school classmate is out there. >> i'm looking forward to meeting her. >> that is crazy! >> she is still waiting in the cold. ahead a conversation with the movie "long walk to freedom." and already got him a golden globe nomination. that is after these messages. (beeping of c♪ffee maker.)

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elba took on the role to nelson mandela he wanted to stay true to what he considered a hero. a hero around the world. lester sat down with him recently to ask him what it was like to play nelson mandela. >> the golden globes are next weekend and could be a busy night for this guy, idris elba. nominated for two best actor awards including the portrayal of nelson mandela in "long walk to freedom." >> rule by the god. there comes a time in the life of every nation when a man has two choices. submit. or fight! >> reporter: idris elba, good morning. great to have you on. >> good morning. >> reporter: i mentioned two awards. you're up also for "luther" the bbc america series. how do you come down in the whole works thing? >> it's a massive compliment,

you know for our industry to have your peers sort of vote for you and tell you how good you're showing, it's a good moment for any actor to get that. the gold globes are especially very fun. >> let's talk about "long walk." if this part, though, was cast on whether you looked like nelson mandela. >> i wouldn't get it. >> you wouldn't have got it. >> i wouldn't have got it. >> i even raise that. >> it is one of the first concerns i had when i got offered the part. i was like, listen, guys, i don't look like nelson mandela, like what is going on here? but the director justin chadwick was like, listen, i'm not making a look like him version but we want the story to prevail. >> had you to get inside his being. >> yeah. >> i know one of the things you did for value, you went to on robben island and said i want to spend a night in a cell there. >> i spent a night on robben island and they locked me at 7:00 this evening and got me at 7:00 in the morning. the place carries such history

and spirit and presence there and it put it in perspective for me what nelson mandela must have been going through for the whole 19 years in that cell. >> like me you had been there as a tourist before and seen the cells but to be there puts the story in a different perspective. >> i left the cell in the morning after one night with so much rage and, you know, just at the injustice of what happened to mr. manmandela. he is fighting for his liberty, his country's liberty and he gets put in a cell like an animal for 19 years. the determination i got when i walked out of that cell was like i really want to make a great movie. i also want to bring this character, this person's life to legacy to keep him alive. >> i understand that nelson mandela was able to see a few snippets from the film. did you know any of his reactions? >> i said him walking to me and walking up the veil.

he said, is that me? he is like, how did you guys do that? i don't remember doing that. that was a compliment. i must have got his walk right. >> forgive me for saying that is a better compliment than a golden globe. i think that is pretty cool. you were down there for the funeral of nelson mandela. to have lived his life on this film role and then to see how people celebrated his life, what was that like for you? >> yeah. you know, it's quite surreal. even though i never met mr. mandela himself, i got very close to him, got close to his being and his family as well. it was such a honor. i was so honored to actually be a part of that moment of his passing and, you know, his life being celebrated. >> i think any actor would have been honored to play that role and you did him justice. nice to see you. "long walk to freedom" is in theaterses now. you can see the golden globes

next sunday on nbc at 8:00 p.m. eastern time. up next, cheerleaders [ male announcer ] at tropicana,

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♪ give me all unfortunayour lov♪ a story about cheer cheerleaders captain touring more heart. >> they have more experience maybe than the average squad. >> love, love these ladies. the sun city -- >> the what? >> the sun city palms put on quite a show and i dare you not to fall in love with this amazing and acrobatic group of ladies. >> reporter: with their gold pompoms and fancy footwork the sun city palms look like your average cheerleading squad full of enthusiasm but one difference. they are aging. >> lois, 77. ginger, 80! >> reporter: that's right. every cheerleader on this team

is a senior citizen. >> this is the funnest thing i've ever done. ♪ >> reporter: so most of the palms never danced or cheered until they retired, moved to sun city, arizona, and joined the squad. their loved ones? more than just a little skeptical at first. among them? tad webber's husband. >> i came home and i was all excited. i said, i'm going to join the sun city palms. and he said, "over my dead body." and then shortly after that, he passed away. and he said, "over my dead body," so i came and joined the palms. >> did you do that on purpose? >> reporter: so the only requirement to join, you got to be older than 55. it also helps to be flexible. as well as comfortable performing in front of big crowds in a sequinned body suit. >> we have a secret weapon to looking good and that is the pantyhose. >> you suck it in! >> yes! >> reporter: the palms have been

