good morning. family tragedy. seven members of one new york city family lost in a horrific accident. their van plummeting some 60 feet off an overpass, landing upside down in the bronx zoo. this morning, reaction from a father who lost his wife, young daughter, and five other family members in that crash. tense talks. new york and china negotiating the fate of a blind dissident who made a bold escape from house arrest and is now said to be in the u.s. embassy in beijing. a drama unfolding just days before secretary of state hillary clinton is set to arrive there.

and caught on tape, two bicyclists mowed down by a car, and the driver keeps on going. fortunately, the cyclists are okay, and their bike camera was rolling. now that driver is under arrest rolling. now that driver is under arrest today, monday, april 30th, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and good morning. welcome to "today" on a monday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> i'm ann curry. good morning, everybody. officials are now looking at the scene and also at potential safety concerns of the highway itself, as they investigate that tragic accident at the bronx zoo, matt. >> it's impossible to imagine. it happened early sunday afternoon. the seven victims, all from one family, ranging in age from 85 to just 3 years old. we're going to hear from some of their relatives straight ahead.

>> such a tragedy. and we're also now hearing from the mother of the missing ft. bragg soldier for the first time since her daughter's 34s tearious disappearance. coming up she has an emotional plea in an exclusive interview. and also this morning the wife of the prosecution's star witness in the trial of john edwards was back on the stand today, and she's expected to say that the former presidential candidate not only knew about illegal contributions behind his affair, but that he also directed the cover-up. we'll go live to the courthouse for that. diane keaton will be here a little later on. she'll be talking about her new movie. we like having her here. and an exclusive live interview with ryan o'neal. he shared a turbulent 30-year love affair with farrah fawcett before cancer took her life back in 2009. now o'neal is facing his own battle with prostate cancer. coming up he'll open up about that and he'll talk about his new memoir, it is raw, it's revealing, it talks about his relationship with fawcett, and his own children. but we begin on this monday

morning with that deadly crash here in new york city that claimed the lives of three generations of one new york city family. nbc's jeff rossen has the story. jeff, good morning to you. >> hey, matt, good morning to you. it just doesn't get much worse than this, does it? first thing police look at in a devastating crash like this, the road conditions. and weatherwise here in new york, yesterday, it was actually pretty nice. sunny, the roads were completely dry. and so this family packed into their van, and they went out for a drive, headed to a family reunion, of all things. but somehow the van just lost control on the bronx river parkway, went airborne, and actually landed here inside the bronx zoo. this morning that entire family is gone. the final moments inside this family van are unimaginable. the driver, maria gonzalez, and her 10-year-old daughter jocelyn, both killed, along with jocelyn's cousins, just 3 and 7 years old. her aunt, and grandparents.

police say they all died at the scene. relatives cried in the streets sunday. >> it's hard. she worked hard for us. >> reporter: police say the family was speeding down the bronx river parkway in the left lane, going 70. they hit the median, crossing three lanes of traffic, hitting the curb and going airborne over the guard rail, dropping 60 feet into the bronx zoo. upside down. >> the injuries are quite horrific in 30 years i've seen something like this once or twice. everybody was taken back by it. because everybody has a relative. everybody knows a child. everybody has a grandparent. and you can see the emotion on everybody. it's very upsetting. >> reporter: the van landed in heavy brush in a remote section of the bronx zoo. away from animals and visitors. >> our accident investigation squad obviously has been engaged in doing an examination.

all of the victims here were apparently wearing seat belts. >> reporter: but even seat belts couldn't save them. the focus now on the highway itself. this is the second accident here in less than a year. last june an suv plunged off the road near the same area, after hitting a divider. two people were injured. but nothing as sudden, nothing as tragic, as this. one man who lost his wife and daughter in the crash, his name is juan gonzalez, and we actually have a photo of him. a local newspaper gave a heartbreaking quote, that's him in the background with his hand over his daughter who also died, that's jocelyn. he said, i lost my family. what can i say? i don't want to be here. i want to die.

city officials now say they will take a very, very close look at this stretch of parkway to see if there are any safety changes that need to be made. matt? >> all right, jeff rossen in the bronx for us this morning on this story. jeff, thank you very much. it's 5 minutes after the hour. here's ann. >> matt, thanks. secretary of state hillary clinton leaves for china today, a trip that comes at a time of great tension between the world powers. in the wake of the escape of a blind chinese activist who's now reportedly under u.s. protection. nbc's ian williams is in beijing this morning. ian, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. the fate of the blind human rights lawyer, one of china's most courageous dissidents, has become a big test of u.s./china relations, just two days before hillary clinton is due to visit. he announced his escape in a video posted on youtube, accusing officials of brutality against him and his family. the 40-year-old self-trained lawyer has been blind since childhood. he was jailed and then put under

house arrest after exposing forced abortions and sterilizations under china's one child policy. he videoed his family's confinement. during which he says he and his wife were beaten, his young daughter harassed. his every moment was monitored, visitors prevented from meeting him. yet he was able, secretly, to plot his escape. friends say he stayed indoors for weeks pretending to be sick, hoping his jailers would drop their guard. and they did. though blind he escaped over a wall before eventually rendezvousing with supporters. friends of chen say they then drove him the 300 miles from his village to beijing. and that he's now in what they describe as the only safe place in china, the u.s. embassy here. a claim supported by u.s.-based activists. >> from our source, who's both knowledgeable to the u.s. government, and chinese

government, that we can confirm that he is in the protection of the u.s. government in beijing. and high-level negotiations with the government have started. >> reporter: neither beijing nor washington have confirmed officially that he's here. and the state department even refused to confirm their point man for asia that arrived in beijing over the weekend. >> oh, mr. campbell, can you tell us -- >> reporter: his dash for freedom couldn't come at a more awkward time for the u.s., with hillary clinton due to visit later this week. the secretary of state previously has stated close interest in chen's plight. >> we see reports of lawyers, artists and others who are detained or disappeared, united states speaks out both publicly and privately. >> reporter: friends say several members of chen's family and helpers have now been detained. activists say the u.s. and china are trying to do a deal over chen before clinton arrives, and

finds their visit completely overshadowed by his daring escape. ann? >> all right, ian williams. thank you so much for your reporting on this. andrea mitchell is nbc's chief foreign affairs correspondent. andrea, good morning. >> good morning, ann. >> let me try to turn this question around. what are the chances that chen is not under the protection of the u.s. government? >> ann, my sources tell me that chen is, indeed, under u.s. protection in beijing. now we don't know whether that means he's actually within the walls of the american embassy compound, or in a diplomatic safe house. but he's definitely in u.s. hands there. there are very delicate negotiations under way, as ian said in advance of hillary clinton and treasury secretary timothy geithner's annual talks there this week. this is already becoming a campaign issue. over the weekend the romney campaign criticized for not doing enough for human rights in china and indicated there's going to be a lot of pressure in this case as well. >> also the question might be raised what role would the u.s. actually play, if any, in the --

