happy birthday, miss. your name? >> kathy. >> kathy turned 50 today. happy birthday! all right. here we go. according to a recent survey what side dish is the most popular in the southeastern region of the united states? is it green bean casserole, mashed potatoes or mac and cheese. >> mac and cheese. oh! >> how about that? >> just what we need. one more artery to be clogged. >> so mac and cheese essentially was -- a creation basicallne by thomas jefferson. he had been in europe, came back to the white house, served it in 1802. immediately it was a big hit. ultimately probably is what popularized it throughout the united states. >> how about that? >> can you believe that? >> that's not in "hamilton." we should have known that. thank you, hoda and everybody. hoda reunites with a special young friend who has a great deal to be thankful for this year. plus, last-minute ideas for a creative and inviting thanksgiving table. courtesy of our friend danny seal.

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every year we bring you a series called "thanks and giving" where we highlight the children's hospital. >> eight years ago i visited there in memphis and met special kids including abby geyser who helped show me the ropes at st. jude. she was only 6 years old then. now abby is 14 and couldn't wait to catch up with her when i found out she was coming to new york. this is abby geyser, the florida native is 14 and the second child of eight.

she plays the piano -- ? -- reads a lot and writes her own short stories. her mom says she has a great sense of humor. what makes abby most unique, most of her childhood was spent in st. jude's research hospital in memphis. the good news is, after battling two different forms of cancer, she is now cancer-free. >> she's a hands-down success story. >> and this past october she had reconstructive surgery at st. prosthetic bone in her leg after bone cancer had ravaged it eight years ago. >> that cancer required, you know, chemotherapy and surgery to remove the bone. >> what do we like about school the most? >> reading. >> i first met abby back in 2008 along with fellow st. jude patient named amber. >> feeling okay? you are?

>> abby was diagnosed with eye cancer at only 4 months old, but doctors at st. jude successfully treated abby with chemotherapy and laser eye surgery saving both of her eyes. later, though, the disease developed in her bones. >> go, go, go, go! >> seeing a typical day at st. jude through their eyes was life-changing. so now, eight years later i was thrilled to hear how well abby was doing and happy to reconnect with her and her mom in studio 1a. >> this is abby. >> oh, nice! >> want a pleasure, abby. how are you doing? >> charlie, come here, charlie. come here! hi, charlie. >> and today on -- simple, right? >> i could take over your job. >> yes, you could. >> this is kathie lee. >> nice to meet you. >> we call kathie lee the queen. she's going to give you a little bit of gloss. perfect. very nice. >> all right. >> and this is a good friend of yours.

with us. kristy. how was your tv moment? >> good. i loved it. >> did you love it? >> yeah. >> after the tour we sat down at the famed rainbow room here at 30 rock. >> ever get mad? why did i have to be the one to get sick. >> sometimes i did and then i remembered how good god is to me and how some people don't have as much as i have. >> what are you thankful for this season? >> i'm thankful for my family and friend, and, you know, after having that surgery, i'm really keep my leg and my eye. >> when you think about, we're like, this young girl is so grateful for the tiniest, nothing we take for granted, but what's great. >> marvelous. of course, national outreach director for st. jude research hospital. >> and abby is cancer-free. >> yes. >> and one of the remarkable things, first, how you track kids through the years. >> right. >> and we're watching her -- her leg sort of develop and grow and she's fine now, right?

she's absolutely -- her leg, her prosthesis grew threw a magnet. took out the cancerous bone, put in a titanium rod which expanded as she grew from a magnet and never had to go in and look at it again except now they put in the adult prosthesis and she can run, jump, dance like any normal teenager. what's great about st. jude, cure is not enough. we want them to have a joyful child. >> yes. >> you've got to see a new patient care center. not only state-of-the-art medically, but we have a room called the imagine room. the entire place, all of the walls, the ceiling, 360 degrees of screen. you stand in the middle of that, you can skype with your friends or your kids at home. >> fantastic. >> be in hawaii, or a jungle. >> anywhere you want. >> play viral games.

pays. >> i know. >> the families don't have to pay for it. incredible. >> little abby had eye cancer. and blast toma and the -- sarcoma and nothing charged. >> when you go to st. jude you realize what a joyful place that is. marlo, a tribute to you and your family. >> everybody that works there, they're angels. thank you. >> thanks, marlo. thank you so much. happy thanksgiving. >> to you, too. danny seal helps you create a show-stopping thanksgiving table that will wow your guests. >> without breaking the bank. right, danny? who is it? >> we love our danny seal. [ thunder ] >> it's amazing out there means the wonder and wow of weather. >> everything is amaziamazing. it could be the smallest ice crystal, the biggest storm cloud. >> what it's amazing out there means to me is looking up and being inspired. >> even if it's just blue skies,

happens when the sun comes right over the ocean. >> watching lightning streaking across the sky from one side to another. >> the roll of thunder, it's just one of the most amazing things. >> that's what is amazing. what it means to you meantally, and the memories you take away from that weather. >> and how that affects our day-to-day lives, what is in our stores, what is everything going to cost? to me all thoseer on, that's why it's amazing out there. >> what it means for me is it lets the world know what's happening at the weather channel. >> what makes the weather channel's coverage unique is that we are meteorologists. we know what's going on with the weather, and that makes a tremendous difference. >> somebody just walks up to you in the field and says, thanks for being there. we're so glad that you were here to take us through it. >> we have a charge.