dancing up a storm since 1979. they perform up to 50 shows a year from parades to pep rallies. >> it just gives me some confidence and it makes me feel young. >> reporter: even after they have exited the stage, the palms are never quite finished performing. >> five, six, seven, eight. >> reporter: they are constantly learning in your choreography during practices three times a week. >> get back in our doance positions real quick! >> reporter: you better know the routine and you better know how to smile. >> i don't care if you're choking from thirst. you need to smile. >> reporter: being a palm is a physical and mental workout. >> being in the palms, i think you really have to push yourself. you to get out of your comfort zone and do something you don't think you ever could do. >> reporter: so what advice to these active ladies have for other retirees? >> get off your fanny! >> many of these women had busy careers before they came

cheerleaders. the team includes a former electrical engineer, a business owner and several teachers who are now doing this over their friends, late husband's bodies. >> get off your fanny! >> how good did they look? >> they were really good. >> they said maybe the pantyhose. >> maybe we need different pantyhose. >> maybe we don't. >> one cheerleader at this table or you used to be a cheerleader. >> in middle school. >> no? >> i wasn't a cheerleader. >> what was that comment? >> i feel like you're playing on the field, not the cheerleader. >> fine. >> i'm cheering you on. i'm cheering you on. >> wait a minute. give us a cheer before we go. >> something. anything. >> how about the one we did together earlier, jenna? >> that what makes her think she was a cheerleader. >> be, aggressive, be aggressive.

be aggressive! >> on that note, we will be taking our ex, on the road with us to the sun city ladies. still ahead. >> we may not be back after this break. but if we are, a couple of with a creative way to document their travels around the world and we will introduce you to them. first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪ still to come on "today," cleaning up from that massive snowstorm and the brutal cold that is making those efforts much more difficult. also there is a big change coming to cheerios. we will talk about that. also how social media help make it happen. first, though, these messages. ♪ ♪

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♪ hey! you got that medley crunch ♪ ♪ hey! must be the honey! ♪ 5:56 on your saturday morning. a live image of course of the bay bridge, all lit up, just a little bit before 6:00. good saturday morning. i am sam brock. a cool start to your day but things could change rather quickly. rob mayeda has a quick look at your forecast. >> at times around the bay bridge we've had a little bit of patchy fog. clear skies back to that new span of the bay bring. there you see the san mateo

bridge. the worst of the fog looks like it's set up across the bay out to oakland toward the airport. visibility near oakland rel tell warm. but it is another spare the air day. highs today near 65 in san hope say, 63 in san mateo, redwood city 66, to the north bay santa rosa should get close to 70 this afternoon and around the east bay oak and you 69 degrees inqy pleasanton and lesson andton. >> police say david allen douglas was arrested about a

block away from the police department with a missing girl, natalie. they say this woman alerted officers by honking her horn after she saw douglas acting suspiciously in the back of a car. >> we got a call from my sister and she told us what kind of car it was and i was like, wait, we're sitting next to a gold toyota. i'm about to get out and look, see if this is the girl. >> the girl was returned safely to her family. >> the police say natalie's mothers is expected she was being followed from the walmart on lone true road yesterday, that is when the suspect dragged natalie into his car. they believe in a during also a was believed in a case on

thursday as well. >> what started as an argument between two men ended up in a shooting, sending one of them to the hospital. on arrival, officers noticed one of the men was wielding a knife. they ordered him to drop that weapon, but he refused. police aseas when the man made a move toward the officer, forcing the officer to shot her gun. >> much more to come on today in bay.

♪ good morning. it is saturday, january 4th, 2014. here's a look at today's top stories. the mercury is plunging and millions of people waking up to brutally cold temperatures this morning and only get colder and makes the cleanup from this week's massive storm all the more difficult. dylan is tracking the storm and another storm on the way. under siege. breaking news out of western iraq where intense fighting between iraqi security forces and militants linked to al qaeda. the insurgents are attempting to take over an area they once had control over more than a decade ago. yes, you can enjoy the game. big surprise for hundreds of military families who are now making plans to brave the bitter cold this weekend after getting tickets to some of the football

games they almost weren't able to see at all and not even on television. >> that ridiculous and antiquated blackout rule. >> how do you really feel about it? >> yeah. >> i'm erica hill. >> i'm craig melvin. lester is enjoying a well-deserved day off. alongside dylan dreyer and jenna wolf. when i pulled into westport, connecticut, it was 7 degrees before the wind started to blow. 7. there are people us watching us right now where the temperature is? >> it feels like on 40 to 60 below. >> i don't even think you should go outside. trust dylan on that. 22 states, more than 100 million people affected by this latest round of winter. >> already this morning, there are at least on 200 flight delays and hundreds of cancellations. a good idea to call your airline