in the escape of the this activist? >> these are such delicate times in china and china was already under pressure for its scandal involving the rise and fall of a prominent party leader. so i think it's very, very unlikely that there was any american role, direct government role in his escape. i think it was more likely his network of human rights activists, more or less an underground railroad, and they have all been rounded up reportedly. we do not know what has happened to them. >> you talked about how difficult the time this is. talk a little bit more about that. because, the u.s. needs china for so many reasons, economic as well as political, iran, north korea, its stance on those, i -- those countries. so talk to us about how critical a time this is between the two nations with this awkward experience, awkward situation upon them. >> well, we have not had this kind of crisis, human rights crisis, with china in 20 years. just after tiananmen square. but right now we really do need

the chinese. the chinese after tiananmen back in 1989 were on the defensive. now we need them not only economically but hillary clinton was clearly going to be talking to them about exactly what you pointed out iran, north korea, and so this could be now coming between the two countries just as china is going through a critical succession period and the president and the secretary of state have just met with the vice president of china here as he begins to rise, and takes over. this is a very difficult time. they're going to try to work it out. you saw in ian's piece that chris campbell, the assistant sect arrived late sunday in beijing. they're hoping that they can work it out. but i can't see exactly what the diplomatic solution would be. >> okay. there's a scramble certainly behind the scenes but the visit is just days away. andrea mitchell thank you so much this morning. let us head over to the news desk now. natalie is standing by. she's got a look at the other headlines. good morning to you. >> good morning, matt and ann. good morning, everyone. the new tower under construction at one world trade center is rising from the ashes of ground zero and is set to surpass the

empire state building becoming the city's tallest building today. the landmark comes just ahead of the one-year anniversary of the raid that killed al qaeda chief osama bin laden. but analysts warn that al qaeda is not yet defeated and is, in fact, strengthening its reach, particularly in yemen, and in tribal areas of pakistan. we'll have more on one world trade center coming up shortly. the safety of yacht races is in question today, after a large ship apparently collided with a 37-foot sailboat. three crew members have been found dead in the waters off of southern california, and the search for the fourth missing sailor has been suspended. this is the second deadly racing accident in weeks in that area. it is the darling of the nasdaq and the world's most profitable technology company. but apple has found a legal way to avoid paying billions of dollars in taxes worldwide. this according to "the new york times." because apple's revenue comes largely from the digital world the tech giant is able to move profits to subsidiaries in low-tax countries like ireland and the netherlands.

apple has responded to the report saying that it has not broken any laws or accounting rules. the pain at the pump is easing. gas prices fell by a nickel this week, and are five cents lower on average than they were this time last year. for more economic news now let's check in with mandy drury at the new york stock exchange. >> it is jobs week, natalie. we're going to find out this friday how many jobs were created by the u.s. economy over the past months. but, considering how many disappointing economic we've had lately, expectations are being pared back to 159,000. let's hope all the earnings we're going to get this week, about one quarter of the s&p 500 companies are going to report, let's hope we get upside surprises there. we've got a number of big companies like gm, time warner, kraft all coming out with their results. let's also hope there's no sell in may and go away like the last few years where stocks hit their highs of the year in april. back over to you. >> all right, let's keep hoping.

mandy drury at the new york stock exchange. an amazing survival story for 59-year-old victoria grover. she's recovering after braving four days lost in the utah wilderness. she got lost while hiking the trail and broke her leg while trying to return to her car. rescuers say she survived by sheer will. and a suspected hit and run caught on tape. thanks to a bike-mounted camera. the cyclist in berkeley, california, was able to cash a car drifting into his lane, striking him right there, and his friend. neither biker was seriously injured. but they took the video to police who then tracked down the car and the driver has been arrested on suspicion of felony hit and run, as well as -- it hurts to see that. 7:14 back over to matt, ann and al. good thing they had that mounted camera. >> i know you could probably see just for a second there you could actually see a flash of the license plate. certainly they were able to use technology. >> track him down. >> pinpoint --

>> the heroin possession might have been one of the reasons the guy kept driving which is ridiculous. suspected heroin possession. >> right. >> natalie, thank you very much. mr. roker? >> how are you all doing? we're talking about some heavy rain down in florida. where they've already gotten pummeled with about four inches of rain and more on the way. over the next 72 hours we are talking some areas picking up three to five inches of rain. up to 8 in some areas. there are flood watches in effect. we have a risk of strong storms back through the midwest. garden city to amarillo, texas. also from pa duke a kentucky to western pennsylvania, including pittsburgh. we have the chance of strong storms and isolated hail and damaging winds. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. a gray end to april on this final day of april this morning, under the cloud cover, temperatures are chilly. we are just in the 40s to near 50 degrees. most of the region, reagan national at 51. later today into the 60s. briefly touch near 07 with a lot

of cloudiness. tomorrow might get a morning shower or thundershower during the afternoon. highs near 80. then feeling like summertime. wednesday, thursday, friday each day into the upper 80s, maybe even 90 degrees. and still warm into the weekend. weather. matt? >> all right, al, thanks very much. the wife of the prosecution's star witness testifies again today at the trial of former presidential candidate john edwards. and the government is hoping that she'll hold up better on the stand than her husband did. nbc's lisa myers is at the courthouse in greensboro, north carolina. hi, lisa. >> hey, matt, good morning. it was a tough first week for the prosecution. this week the government will try to rebuild its case with sherry young, the wife of edwards' chief accuser. and through campaign aides who were allegedly lied to by john edwards. sherry young is a part-time nurse. who clearly resented her husband andrew's devotion, some say obsession, with the then rising political star john edwards. in brief testimony on friday,

sherry young said it was stressful, and she rarely saw her husband. he did anything and everything for every member of their family. it became extremely maddening to me. yet she went along when her husband falsely claimed he was the father of the child of edwards' mistress rielle hunter. and sherry young agreed to live with hunter in lavish homes, moving her three children around the country. how will the jury react to her? >> they may feel sorry for her and what her husband put her through. or they may not be able to understand at all why any mother would do the things she did for her husband. and for john edwards. >> sherry young's testimony becomes even more important after edwards' lawyer, abbe lowell, methodically shredded her husband's credibility last week. >> i think andrew young's credibility at this point is virtually shot. it's almost impossible for any juror to really believe anything he has to say. >> reporter: andrew young dodged many questions, claiming his

wife handled the finances. including hundreds of thousands of dollars collected from two wealthy donors allegedly to keep hunter silent. sherry young countersigned the checks, using her maiden name and deposited them in the young's personal bank account. >> i think the defense will go after cheri young to put more detail on exactly how this money was used. >> reporter: in a damaging admission, andrew young acknowledged they pocketed 80% of the money provided for the alleged cover-up, about $1 million. and filed much of it into their $1.5 million dream home. that's a problem for the prosecution, because in charging edwards they claimed all that money went to take care of edwards' mistress and amounted to illegal campaign contributions. a charge edwards denies. now cheri young is expected to testify that john edwards knew about the money, and directed the cover-up. experts say she's likely to be more sympathetic than her