we have a drive to provide the information to people to help them, help communities and families stay safe. >> when you start linking the people side up to the weather and the science and the data, it makes a real connection and starts to drive home the importance of what questiwe do. >> i love the weather. >> i love working with people that love the weather. this is what we love to do. >> every single be something spectacular it is truly amazing out there. azing o. teeth like an apple. it could be great on the outside not so great on the inside. her advice? use a toothpaste and mouthwash that strengthens both. go pro with crest pro-health advanced. it's uniquely formulated with activestrength technology to strengthen teeth inside and is better at strengthening the outside than colgate total. crest toothpaste and mouthwash makes my whole mouth feel amazing. advance to healthier gums and stronger teeth from day one.

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when you're hosting thanksgiving you're often so worried about the food your table decor can fall by the wayside. >> fret not. guess who's here with inexpensive ideas to add to the special holiday touch. >> a lot people care. danny seal. host of "naturally danny seal" on nbc and from the magazine

>> naturally. >> growing. the show, every saturday morning. >> what time? >> 10:30. changes every market, but, you know. is this beautiful? >> what are you going to do for us today? >> this is my thanksgiving table setting, and these are things you already have around the house. and i think these are my all-star thanksgiving ideas. >> okay. >> so easy to make. even the tablecloth is trash to treasure. >> what? >> can you believe that? >> what do you mean, trash to treasure? >> show you how to make this. the painter's chart, candle holders right here. beautiful napkins, even, i think our place markers are adorable. >> cute! >> paint chips and a coffee sleeve. >> yeah. a little boat. >> cute, danny seal. >> all right, show us how to make a vase. >> all right. start with the tablecloth. >> that's what she meant. >> i feel like a lot of us, we

don't want to put town a shower curtain. a pot of hot water, take black tea. that gives you the black color. it darkens the color. my secret ingredient is turmeric. >> i always wondered what turmeric was for. now we know. >> it's a powerful spice and super, super strong as a color. i dump the whole jar of turmeric in there. >> stop it. it makes it yellow? >> do you see the color? >> yes. you just dump the whole thing in? >> right. >> what does it smell like, like turmeric and >> careful. very, very hot. but per nut squash, a lot of us cooking butternut squash. instead of wasting the shell, cut off the top and scoop out the flesh. save the gourd part of it, fill it with water. it's water-tight and look at that. >> little vases. >> instant vase. >> and pour the water in there, won't go all over your table.

>> okay. >> what are you doing here? >> okay. so look at these beautiful, these little, this little beautiful bowl actually made of artificial leaves. take your artificial flowers or leaves. >> sure. >> you wouldn't believe how easy to make. take a balloon. blow it up, decoupage on top. pop this one. you want to pop this one? >> way to go, hodi! >> that's good. >> mine's sort of -- mine's good. thank you, danny. that's good. it's a nice bowl. >> oh -- >> you pull it out. >> you pull it out. it's a little wet, basically. >> decoupage all over it. it's fun! >> yeah! >> that's called a hoda fail. okay.

>> make beautiful sort of autumnal candelabras, spices, dried corn. fill it up. >> stick it in a candle. >> stick it all the way up. and really, customize the front to say thanks. >> very cute. very european looking. >> i don't know. >> finally, guys, if you want to help me make our little thanksgiving day, you know, right here. the trick. >> the boat. >> trick, take your coffee sleeve. hot glue a chopstick on the inside. just like this. paint chips. >> those are paint chips? >> all out of your junk drawer. just like this. >> very clever, danny seal. >> you want to keep from getting stuffed like a thanksgiving turkey? >> joy's got the solution. >> thank you, danny. >> first, this is this is

now for the answer to our thanksgiving diet s.o.s. question. >> if you have a question for joy, go to klgandhoda.com and hit the connect button. >> and how do you keep from overstuffing yourself on thanksgiving? >> what you do, ashley. follow my rule of one. before the meal, enjoy one of every delicious-looking hor d'oeuvre. when it comes to the meal, take one dinner plate and fill it with whatever you want. one alcoholic beverage and one dessert. if you're torn between multiple pies. when it comes to pies, pumpkin pie is the lightest. check this out. if you cut off the outside crust. >> no, no!

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