before you make that trip to the airport this morning. >> minnesota governor has cancelled public school on monday because of the temperature forecast in that state. parts of those areas, as dylan mentioned, could feel as low as 60 below with the windchill. this latest arctic blast is making the cleanup from yesterday's storm even more difficult. ron mott is in boston this morning with more on that part of the story. hey there, ron. >> reporter: craig, good morning to you. like flipping a switch. it went from being just merely cold to outragegeously and wickedly cold and a long time before real thaw settles in. the cold truth at international falls, minnesota, a hard one to handle. 40 blows with a bitter aftertaste from the planes to new england. >> i hate it! i want warm so bad! >> i have four pairs of pants on and sweatshirt but i'm still cold. >> reporter: the blast of winter ushered in dangerously harsh temperatures along the frost

belt and threatening longstanding records for cold. overnight windchills in boston flirting with 20 below. the nfl playoff game sunday in green bay, wisconsin, could challenge 1967's ice bowl there for an all-time low. a blistering 13 below! even in hardy minnesota, they are taking notice of the bone-chilling air gripping that state. governor mark dayton closing public schools on monday, a rare order. the thermometer readings forecast for double digits below zero. >> the kind of weather in five, ten minutes, kids can get significant frostbite and the governor and i wanted to ensure that all kids are safe. >> reporter: wisconsin is considering similar action. at least 13 deaths have been tied to this week's winter wallop and most in traffic fatall is. billions are trying to get back home from the holidays went nowhere fast. thousands of flights delayed or cancelled aat some of the nation's busiest airports. >> we want to get on to portland, oregon.

we are probably going to be here until we get on a plane to seattle and then take the drain down to portland. >> reporter: and, yet, while kids are sure to enjoy a weekend of frolicking in the snow and digging out is a challenge today and tomorrow as officials warn people, especially the elderly and homeless, to brace for another few days of potential misery and urging them to stay in as much as possible. now cleanup, obviously, is on the agenda today and tomorrow for people in the boston metro. we are expecting rain on monday believe it or not and the commutes in the morning and evening will be sloppy and back into the deep freeze after that. >> lambeau field, i understand it, will still be open for business sunday, right? >> reporter: yeah. absolutely. the fans are out there clearing out the seats for the big game there tomorrow against the 49ers. these are hardy people who live out in wisconsin and they had second thoughts about buying tickets to this game. they struggled to sell the game

out for sunday. big playoff game but the show will go on in green bay on sunday. two big games today on nbc so hopefully folks are warm and sitting around their tv tonight watching nbc football. >> ron mott in boston, thank you very much. only green bay packer fans would be in their stadium cleaning up! >> tundra. >> die-hard fans. >> a rough game out there. dylan is tracking the brutal cold as we have been saying is only expected to get worse over the weekend. >> it is. then you factor in the wind and, you know, you just don't want to be outside when it's this cold because it is so dangerous. look at our temperatures across the northeast, though. it's 2 in hartford. 3 in boston right now and 17 below zero the actual air temperature in bangor, maine head out to the midwest where it's as cold. more snow to work in with another storm system and especially tonight into sunday and monday from st. louis to chicago over in the cleveland. but watch what happens across the east coast. all of a sudden, we get this surge of warm air and it is going to be sloppy with rain and temperatures around 50 degrees.

but where we are going to see our heaviest snow is st. louis and chicago and isolated areas and 6 inches of snow and other areas close to a foot of snow. the deep freeze marches back in. watch this. down into the southern texas into parts of louisiana and into the southeast. but where we are going to see some of the snow on monday, 9 below in chicago. 1 in st. louis. 12 below in indianapolis and 14 blows in minneapolis. it is going to feel like it's about 40 to 60 degrees below zero on monday in the northern plains because of that windchill. back over to you guys. >> all right. dylan, thanks. more of your full forecast for the rest of the country in a minute. first a quick check of the rest of the this morning's stories with jenna wolf. new developments out of iraq where al qaeda linked militants trying to regain control of

salutia. duncan, good morning. he is live in london. >> reporter: good morning to you, jenna. fallujah militants monday here and challenging the government. iraqi army shelled the city with mortar bombs and telling the reuters news agency 30 people injured and a battle is being forced in the city of ramandi. both strongholds for insurgents and seen two of the bloodiest battles during the iraq war. u.s. officials blaming the insurgents on al qaeda in part on the spillover from the civil war in syria. ther they have been trying to create a islamic state across that border there. back to you. >> thanks. a member of the duo that helped draw the blueprint for the rock 'n' roll has died. phil everly of the everly brothers died friday of pulmonary disease or copd.