husband, but still will have to explain why they kept the million dollars, and as her husband put it, were living the high life. matt? >> all right, lisa myers in north carolina on this story. as always, thank you very much. it's 18 after the hour. once again here's ann. >> matt, thanks. president obama showed off his lighter side this weekend at the white house correspondents' dinner. an annual gathering of who's who in washington and hollywood. nbc's chief white house correspondent chuck todd was there. hey, chuck, good morning. >> good morning, ann. well the president headlined his final corresponds' dinner of his term. of course he hopes to be back for a second. in fact that was the main theme of washington's most glitzy weekend of the year. hollywood glamour, mix it with washington power and you've got the white house correspondents' dinner. an annual weekend of parties that some insiders mockingly call d.c.'s nerd prom. president obama dominated saturday's black tie dinner as comedian in chief. at the same dinner one year ago, unbeknownst to most of the

audience that night, the osama bin laden raid was quietly in the works. an anniversary the president had some fun with. >> last year at this time, in fact, on this very weekend, we finally delivered justice to one of the world's most notorious individuals. >> but for the most part, election year politics were on full display. the president used his stand-up time to take plenty of comedic shots at his opponent mitt romney. >> it's great to be here this evening in the vast, magnificent ball room or what mitt romney would call a little fixer-upper. we also both have degrees from harvard. i have one. he has two. what a snob. >> reporter: mr. obama made plenty of dog jokes, showing this parody ad mocking romney's decision to transport his irish setter on top of his car during a family road trip in 1983. >> join mitt romney in sending a message this november.

i'm an american, and dog gone it, i ride outside. >> reporter: the president didn't spare himself on the canine front, mocking his own experience eating dog meat when he was a child in indonesia. >> my stepfather always told me it's a boy eat dog world out there. >> reporter: and mr. obama even had this zinger for his secretary of state. >> four years ago i was locked in a brutal primary battle with hillary clinton. four years later, she won't stop drunk texting me from cartagena. >> reporter: the secret service scandal was fodder for comedian jimmy kimmel who was insparing. he rattled off a slew of jokes in quick succession, many of which lampooned the president. >> i know you won't be able to laugh at any of my jokes about the secret service, so, cover your ears, if that's physically possible. you know there's a term for guys like president obama, probably not two terms, but -- mr. president, remember when the country rallied around you in

hopes of a better tomorrow? that was hilarious. >> reporter: it's never easy for a comedian to have to follow a sitting president at a dinner but president obama got a little bit of a taste of his own medicine. he had to follow president clinton last night. the two of them are doing three joint function raisers to benefit president obama's re-election campaign. the first one was last night in virginia. the next two, ann, are going to be in new york city and probably, of course, hollywood. >> all right. chuck todd this morning. thank you so much. it was a fun -- you were there. >> want to talk about a who's who of hollywood and, you know, the media. you both were there. >> we're nobody compared to half the people -- yeah it was fun. >> it really was. i thought the president did fantastically. jimmy kimmel, he was a little nervous. >> it would be hard not to be nervous following the president. i mean, he is shecky obama. i'm telling you, he knows about timing. terrific. coming up we're going to have an exclusive interview live in our studio with ryan o'neal. he's going to talk about his

tumultuous love affair with farrah fawcett. his relationship with his children and also his recent cancer diagnosis. with him coming up. coming u

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hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. ask your rheumatologist how you can defend against... ...and help stop further joint damage with humira. good morning. it is 7:26 this monday, april 30. i'm aaron grill kris. warmup on the way after a chill. tom sheer with a look at the forecast. >> quite a chill in the air this morning, final morning of april. 40s. near 50 in washington. near the bay. and throughout the region we will climb into the 60s later today with a lot of cloudiness. tomorrow and the afternoon could get a passing shower or thundershower. highs near 80. warming up, feeling like summertime. wednesday, thursday, friday. each day upper 80s near 90 and still warm into the weekend. >> thank you, tom. what you can expect on the roads

right after this quick break.

traveling outbound route 50, an accident blocking the right and left side of the roadway. you are seeing delays. we are going have to squeeze through to get by this accident right in the middle. 395, crossing over 14th street

bridge. travel speed not bad as you make your way into the city. in fact, you are at 34 miles per hour. no major jams and no accidents but you are under speed. aaron, back over to you. >> thank you. another update in about 25 minutes. for now, back to the "today" show a

me being off of narcotics for the last seven years, i felt that she was, you know, -- i didn't know she was struggling with it still. but at the same time, you know, this is a hard fight. it's a hard fight. >> that is bobby brown, opening up to matt in his first interview since the death of his ex-wife whitney houston. >> the r&b star had some rather surprising things to say about their relationship, and also about their daughter, bobbi kristina. we're going to have that exclusive interview with bobby brown, wednesday morning, only here on "today." >> that's right. 7:30 now on a monday morning. it is the 30th of april, 2012.

i'm ann curry sitting alongside matt lauer. still ahead this morning we have an exclusive interview with ryan o'neal. >> that's right. it's been about three years since the love of his life, farrah fawcett, died after a battle with cancer. their relationship, i think you could say, was turbulent to say the least and the same can be said about his relationships with his children. o'neal writes about all of those things pretty honestly in his new memoir, and coming up we'll talk to him about that and also his recent cancer diagnosis. >> and later, a texas mother who is lucky to be alive. she had a complicated pregnancy and following the delivery she started to bleed so badly she needed a 35 gallon transfusion to survive. she's going to share her story coming up this morning. >> and then we're going to catch up with oscar winner diane keaton. she'll stop by to tell us about her new movie. this is a woman who continues to get great roles at a time when a lot of actresses are finding that difficult. >> but let's begin this half hour with the desperate plea from the mother of a missing ft. bragg soldier.

nbc's thanh truong spoke to her exclusively. good morning. >> ann, good morning to you. volunteer search teams this weekend tried again to find a trace of 23-year-old kelli bordeaux but came up empty handed. police here are frustrated and so is kelli's family. now for the first time we're hearing from kelli's mom. it's been more than two weeks since army private kelli bordeaux disappeared from this bar. now kelly's mom is breaking her silence, with a painful plea. >> kelli, baby, i'll see you soon. and i know you can get through this, and i'll see her soon, if anyone has her, please release her. her family needs her. and if someone has done something to her, god will get you. >> reporter: johnna henson is a very private person. but with no new developments in her daughter's case, she's

speaking out. >> i'm hoping that we are going to find her soon and safe and sound, and we can all resume our lives. she's a very -- a very driven woman. she has goals in her life. i don't think someone has realized what they have taken away. >> reporter: hoping to generate new leads police recently released this photo of kelli. wearing black shorts and a pink top, it's the last known image of kelli. she took the picture herself, just before going out to froggy bottoms bar. >> it's a neighborhood bar. it's within walking distance of her apartment. i couldn't sit here and tell you that she was a regular there. you know, of course that term is relative. she had been in the bar before. >> reporter: the bar may have been within walking distance, but kelli got a ride home that night from nicolas holbert, a

registered sex offender who lives in a tent behind the bar. he told a local abc station he knows nothing about her disappearance. >> i had nothing to do with it. i picked her up and took her home that night. that's it. >> reporter: holbert has since been jailed and charged for a separate offense. failing to report his address as a sex offender. investigators haven't named a person of interest. over the weekend, volunteers on horseback and on the water conducted sweeping searches near the cape fear river. but like previous outings, no trace of kelli. >> i really wanted to thank everyone from the city of fayetteville, to the military, all her army friends and family. everyone that's been involved in the searches. >> reporter: her mom prays wherever kelli may be, she'll hear this message. >> you know i miss you and love you, kelli, and i want you home. now. >> reporter: while police say they're not conducting any active searches, they are