"wake up little susie" and "buy buy love "were among their hits. radio city music hall evacuated on friday night and fire officials believe underground. >> translator: former fire spewed out. thankfully no shows were scheduled on friday night. has this ever happened to you? you play the megamillions. only one of two winners come forward and you laugh how somebody could forget to check their ticket because it's hilarious. then it dawns on you, you're that guy! steve trend from california was the you in that story. he finally came forward after two weeks to claim after of last month's 648 million dollar megamillions jackpot. he said, hey, i just forgot to check. >> it happens. this year's sugar bowl featured alabama and oklahoma. wasn't later until we saw the undercard. this woman in alabama gear gets into an argument with a group of oklahoma students. now you see them go back and

forth at each other? and then just when you think it's over. >> not done. >> she swan dives into the students and, wait for it! bicycle kicking! apparently because the brawl had nothing to do with the game. the group of students allegedly had been taunting each other. i get it. protect your baby at all costs but this might be a tad too expensive for my taste. >> only -- >> my husband is obsessed with that video. he kept watching it last night. he said you have to watch this. this is just crazy. >> people get really passionate at live sporting events. >> especially at football games, especially college football games. >> i've seen people do crazy things at these events. >> i don't want to speculate here but i would be interested to find out whether there may have been some alcohol consumed. >> some of the movements looked a little slow just a little bit. >> that is the news. >> thank you so much. >> how about some weather? >> our dylan dreyer has made her way outside and we will get out there in a few moments. she is out that's a look at the

weather across the country. now here's a look at the weather outside your window. a check on the rest of the country's forecast. >> i have a scarf here because it is that cold outside. i want to make sure we get everybody here because these guys are such troopers! i'm not going to lie. we are not going all the way around the plaza today. everybody is out here on the plaza and we want to make sure they get their face time. we will see cold temperatures in the northeast but also back through the northern plains. snow is going to develop from denver right up through st. louis in the chicago and moving into the great lakes region through the day today. spreading eastward as we go into tomorrow. believe it or not it's going to be all rain up and down the east coast as temperatures top out around 50 or so sunday. even into monday too. all of the snow in the northeast is going to melt and a sloppy mess and slushy mess and snow is moving out of the midwest and affect areas across the eastern great lakes and stretching down to western kentucky and western tennessee and that is when the really cold ai test.r test. test. test. test. test. test. test.

in the bay area, 30s and 40s outside, a little bit of patchy fog. some visibilities have dropped down a quarter mile at times. santa rosia less than a mile right now, though for the afternoon we expecting sunshine and winds to pick up today. low to mid 60s around san francisco, approaching 70 this afternoon around santa rosa with mostly sunny skies. girl who is declared brain dead has a little more hope this morning. a judge on friday ruled the teenager could be moved to another medical facility. that's something her mother has been fighting for, saying her daughter is alive and improving. miguel almaguer has more. >> jahi mcmath's family is claiming victory this morning after a day of emotional court hearings friday.

the 13-year-old can be moved from children's hospital, oakland, where three weeks ago, a team of doctors declared her brain dead after a complex tonsillectomy. >> this is a very fluid situation. right now, arrangements are being made. and what we needed to know is when all of the balls are in line, that we could move quickly. >> with jahi's family certain their little girl is alive, the eighth grader needs a breathing and feeding tube before she can be placed in a long-term care facility. children's hospital said it would be unethical to perform the surgeries on what doctors have declared is a dead body. friday, a judge ruled in the hospital's favor. >> regarding jahi's condition and i'm going to deny the request. >> the family will need to find their own outside physician. >> there are doctors who have indicated they're ready to perform the procedures, i will not tell you where, i will not tell you who. >> it's horrible that this child has died. it's also horrible that it's so difficult for her family to

accept that death. >> with the court order keeping jahi on a ventilator set to expire tuesday, her family will also need to secure transportation and a care facility. jahi's parents are now receiving help from teri schiavo's family. the florida woman who was kept alive on life support for 15 years. >> there's a team, there's several people and organizations that are working together, to try to help find a place for jahi to be transferred. >> jahi's story is making headlines around the world. reigniting the debate over life and death. as time for the 13-year-old on a ventilator runs out. for "today," miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. the next time you pick up some cheerios you may notice a small change. the iconic cereal is getting a makeover. announcing it will no longer use so-called gmos, or genetically modified ingredients in the cereal. it comes thanks to a social media campaign, which was demanding the change. here's stephanie gosk for what

it could mean for you. >> in homes around the country, the cheerio plays an important role. >> good job. >> babies' first finger food. it's practically a youtube phenomenon. so when an yol line campaign began attacking general mills for using genetically modified organisms or gmos in the classic cereal, the food manufacturer listened. they will no longer be gmos used in cheerios. >> while the cost may be initially pretty expensive, long-term, and in terms of brand loyalty by those customers, it's going to help them in the future. >> mom and activist robin o'brien had stopped giving her kids cheerios altogether. >> we don't have those long-term human health studies to know what the impact might be. >> gmos, are foods that have gone through genetic engineering, often to improve production. they are deeply controversial. several european countries have outright bans. in the u.s., the fda regulates their use. in a statement, general mills

says their decision is not an admission that gmos are unhealthy. in fact their other cheerio flavors, including honey nut, are not changing. there's a broad consensus that food containing gmos, is safe. but we decided to move forward with this in response to consumer demand. nutritionist madelin fernstrom said the uproar over gmos is based on little scientific evidence. >> you can cherry-pick information saying this is not safe. but remember, the fda and the world health organization have both deemed gmo foods as safe. >> removing gmos, from plain cheerios is relatively simple process. the little o's are made with oats, which are not genetically modified. only the sugar and corn stamp are affected. it would be much more difficult to change corn-based cereal. 85% of corn-based cereal is genetically modified. for those concerned with gmos, there's a new option. >> we can go back to the brands

that we loved as a kid. that i loved as a young mom. it means so much. >> the one and only cheerios back in the bowl. for "today," stephanie gosk, nbc news, new york. >> another example of the power of social media. >> it's so true, and you're seeing more and more parents specifically speaking out about this saying i'm not comfortable with certain ingredients for my kids. it's interesting, now the companies will say this is why we changed it. open to interpretation. >> it's so nice to see how knowledgeable that parents are becoming about the food they're giving their children. >> will it taste different? >> you won't taste the difference. >> it's not going to be the last time we tell one of these stories. >> i don't think so, no, just the beginning. >> still to come, a happy ending for tens of thousands of football fans who were facing an nfl blackout this weekend. they're not any more. right after these messages. [woman]ask me... [announcer]...if you think the best bed for one of you might be a compromise for the other one...

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♪ you know, all you need is the right amount of layers and a good cup of hot chock lalt and you turn the frightful weather into something fantastic and a great chance to play in the snow. >> dylan is in the orange room with a look at it. >> good morning, it's a lot of fun to see the pictures that came in. we did the #today'ssnow. you sent in your favorite pictures, let's start with animals. for some reason, dogs can't get enough of the snow. especially he these two cuties in connecticut were bundled up for the snow this one is like forget the jacket. i'm going out to sniff the snow. the nice snow mask to prove it if you can't figure out this one, we have a sheep in the snow. because that's what you see, quite often enough. he looks a little miserable. but still an adorable picture and then we've got the friends of the two-legged kind. obviously tasting the snow as it falls from the sky. much better than tasting the snow once it's already on the ground. and then this little girl, oh, my gosh. you can't even see where she's

going, i don't know if she's having fun. but she is certainly prepared for the snow and she is going sledding. that's up from plymouth, massachusetts. guys, i was flying back from vegas yesterday. i missed the storm and snow, no delays or anything, so i can't complain about this one. >> she looks good. after spending three or four days in vegas. >> r & r, right, dylan? >> i got a little bit of sleep. >> well deserved. >> fantastic makeup department? >> really? >> i know what you meant. >> we know you didn't mean it that way. >> i was joking. oh great. >> they are fantastic. >> that's great. thank you so much. >> that's a cheerleader thing, isn't it? still ahead here, the story behind these pictures that have gone viral as we see the world through one couple's eyes. first, this is "today" on nbc. [ mom ] hi, we're the pearsons, and we love chex cereal.

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you want to spread the word. day. still to come here on "today," a priceless reaction. what could possibly have gotten jennifer hudson assistant so excited? >> we will do the big reveal for you. plus get your workout in without ever [ female announcer ] jump-start your day with mcdonald's dollar menu at breakfast. home of the irresistible sausage burrito. ♪ and freshly brewed premium roast coffee you love. plus other amazing tastes for just a dollar each. ♪ every day, as always, there's a lot to love for a little on mcdonald's dollar menu. ♪ [ telephone rings ] [ shirley ] edward jones. this is shirley speaking. how may i help you?

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for $499 a month for 27 months. see your lexus dealer. 6:26 on your saturday morning. a live picture of the bay bridge toll plaza. good saturday morning. i'm sam brock. do we have a nice start to your day in meteorologist rob mayeda has a look at your forecast. >> pretty nice start, patchy fog around the east bay. 30s and 40s right now. that fog is thick out around the coastline. you can see oakland about less than a half mile visibility. as we get toward the afternoon, pretty nice. 65 in san jose. you will see the north winds

picking up as we head towards 3:00, 4:00 today. san francisco should see highs in the mid 06s. tri. valley mid to upper 60s. santa cruz looking pretty nice. and gilroy climbing to 70 degrees later today. >> new this morning, a -year-old girl kidnapped at gun point in front of her own house is now safe. this woman alerted officers by honking her horn after she spotted douglas acting suspiciously in the back seat of the car. >> we got to often call from my other sister saying there is a missing little girl, this and the other. she told us what kind of car it was. i said, wait, we're sitting

right next to a gold toyota. i'm about to get out and look and see if this is the little girl. >> we're happy the girl is returned safely to her citizen. >> natalie's mother suspected she was being followed from the walmart on lone tree road yesterday. when she got home to the drive is where police abducted in that ways. >>. >> >> roo pond responded just before 3:00 yesterday. the man sustained at least one gunshot but he is expected to survive.