working the leads they do have. one of the items they're trying to find is kelli's iphone which she used to snap that photo of herself. but so far, ann, no sign of it, or kelli. >> all right, thanh truong, thank you so much this morning for your reporting on this story. now let's get a check of the weather from al. >> ann, thank you so much. and we've got folks i guess you got guys now have to walk together. >> we do. >> we appreciate it. thanks for coming down. let's what we have as far as your weather is concerned. we have a look at the week ahead. below normal in the pacific northwest and northeast with wet weather there. rain through the tennessee and ohio river valley. heavy rain in florida. by the mid week we continue the rain in southern florida. much of the country above normal. western to eastern two-thirds of the country, chillier along the pacific northwest and west coast. that will continue for the latter part of the week. and the wet weather, warmer weather continues around the great lakes, plains, into the northeast. wet weather also through the eastern half of the gulf into

florida. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. this final morning of april, it is chilly. we are only in the 40s to 50 degrees. tom kierein, storm center 4. now 51 at reagan national. later today up into the 60s to near 0. lot of cloudiness. tonight cloudy and might get a passing shower or thundershower around midnight or around dawn on tuesday. upper 50s tomorrow morning. then 70s to near 08 tomorrow afternoon. passing afternoon or evening thundershower. on wednesday, thursday, friday, each day near 90 degrees. warm into the weekend. on't forgt weather any time you need it any time of the day or night. go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. ann? >> all right, al, thank you. coming up next, the miracle mom who needed 35 gallons of blood and survived a traumatic deliverly. we're going to meet her. and still to come this morning, ryan o'neal joins us for an exclusive live interview. but first these messages. for three hours a week, i'm a coach. but when i was diagnosed with prostate cancer... i needed a coach.

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mmm. you just... took a bite of my cookie. what? [ male announcer ] new quaker cookies. made with the whole-grain goodness of quaker oats. requires daily sun protection. eucerin daily protection spf 15 body lotion is a long-lasting moisturizer and spf in one. it helps protect skin against everyday sun exposure. daily protection body lotion only from eucerin. back now at 7:40 with a new mom being called a miracle by doctors after surviving a traumatic delivery of her daughter. we're going to talk to her and her husband in just a moment. but first, their story. for gina walker, her third pregnancy was difficult from the beginning. >> the doctor said i had a miscarriage. then i was still pregnant. just about every week after that was bad news. week after week that i had different complications. >> reporter: doctors diagnosed

her with a rare condition called placenta percreta that occurs in about 1 out of every 50,000 pregnancies, putting the mother in danger. >> her condition where the placenta plants into the lower portion of the uterus and can invade the bladder. >> reporter: despite the complications gina delivered a healthy baby girl by c-section. to treat her conditions doctors immediately started performing a hysterrektmy but gina began to bleed out. >> when we delivered the baby, we encountered bleeding that was more than we had expected. going in to the surgery. our anesthesia doctor began immediately transfusing the blood products we had available. >> reporter: it took nearly 117 liters of blood, roughly 35 gallons, to save gina's life. a massive ert for the by doctors as well as family and friends who rushed to the hospital to donate. >> when i started noticing cooler after cooler of blood

that had my wife's name on it, you know, up and down the hallway, constantly, and that's when i started to get worried. >> we knew that we had an ob patient, we knew there was a baby involved, everybody was just working so hard and so fast to get this done. >> reporter: doctors say it's a miracle that gina survived. >> any more whatsoever. every day could be your last day. it was a miracle. >> gina walker is here now with us along with her husband dustin and their baby girl allison. good morning to all of you. >> good morning. >> and you miracle momma. >> good morning. >> you have had two previous pregnancies. that were routine. but this pregnancy was complicated. had complications from the very beginning. how did you know that you were -- going to have trouble? >> it was from pretty much the very first appointment they couldn't find the heart beat and

they said i most likely had miscarried and about three weeks later i started having more complications and ended up in the hospital. and continuing after that every week was a new diagnosis, there was something wrong. every week there was something new. i -- >> looks like allison just woke up. hi, allison. good morning. she's really beautiful. as you were being prepared for surgery to have this delivery, your medical team told you some pretty dire statistics. that -- that you had a 1 in 7 chance of not surviving. what was going through your mind at that point? >> i was scared for my life, obviously. i prayed a lot. the condition, there's not a lot you can research on the condition. so when you see statistics like that and hear statistics like that, it's very scary. >> what gave you strength? >> my faith and praying. and my family. >> your family certainly stepped up. dustin i understand you went on

facebook and you were keeping all this information on facebook, you know, updating friends and family what was going on. >> yes. >> and people saw what was happening, and they reacted. >> yeah, a lot of our friends took the idea of donating blood and passed along to all their friends throughout the country, and they got the word out and we had several blood drives. >> you're a former navy man, and some navy friends on facebook also took up this cause and started a website? >> yes, ma'am. they started a website at giveforward.com/ginawalker and it basically tells the whole story of what we went through from day one, and you know, from there they can -- they can make donations, and help out. >> you said people were trying to donate blood from canada? >> yes, ma'am. >> i mean, this is overwhelming. do you even know how many people people you didn't even know wanted to donate blood so that

you could survive? >> yes, ma'am. >> you don't even know? or do you know? >> i don't know how many people. i really couldn't tell you. i just know it spread quickly, and there was people from everywhere. >> how do you wrap your mind around that? what do you say to all those people? >> thank you. thank you, thank you, thank you. it's truly a blessing that everybody went out and did that and i thank god that there are good people out there that will take the time to go do that because it really does, it saves lives. >> how are you doing? >> i'm great. >> no, no repercussions? >> no, i'm good to go. >> and how about allison? >> she's happy, she's got the hiccups. >> she's now two months old? >> a little over two months. >> you feeling like you had a miracle happen in your family, dustin? >> oh, by far. i mean, yes. of course. i had no -- no idea that the outcome would be as wonderful as it has been. just to have them both here. you know.

it just is a blessing. >> congratulations to your family. >> thank you. >> and and what a great thing to hear about the goodness of the heart of america and -- and see how beautiful allison is. congratulations. >> thank you. >> she's fully awake now anyway. and we've got much more coming up, including a "today" exclusive ryan o'neal on his battle with cancer and his stormy relationship with farrah fawcett and his own children. i'm gonna make you breakfast. what? with magic. you are? see the egg? uh huh. so, look at the orange. now close your eyes. ♪ alakazaam! [ sighs ] you're good. and now i'm gonna make this flower bloom. presto. "love you lots." do you want to see it again? yes, i want to see it again! [ female announcer ] hallmark blooming expressions delivers your love again and again. same as becka's science fair... another mini-wheats day coming up!