the female officer who fired at that man has been placed on administrative leave. >> coming up this morning on "today in the bay," the mystery is now over. the person who bought the jackpot winning mega millions ticket last month in san jose has finally claimed his $324 million prize. why? he didn't even know that he'd won until just a few days ago. that plus all your top stories coming up at 9:00. we'll send you back to the "today" show and see you in about half an hour. [ water crashing ] ...it fills you with energy... and it gives you what you are looking for to live a more natural life. in a convenient two bar pack. this is nature valley... delicious granola bars made with the best ingredients in nature. nature valley. nature at its most delicious.

♪ it's my 40th birthday and i'm celebrating with the "today" show. >> i'm celebrating my birthday with nyc! >> we are from tennessee and here on the "today" show. >> hi grandpa and grandma! >> i love it. we are back on a saturday morning. it's january 4th, 2014. let me tell you. it's 11 degrees, i believe, out here. it does not feel like it when you have the warmest crowd behind you. there is a lot of movement and jumping and yelling and i'm sure that is because you're excited, not because you're trying to stay warm. >> you did it! you're from columbia, south carolina. >> including some of your class.

>> melissa and i went to elementary school together. don't talk to her. she may have dirt. don't talk to her. >> we will talk in just a minute. still to come, though, in addition to hanging out with the folks out here, we are going to talk to the couple behind this series of pictures. the pictures have gone viral. they are all of a woman's arm reaching back to lead the photographer to some of the world's most exciting cities. >> that's awesome. i want to go to all of those cities. >> i think we should. >> we are going to take you there. take a look at this. this is sheer joy, we think. it's jennifer hudson assistant and close friend reacting to something that the superstar did for him. we will get into that and a look at after our hollywood headlines. a growing number of people are ditching their gym memberships to workouts known as boutique fitness classes and studios that offer a specialized workout only. i'm going to give it a shot and we will tell you why some people

say it's working much better for them than going to a tradition gym. >> and if you don't have time to watch that story, i will help you to make your day-to-day routine more active. we will have two tips every weekend for the next month. that is like eight tips or something? you'll be able to walk away and have things you can do at home to burn calories and start your home. >> people can do while sitting and watch our show. no excuse. a final check of the weather now from dylan. >> can i do the forecast! it's cold! >> this is my third time out here so you guys go back in the studio. it is very cold. it is going to stay cold, especially across parts of the northeast today and then through the midwest as we go into the next couple of days. high temperatures, talking about that. look at the lows. tomorrow morning 19 degrees below zero in minneapolis even colder with the windchill. then by the time we get into monday, 25 degrees below zero in minneapolis. new york city monday morning

it's 43 degrees. so that warm air is moving into the east coast. and then tuesday morning, we are waking up to temperatures at around 8 in new york and 6 in washington, d.c. even atlanta, georgia, 6 degrees by the time we get into tuesday morning. and then your windchills will be about 40 to almost 50 degrees below zero across the upper midwest. it's going to feel like 13 below in atlanta. so i recommend finding a jacket store at some point between now and that's a look at the wea with that it's time to stop complaining about how cold it is outside around the bay area this morning. 30s and 40s now, down to 32 in the north bay, that's pretty chilly. but we'll see highs rebounding as north winds pick up. that will dry out the air and warm things up. but look out for patchy fog. printy thick up towards and mid

60s close to to san francisco. and we are headed up to minneapolis. the 19th annual ice fest and breezy point, minnesota. it comes from our affiliate kare-11. ice fest is everything you'd expect from ice, fishing to snow golfing and hockey tournament on pelican lake. i mean, i think they need a few more layers than that. remember to bundle up and bundle up again and one more time on top of that. >> that is video from the year it was warm and like 20. thanks. with all of these brutally cold temperatures to expected to continue into tomorrow, you can understand why even die-hard fans like green bay packers fans would want to stay home and watch the game on tv. but they almost didn't even get that chance because of decade old nfl rule that would have caused a tv blackout in a lot of these home markets. kristen dahlgren has more on a last-minute save and rye secipi.

>> reporter: this came down to the wire for four teams. they hadn't sold out the stadium which almost made an old nfl rule kick in that would have blacked out the games on tv, but then a late christmas present came for some deserving fans. when the green bay packers take the field against san francisco this weekend, windchills on the field could fall to 30 below! >> work pretty good, i would think. >> reporter: you can understand why some cheese heads are choosing to watch the game from a toasty living room instead of an icy lambeau field. but the fact the game hadn't sold out meant that arm-chair quarterbacks might not get to watch the game at all. the same in cincinnati and indy. an nfl rule dating back to the '50s says if games aren't sold out 72 hours before kickoff, they can't be broadcast on local tv. >> it's incredible to imagine that not one team or two teams, three teams had the potential to be blacked out. >> reporter: the league gave teams extra time but as the

clock ticked to the friday deadline, it was a tough sell. >> you're buying the tickets and then you have to buy food, parking. it becomes an expensive event. >> reporter: on the nfl ticket exchange, the cheapest seats to the colts game were going for $88. for a family of four that is $352 before any food or perhaps hot chocolate! so it may have seemed like an act of holiday magic, as well as publicity when generous sponsors checked in and in green bay sponsors chipped in for the remaining tickets and in cincinnati kroger and proctor and gamble would donate tickets to local military families and like supermarket meijer did with behi indy's fans. she is able to watch her favorite team in person. >> for me personally, i'm just

to grateful. >> a lot of people are grateful about that this morning. and a lot of people have been asking whether this rule is going to change because there is so much revenue from the tv games now. the fcc has moved to make a change. the nfl says it is going to oppose, erica, anything. back to green bay for a second. 70,000 hand warmers will be given out at that game. i don't know if that is enough. >> that may not be enough but a good start. kristen, thanks. craig? in to you. >> that you have. a globe trotting couple is getting a lot of attention with these pictures showing a woman's arm and leading the photographer to exotic locations. they are part of a series called "follow me," taken last month here in new york and miami. anna bell roberts caught up with the couple behind the photos a few months ago in london. >> reporter: nothing away. amidst a tour in london a couple globe trotting has gone viral.

a mysterious woman leading a couple by the hand. >> doing this two more years now. it's all about love. >> reporter: they travel the world with a woman he loves. venus, new york. the landscape's exotic. the mysterious face who never turns around to face the camera. viewed by hundreds of thousands worldwide. the couple have 500,000 followers on instagram. who is this woman? meet her from russia. >> it's all about our heart. about our soul. we want to show our relationship. >> reporter: the series was born when he grabbed her hand as he kept stopping to take photos on a trip to spain. >> i said, please come!

beautiful place! >> she pulled me forward. i was okay, let's take that picture. >> reporter: the beauty and power of their work has won the many fans. >> hi. you're on instagram. >> i followed her ages and i love her work. it gives me a little bit of pleasure. >> reporter: mora describes his style as free throw photography and into the high tech and fun and bright. >> we want to show it in a different way. >> reporter: why have you chosen this spot here with the flags? >> well, we love the perspective of the shot and while the british flag is iconic thing. it represents britain. >> reporter: it's the rich beauty of the scene and the firm grip of the couple's hand reaching out to us, affirming life and love as they take us along on their incredible journey. for "today," anna bell roberts, nbc news, london. up next a little

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time for a look at today's hollywood headlines. the last moments of paul walker's untimely death and jennifer has a surprise christmas gift to her assistant and long time friend part of our coverage here. >> nice to see you. we want to start out with the latest details on paul walker. we got more information this week. >> the coroner's report came out and his buddy roger rodsassas who was driving the car was going a hundred miles per hour. i think this is a case of just going too fast and lost control of the car. the car hit a lamp post and a street sign in a 45-mile-per-hour zone. we do know both of their bodies were burned 100% so zero chance they would survive many. >> no drugs or alcohol in the system. >> they were driving a 2005 porsche so people were wondering did the car malfunction? no signs that the car malfunctioned at all.

>> a horrible accident. this reaction absolutely priceless. priceless. jennifer hudson went above and beyond when it came to a christmas gift to her personal assistant. >> she hands her personal assistant watlter williams a gift. you have to see what it is. they have been friends since the sixth grade and she got him a home for christmas. she told me you give blessings with your blessings? that is exactly what she has done here. her childhood home in illinois. she is going to turn it into a shelter for women. you know >> she has good genes and she is

blessed. >> she said she had botox once and never do it again because she wouldn't move her face. >> i think we have time for golden globes. if we have got to watch two or three things what should we be watching? >> underdogs "brooklyn nine nine." best comedy on tv category. also see "let's see here. "saving mr. banks." >> tom hanks!