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as we mentioned a little earlier, the effort to rebuild ground zero is dooring to new heights today. one world trade center, formerly called freedom tower, is set to become the tallest skyscraper in manhattan today. that will, of course, eclipse the empire state building. you can see the empire state building in the foreground. that is one world trade center. it's been growing at about a rate of one floor per week. today, with the laying of a beam on that building it will reach some 1271 feet tall, or about 20 feet taller than the observation deck of the empire state building. >> that is weather permitting, al. >> looks like they're going to cooperate. >> that will be good. >> it's interesting to note that the first time the world trade

center became the tallest building the owners of the empire state building weren't too happy. but, by contrast, they're now saying the world's most famous office building, the ancestor of all supertowers, super tall towers welcomes our newer, taller cousin to the skyline. we've watched you grow and now we salute you. >> we've all watched this building grow. if you drive in and out of new york city it's been amazing to watch it over the last year, all of a sudden kind of peeking above the skyline in lower manhattan and now soaring above it. when it's completed, it will be 1,368 feet at its rooftop, then it's going to have that spire or antenna above it which will take it to 1776 feet. >> it's really amazing. >> important for the city and really for the country. >> when it's completed i guess, by late 2013, or 2014 they're saying it will be the tallest building in the western hemisphere, third tallest in the world. >> 104 floors. do you like -- anybody a little height adverse?

>> no. >> no, i don't have a problem with heights. >> you feel the sway though, up top. it's a little disconcerting. >> we were up there. we were up there on september 11th. that's right. the anniversary, 10th anniversary and they gave us a tour from the top of that. it was a sight to behold. we're back with diane keaton. ♪ [ instrumental ] [ girl ] when i started playing soccer, i wasn't so good. [ barks ] so me and sadie started practicing. we practiced a lot. now i've got some moves! [ crowd cheering ] spin kick! whoo-hoo! [ giggling ] [ announcer ] we know how important your dog is to your whole family. so help keep him strong and healthy with purina dog chow. because you're not just a family.

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7:56 is your time though monday, april 30, 2012. good morning to you. i'm eun yang. a cool start to your day. big changes coming. meteorologist tom kierein is in the storm center. >> big contrast. by the middle of the week it is going to feel like summer. here are the temperatures now just as we approach 8:00. it is in the 40s to just near 50 degrees. lot of cloudiness. we will have clouds in and out throughout the rest of the day with a high 60s to 07. tomorrow up near 80. lot of clouds around. morning or midday shower or thundershower as well as during the afternoon. then near 90 degrees wednesday, thursday, and friday. and over the weekend, remaining warm. >> tom, thank you. we will take a quick break and

good morning. if you are traveling outer loop of the beltway in montgomery county, you are seeing delays this morning. under speed as you make your way past colesville road. travel speed is 30 miles per hour. about 19 minutes to get from i-95 to i-270. moop of the beltway, you know how that goes. slow in virginia. very slow past little river turnpike. >>

we're back now 8:00 on a monday morning. it's the 30th day of april, 2012. it's a pretty day here in new york city. that view courtesy of our cameras on top of the rock, with the statue of liberty in the background there. and if you then take the old dissolve and look down at what we've got going on on our plaza, we've got a nice crowd of people on this monday morning. a lot of people probably a little surprised at our temperature. it's only 43 degrees. on this monday morning. a little unseasonably cool. >> -- back up into the 60s.

>> i'm matt lauer along with ann curry and al roker. and just a quick programming note for you. throughout the mark we've been telling you we're going to have an exclusive interview with ryan o'neal. we are sad to say that mr. o'neal showed up here this morning. he was not feeling well. he has since gone back to his hotel, and we're told that he is canceling all of his appearances for today. we hope he is all right. and we hope to see him tomorrow morning here on "today." >> we do have diane keaton in the house. and we're very excited about that. of course, she won an oscar for her role as annie hall. this morning she's going to be talking about her newest role and what compelled her to take it. i am such a fan. i'm trying to forget myself for -- you know, sort of a stalker. who doesn't love diane keaton? >> we are so happy to have you here. she says, i bet. >> was she wearing gloves? >> no. >> and a little bit later on,

bobby flay said if you want to be a great home cook you need to develop your own tomato sauce. bobby's got a great sauce based tomato sauce for you to build so many great recipes off of. he's going to be here to bring us that. >> we've got a lot to get to. natalie is standing by at the news desk with all the headlines. hi, natalie. >> good morning again, matt, ann and al. good morning, everyone. police say the van that plunged off a highway overpass in new york city sunday, killing seven members of the same family, was apparently speeding, reportedly going about 70 miles per hour in a 50-mile-per-hour zone. the van landed upside down in a remote section of the bronx zoo away from people and exhibits. officials say the victims, including three little girls, were all wearing their seat belts. the plight of a blind chinese dissident is causing new friction between the u.s. and china just days before secretary of state hillary clinton's visit to beijing for high-level strategic and economic talks. chen guangcheng fled house arrest in china and is reportedly being harbored by u.s. diplomats in beijing.

the wife of former john edwards aide andrew young is expected back on the stand today at edwards' corruption trial. cheri and andrew young are central to the prosecution's claim that edwards used nearly $1 million in illegal contributions to hide his pregnant mistress during the 2008 campaign. andrew young acknowledged last week that he kept 80% of that money and spent it on his own dream home. former president bill clinton made the first of three planned campaign appearances with president obama last night in suburban washington. the two have sometimes had a testy relationship. clinton told report -- supporters that president obama beat the clock to help the economic recovery. and dramatic new video shows what it was like inside the tent that collapsed in high winds saturday near busch stadium in st. louis, killing one person. about 100 others were injured. investigators want to know if the tent was modified after it had been inspected. now, for a look at what's trending today, our quick roundup of what has you talking

online. the couple blasted online for keeping a souvenir baseball they caught at a texas rangers game last week demanded an apology from the yankees announcer who criticized them on air. sean leonard says he and his fiancee didn't notice the toddler also vying for the ball. the video of that intsy dent went viral but appearing here on today the toddler's parents said there were no hard feelings. and this tender bonding ritual between a man and his dog is going viral on youtube. during the daily commute, hero, a siberian husky, constantly needs to hold her owner's paw or she cries. doesn't she know he needs both hands on the wheel? it's very cute. and the white house correspondents' dinner is trending on google. it gave president obama the chance to make light of a recent headline-grabbing scandal. >> four years ago i was locked in a brutal primary battle with hillary clinton. four years later, she won't stop drunk texting me from cartagena. i had a lot more material

prepared but i have to get the secret service home in time for their new curfew. >> the dinner mixing celebrity glamour with washington power is jokingly known as the nerd's prom. it is 8:05 outside -- right now. let's go back out to matt and ann. you're not a nerd, ann. you were there. >> i was there. i'm a nerd. >> it's not a nerdy event, is it? >> no, i think it's actually called the nerd prom, i really do. i think that will be the way it's known as forever more. >> al roker called it the cool kid's prom. >> oh, yeah? >> you feel like the cool kids? >> if you're me, it's about as cool as it gets. got some nice folks here. what's your name young lady? >> anissa. >> where are you from? >> california. >> she's got her snuggie working. very nice. all right let's check your weather. for today our pick city, milwaukee, wisconsin. pick city milwaukee, wisconsin, tmj, nbc 4. scattered morning showers.