>> you have to see -- >> this, i am dying to see. >> judy dent as wonderful as it looks? >> she gave up her childhood for adoption and goes back to find him and starts in a newspaper article in 2009. those three you got to see. >> i like that. always nice to see you. >> thank you so much. >> craig, where is my house? >>ism wokki i'm working on it. >> he'll make some calls during the break. >> you wait on that. up next, a great workout and no gym membership required and we will put them all to the test and find out why they are such an attraction. first, today "today" on nbc opinion

we are back with a different way for you to get fit today. it is, of course, a new year. that means, of course, resolutions to exercise more. gyms are going to be really

crowded but if you want to get your sweat on you may not need to get a gym membership to do it apparently. >> traekion for a lot of people across the country who are taking more so-called boutique classes and going to a class that is just a spin class or a bar workout. they are growing in popularity and for some people may be the trick you need to stick with that fitness routine. ♪ >> reporter: lindsey haggleman relishes her time on the bike and like many of the people in this cycling class she is here for more than just an intense workout. >> everybody wants tore here. the atmosphere is electrifying in the room. >> reporter: that energy and sense of community are feeling a growing fitness trend. people ditching traditional gyms in favor of small boutique studios that offer a specific workout. lindsey gave up her gym membership to cycle several times a week at fly wheel. >> they have a full body workout.

upper body strength and stretching and it's like getting that personal trainer. >> reporter: fly wheel opened in 2010 and now has studios in ten states. but it isn't just spin classes that have people switching up their fitness routines. there are boutique studios for every personality and every type. gyms have had classes as long as there have been gyms so what makes these classes different? >> i think you're finding that people are kind of getting specialized so, you know, maybe you don't need every single class a gym has to offer. you only want one. >> reporter: across the country, two-thirds of people with gym memberships never use them. with boutique classes, there are no monthly fees, no long-term contracts. the price can vary. from as little as 10 to nearly $40 per class. but for adrienne watson they are worth every penny. >> when i belonged to a regular gym and spending $69 a month i wasn't going and wasting that

money. i never miss a class here. i think i'm getting more bang for my buck. >> i had my own thing so i set a goal and one day a week i do yoga and three days a week. then i do something else. >> reporter: pure bar is a low impact total body workout that aims to strengthen and tone. the south carolina based chain now has studios in 38 states. don't let the description fool you. those tiny movements are a big challenge. in washington, d.c., megan is on a quest to check out every class the city offers. >> the blog follows my adventures, sweating all over the city and trying every workout and bringing the details to my readers. >> reporter: today she is sweating it out at solid core. the studio opened just two months ago but it's already expanding into two additional locations. are we going to see it as a gym in our eyes as we know it? >> i think we will see a more flexible gym. they are doing more guest passes

and day passes and giving better rates for those kind of things. >> reporter: a nod perhaps to the growing competition. and a reminder that the real key to any successful fitness routine is finding what works for you. >> she also told me has homew k homeworkouts are growing in popularity because we are all so busy that this lets you set your own schedule when it's time to work out. if you're looking to squeeze in a workout on the fly, jenna has two quick tips for us and the start of many tips. >> right. here is the deal. something i thought i would bring up. anyone, any fitness level anyone can do and you can do to make your life more active. start with walking. satisfactory goal for yourself. try to get in a certain number of steps every day. if you're a beginner thinking random number. how about 7,000 steps to stop and intermediate 10,000 and advanced up to 18,000 plus. you need a basic pedometer and

one here is like ten bucks. you can wear the bands and different technology around your wrist which can give more detailed information to you and try to get the number of steps in. if you're thousand short go for a walk around your building. if you set a goal for yourself every day i guarantee you will get the walking in and get the steps in and feel better about yourself. number two. we all do laundry. instead of grabbing all of your clothes and sticking them in a basket and putting them up on a counter and start folding them squaw squat down each time and pick upclothing and pick it back up and fold it. craig, you're the only one not wearing heels. knees out and go down and grab something and put in your folding skills. >> you didn't tell me i had to fold! >> if you grab each item of clothing from your basket you're knocking out 20, 30, 40 squats each time. why yu sit ajust sit and do notn

you can do this? >> he can't fold very good. >> he hasn't folded laundry in his life. >> two quick things to get you started. >> and you can do that while watching "weekend today." squat and laugh and enjoy. >> and enjoy. >> we will be back after these messages. >> you have 18 more to do.

that is going to do it for us on a brisk saturday morning. >> tomorrow on "today" a preview what is to come for the newest season. >> more laundry? >> no more laundry. >> craig will share his laundry ♪

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it's 47 in san francisco, 41 in san jose. we do have fog, visibility being reduced and nevada and oakland. so watch out for that as we go through the morning. by 10:00 or 11:00, these numbers start to improve. 68 degrees in santa cruz, 70 in gi gilroy for the afternoon, a slight chance for showers next week, more in the forecast coming up. new this