57 degrees. and we look at our afternoon highs, going to be chilly here in the northeast. in the new england area. 50s and 60s. 90s the southeast where we could see records set. southwest as well. we are looking at mountain snows in the pacific northwest and windy conditions and central california. risk of strong storms, texas into in neb. also western pennsylvania into southern illinois, heavy rain down in southern florida. some areas may pick up to eight inches of rain in the next 24 hours. nice and sunny here in the northeast of new england. but a little on the chilly side. >> good morning. tom kierein, storm center 4. cloudy and chilly on this monday morning. final day of april. right now in the 40s. most of maryland, virginia, and west virginia near 50 and washington and by the bay and later today, into the 60s to near 70 by this afternoon, lot of clouds around. cloudy tonight. upper 50s by dawn tomorrow. could get perhaps a shower or thundershower after midnight tonight. as well as off and on during the day tuesday. feeling like summertime.

wednesday and into the weekend. >> birthday here. what's your name? >> sophia. >> and we've got a 10th birthday over here. what's your name? >> jake. >> double digits. let's head over to ann. >> all right, al, thank you so much. coming up next, oscar winner diane keaton on the personal message behind her new movie. that's coming up right after this. i love cash back.

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oscar winner diane keaton. she stars in the new movie "darling companion" alongside kevin kline, playing a pair of empty nesters who adopt a stray dog. and things head south when their pet disappears. take a look. >> has he been in here? >> i thought he was with you. >> he was. but he took off on me. >> what? wait a minute. where's the dog? >> i told you, he took off. >> when was this? >> about 20 minutes ago. chased a deer, wouldn't come back. >> did you use the whistle? >> i whistled. i didn't have the whistle, per se. >> you were on the phone, right? come on, boy. here boy! where are you, sweet heart? you lost the dog. >> diane keaton, welcome back. >> i'm a little annoyed. >> a little tightly wound there. >> can you tell? >> but not in person. it's nice to see you again. >> good to see you. >> i made a mistake last time

you were here i started the interview by telling you i loved you. >> did you? do you still love me. >> i do still love you. seems to kind of set you back. >> i am set back a little still. >> and now i'm reading that kevin kline, your co-star in this movie. >> yeah, yeah. >> said basically the same thing. he said this was a dream come true that he adores you. >> he was lying. >> are you becoming more used to being an object of desire? >> are you serious? >> yeah. >> you know that that's not true. i am not an object of desire. have you noticed that i've been with another human being, like a male type person? >> but you know what's interesting is when we told people you were coming in today, men and women alike >> yes. >> all said the time thing. >> what did they say? >> that they love you. that they do. there's something about you that resonates with people. >> maybe they're extremely insecure. and people identify with that. do you feel like i'm insecure? >> i've gotten the hint of that over the past couple of interviews. talk to me about making this movie. kevin kline is one draw. >> he's fantastic. yes, he's a great guy. and he was -- he was

instrumental in constantly telling me that my grammar needed to improve on the set. every day. can you believe that? because can you tell by the way i can't really make sense when i speak. >> and now somebody's telling you your grammar is incorrect? >> he said my grammar is incorrect. so we had a great sparring relationship. i adored him and so that kept our marriage just exactly perfect for this movie. but mainly it's the dog. i love the dog. >> you are an animal lover. >> the dog was fantastic. the dog's name is casey and her name is freeway in the movie and she's just so lovable. and i am an animal lover. because what i feel about animals is that, especially dogs for me, it just takes -- that they just live in the moment. you know, they don't think about the future, and they're not concerned about their past. and there's something so soothing about that. i have a dog, her name is emmy. she's an ugly dog. >> she's famous, though. she's on the cover of aarp magazine. >> yes, she is. >> i didn't even know she was 65.

i think she's on the cover here, actually -- there's emmy. >> that's emmy. >> how long have you had emmy? >> oh, i've had emmy about eight years. she is about 65, right? >> in dog years, exactly. talk to me about the plot of this. i don't want people to think this is a dog movie or a movie about daupgs. >> it's about the dog brings the family to the. >> about adult relationships. >> yes, it really is. yes. but of course, the dog is -- you know, i can't really talk about the plot too much, i don't want to give it away, the ending. right? >> you said, though, it was a labor of love. and in the notes i head last night you said we didn't get paid to do this. you mean that somewhat not literally more figuratively? >> well, it was, you know, it was -- we didn't get paid. >> there was a paycheck. it just wasn't a hollywood movie-taipeicheck. >> it was a -- yes, it was a modest paycheck. extremely modest. >> and you still wanted to do it? >> of course. >> because of this movie. >> i'm a big fan of his and respect him so much and i loved the script. because i really am an animal activist in my own way. >> i'm thinking about the fact

that when you were here the last time we were talking about some of your roles over the years and you continued to be offered these roles. at a time, saying delicately here, where a lot of other actresses are not given that same opportunity. why do you think it happens for you? >> oh, dear. why do you think? because i have no answer to that. >> well, i mean -- raw talent could be one. >> talent, possibly. >> hard work? >> hard work. oh, yeah, i am a hard worker. that's true. but that doesn't make me more likable or -- i don't know why. that's such a horrible answer. but really, come on. let's get real. i mean there's nothing -- >> when it comes right down to it, we hear a lot of actresses complaining that there are no great roles for more mature actresses. >> well, there are, though. there are some roles. definitely. i don't know what to say about that. i don't know how i got lucky. maybe it's just i was lucky. do you think? >> yeah, maybe. >> who cares. i mean nobody really cares about me anyway. >> it's mother's day coming up. >> oh, no, that's a big day. >> the day? what's the most important lesson

you learned from your mom? >> to listen. >> really? >> to simply listen. because that's what she gave me. because my mother would listen to me. i was endlessly complaining and talking about what i wanted and she'd just listen. she never judged me. she just let me talk. and i just think that's a great gift. my natural inclination is not to keep my mouth shut. but i think it's really important when you're a parent to be quiet sometimes, and just listen to your kids, because not only will you like enhance their ability to kind of think for themselves, but you will learn to know them better by just listening to them. they deserve that. >> even as i was listening to you, every word you were saying, diane, i'm looking at you put your hands up to your face, at the plaid nail polish. >> my nails? >> how long did it take -- can you put your hand up for one more second? >> there they are. yeah i like to do them myself. can you tell that i painted those on? that's so not true. >> you spent the weekend in washington. you were at the white house correspondents' dinner. >> i was. >> what did you think of that? >> oh, my god!

it's an astonishing event. no, it's better than anything. better than the academy awards. better than all that because it's such a mix of power/celebrity. >> who did you see? >> plus obama -- it's hard not to fall in love with obama. because really, come on, this guy is so charming. it's almost impossible. he's the president of the united states. and because he's too -- he -- >> did you get to mingle with him personally or just sitting in the seat? >> no, no, no, no, no. i've never mingled with him. but i would love to mingle with him. not as much as you, though. you're my favorite. >> that's right. >> no but listen, i saw colin powell. that was like -- that was astonishing because he actually hugged me. you can't -- he hugged me. colin powell. you know, this is not -- it was fantastic. he was so warm. he was really so sweet. oh, it was a great experience. honest. i've never been to any of them. >> you were the guest of -- >> "people" magazine. absolutely. it was great. >> so if we call you and ask you to go next year. >> you bet, i'm coming. >> you'll be my date for the white house correspondents' dinner?

>> of course i would. yes! >> that's a deal. >> okay. >> that's fantastic. i just got a date for next year's dinner. >> i'm yours. >> i appreciate it. the movie is called -- >> don't get up. >> bye! >> no, wait! "darling companion" is now in select cities and opens across the country on friday, and by the way, diane's memoir is now out in paperback. >> oh, it is. it totally is. >> whatever. up next, the tech savvy young woman changing the face of business in america. a party? [ music plays, record skips ] hi, i'm new ensure clear. clear, huh? my nutritional standards are high. i'm not juice or fancy water, i'm different. i've got nine grams of protein. twist my lid. that's three times more than me! twenty-one vitamins and minerals and zero fat! hmmm. you'll bring a lot to the party. [ all ] yay! [ female announcer ] new ensure clear. nine grams protein. zero fat. twenty-one vitamins and minerals. in blueberry/pomegranate and peach.

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but there are foods that i had no idea had so much acid in them. my dentist said that the acid in fruit, or fruit juice or fruit teas softens the enamel so that then it can potentially erode. once that enamel is gone, it's gone. my dentist recommended that i use pronamel to help harden that enamel so that it's not brushed away. pronamel protects your teeth from the effects of acid erosion. i don't have to cut out the things that i love in my diet. i can have the best of both worlds with pronamel. yeah, it's the new quaker cookie, with chocolate chips, almonds, and, of course, whole-grain oats, so -- uh-huh. mmm. you just... took a bite of my cookie. what? [ male announcer ] new quaker cookies. made with the whole-grain goodness of quaker oats. same as becka's science fair... another mini-wheats day coming up! ummmm...you rock. right here! [ female announcer ] kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal is packed with fiber and nearly a day's worth of whole grains

to help keep your kids full and focused. ♪ every little thing is possible ♪ [ female announcer ] introducing new fresh take. kraft natural cheese, and the perfect blend of spices and bread crumbs all in one bag. we're not just making cheese. we're helping you make something amazing. ♪ love is a bright idea ♪ life is amazing... [ female announcer ] new fresh take from kraft. ♪ ...love that i found ♪ back now at 8:20 with a group becoming the new face of business in america. young people creating their own paths to success, doing things their way. and savannah guthrie is joining us with the story. >> good morning, ann. well, that's right. a growing number of impressive young women are throwing caution to the wind and bypassing the unemployment line by starting up their own businesses.

founder and ceo. for years that phrase has conjured up images of corner offices, men in suits, and corporate board rooms. but a new breed of young, tech-savvy, hard-working entrepreneurs is changing the game, and the face of the american workplace. known as generation "q," they are 80 million strong, and many of these twentysomethings or so-called millennials, would rather take a risk than submit a resume. >> you typically don't have a mortgage, or kids, and you've got a ton of energy and excitement, and fresh ideas, which is great for starting a new business. >> reporter: a new survey shows that 54% of millennials want to follow their passion and start a business, instead of entering a bleak job market. and, of course, a fearless few have already made a tremendously big splash. >> a billion dollar valuation. >> reporter: but young men aren't the only ones looking to be their own boss. >> we're seeing so many exciting, interesting businesses

coming from young female tech entrepreneurs. >> i'm 28 years old. and i'm the founder and ceo of learnvest.com. >> reporter: alexa dropped out of harvard business school at age 25 to pursue her dream of helping women take control of their finances. >> financial planning shouldn't be a luxury. every single person in america should have access to a financial plan, and we just wanted to make it as consumable as something like, you know, losing weight or finding love. >> reporter: since its launch, her money management company learnvest has grown leaps and bounds. today it's one of the leading sites women go to for personal finance advice. >> i love this. >> reporter: making this rising star the suze orman of a new generation. >> i'm 28 years old, and i'm the co-founder and ceo of foodspotting. >> reporter: in 2009, alexa had an idea, a unique way for people to recommend their favorite dishes using smartphone cameras. think facebook for foodies.

>> it's the picture menu for every restaurant, anywhere in the world. you can launch your phone, see beautiful pictures, decide what you would want to order, see what your friends love there. >> reporter: in less than two years, her app has been downloaded over 2 million times. and foodspotters across the globe are snapping pics, rating their meals, and helping to create a restaurant guide for the digital age. >> my name is alexa, i'm 28, and i'm the founder of paperless post. >> reporter: at just 23 years old, alexa hirschfeld created paperless post an online invitation company that's changed the way countless people send and receive stationery. >> i thought that working for yourself wouldn't be as much work but it's a lot more work. >> reporter: part of that work is learning to manage an office full of people. >> i think about 90% of the people are under 30, and it does feel like there are fewer grown-ups here. >> reporter: these three alexas weren't afraid to think big and take a chance. they hope their success inspires

millions of young women to do the same. and as a result of this strong entrepreneurial spirit, some experts are saying millennials are helping to create jobs and strengthen the economy. it's pretty cool, because this is a tough job market for a lot of people. a lot of people coming out of college and here are three women, three alexas who have decided to start their own businesses. >> i'm going home and changing romy's name to alexa. but did they have experience in this field or just an idea and then learn the field? >> it sounds like in many cases it's just a matter of having that good idea. and then having it catch on. >> we've got alexa here as part of our money 911. very sharp. and again finding that niche that nobody's serving and going there. >> but also this idea that people are, are, who are graduating worrying about being able to find a job and it's kind of opened them up to just kind of take a risk, be bold, try something new and obviously that's paid off. >> the entrepreneurial spirit

paid off. >> you got to have people believe in you. >> that's true. feed money is good, too. >> that's right. >> doesn't hurt. >> alexa, thank you very much. >> yes. >> just ahead we're going to hear about the secrets to making the perfect homemade pasta sauce with the help of bobby flay.

good morning, 8:26 this monday, april 30. i'm aaron gilchrist. tom kierein is here with a look at our forecast. >> good morning. cloudy and chilly this final morning of april. right now we are just near 50 degrees around the metro area. mid and upper 40s parth west and north. mid 50s mere the bay. later today, into the 60s. lot of clouds around. maybe a little peek of shine midday. and then tonight corks get showers, maybe thundershowers around midnight and off and on during the day tuesday. and warmer tomorrow. near 80. then feeling like summer. wednesday, thursday, and friday. each day afternoon highs near 09 degrees. warm into the weekend, too.

>> thank you, tom. we will check traffic

good morning. taking the inner loop of the beltway. couple of things going on. first, an accident at little river turnpike. blocking the right lane. another accident as you continue on the inner loop closer to route 50. going to see a crash there. you are seeing big delays on the

inner loop very slow, jammed, even 25 miles per hour. about 31 minutes from the interchange to the dulles toll road. now all the way over to the 14th bridge, slow here as you make your fwhi the city. no accidents, just delays. aaron, over to you. >> thank you. we will have more weather and

8:30 now on this monday morning, the 30th of april, 2012. we have a really terrific crowd outside soaking up some sun at the start of a new work week here in part of midtown manhattan. we're glad for all of their smiling faces. outside on the plaza i'm ann

curry alongside matt lauer, al roker and natalie morales. and coming up we're going to be hearing and cooking with bobby flay. >> bobby is going to destroy and make us all better cooks at home, and he's going to start with some simple recipes that can really help you out. today's penne with tomatoes, a little bit of arugula, and parmesan. >> hmm. >> we're going to learn how to make that. also garlic bread. >> ooh. >> yummy. >> all right. with some basil or something. >> okay. and then later on we've got a fascinating interview with alma obama. she's president obama's sister from kenya. they met as young adults when they were each coming to terms with their complicated family situation. well, she is out now with a new memoir detailing their relationship, and we're going to talk with her. >> all right. and then you probably all know prince william and kate middleton. >> we all know them. >> they celebrated their first anniversary this weekend. and coming up, we are going to show you some of the top looks

that kate middleton inspired, the duchess of cambridge. how you can get that same look for less. >> okay. all right. but first -- >> it's a bizarre thing. you remember ted williams, the gentleman who was homeless and became -- he just was here. >> where is he? >> he's over there. >> he's walking over there. >> over by the street. by the street. >> there you go. >> there we go. in the background. wave. >> the "today" show! >> woo-hoo! >> come over here. >> wow. >> he's got a beautiful new smile, as well. >> a fly-by on us. anyway. all right. how about a check of the weather? >> all righty. let's see what we've got for you. >> starting with today, risk of strong storms, texas into nebraska, we also have risk of strong storms, western pennsylvania into the tennessee, mississippi river valleys. pacific northwest with windy conditions. tomorrow risk in the upper mississippi river valley. with showers in the pacific northwest. sunny and warm in the southern tier of states.

more rain through the tennessee, mississippi and ohio river valleys. few showers along coastal new england's coast. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> it is a gray monday. cloudy and chilly. around the region, just near 50 degrees, around the metro area. and to our south in the low to mid 50s. southern maryland, around the bay, northern neck, farther west and north, 40s to around 50. quite a chilly morning. later today, lot of cloudiness. temperatures climbing into the 60s. then late tonight, perhaps around mid might and after that off and on throughtures. maybe a passing shower or thundershower. warmer tomorrow. feeling like summertime. wednesday, thursday, friday, remaining warm into the weekend. >> you can get that weather any time you need it. go to the weather channel on cable, or weather.com online. we know the weather's always nice in captiva, that's because willard's there. hey, willie. >> hey everybody in the pool. that's the greatest way to exercise. make you look good. then you get hungry and what do you do? you eat some smucker's jam. happy birthday it is.

good old east st. louis, illinois, and this is mayate to miller. she is 111 years old today. great hostess and a life of the party and a lifelong member of her church. how about those apples. irving, here's good old irving tapper. from san francisco, california. 102 years old. he is a computer whiz. i think everybody out there is. does his own greeting cards online. milly klein from pembroke pines, florida, is 100 years old. she loves reading on her kindle. she's with it. i mean, she's something else. we have peter mack from newport beach, california. one of the prettiest towns in the country. 100 years old today and he exercises every single day. that's why he looks so good. good old marion gunn. bronx, new york. that's the whole bronx farm.

you know that right across the river from where nbc is. loves going out to dinner with her friends, and her secret to longevity, eating. lots of good food. we have sam vitelli, from washington, pennsylvania. i think one of the first towns named after george washington. he's 101 years old today. and his favorite memory is the day he met his wife. isn't that sweet? now back to new york. that's my favorite memory. >> all right, willard, thank you so much. coming up we're going to from bobby flay and he is going to share with us his secret for the perfect pasta dish. but first this is "today" on nbc.

"today's kitchen" is brought to you by kraft fresh taste. make something amazing. 8:37.

we're back and this morning on "today's kitchen," how to be a better home cook. and we've gotten an italian favorite from bobby flay. the chef and restaurateur is also one of the mentors in the upcoming season of food network star. always good to see you. >> my pleasure. >> you say when people come up to you they ask you to make chicken dishes, fish dishes and then tomato sauce. >> yes, of course. my wife for instance wants to be able to make five dishes that she has in her repertoire. the simplest dishes are the ones that people really gravitate to. i'm going to show you this dish today. this is tomato sauce. it's got three or four ingredients and i'm going to show you how to cook pasta correctly. >> if you follow the basics of tomato sauce isn't it pretty hard to screw up? >> anything is possible. >> okay. >> what's a mistake people make most often? >> i think that people put too much stuff in it. and i'm going to show you this right now. this is just onions and zbar lick and some tomato. >> a little olive oil in there. >> just a little bit of oil. i just sweat the onions in garlic. which means i don't want to achieve any color, just cook it

so that the juices come out. and then i take a can of whole tomatoes and i use the juices in there, as well. now what i like to do is i like to have texture in my sauce. >> right. i don't puree it in the food processor. i don't put it in the food processor, but what i do is once this starts cooking for about 15 minutes and the tomatoes get nice and soft, i take a -- i'm not going to do it with that suit. and i just kind of press it down. you can see it start to squeeze. you want this to go for about 15 minutes before you start doing that. and you get a really, nice, chunky sauce. pasta, i'm going to use penne today which is a classic shape. >> salt the water? how much salt do you put in water like that? >> i put in a good pinch. something like that. >> and some people put oil in the water as well. >> i don't put oil in the water. i just put the pasta into the water and the box says 11 minutes, i cook it for eight. and i cook it for eight because you can actually cook this ahead of time. but the one thing you don't want to do, huge mistake that a lot

of americans make with pasta is they take the pasta out, and then they throw water over it. cold water to -- >> right. >> then it starts to water log it. so undercooking the pasta a little bit. >> it's going to cook a little bit more as you put it in the sauce. >> exactly. >> you do it differently than a lot of americans do, also where they just pour the sauce on top of the pasta. >> exactly. what i like to do, matt is i have the sauce here and it's nice and hot here. and then i put the pasta, which has been, you know, precooked on top of here. so this is a really key thing. you then have to season the pasta again. because you're putting all this starch into this sauce, and all of a sudden you're going to have a bland dish. and there's no more bland food allowed in this country. people want flavor. okay. so i season it with lots of salt and pepper and some good quality parmesan cheese. and then i stir this up and let the sauce cook with the pasta. >> how long would you do his? >> probably about a minute or so. not very, very long. we definitely want the pasta to absorb the sauce. okay? then when that's all absorbed

and can you see now we've got the salt, the pepper, the parmesan, fresh basil at the very end. >> if by some chance you can't find fresh basil you could use dried herbs? >> absolutely not. no, i don't put dried herbs in pasta. i don't think they have a good flavor. >> okay. >> i would just skip it. but you can definitely find fresh herbs. even fresh parsley. what i like to do for this dish, this is something i make all summer long right when it's done i have my basil in there with the pasta, i throw a whole bunch of arugula on top. >> just why? >> i'm trying to create a nice, light texture. but also it's going to be nice and healthy and it's going to give it a nice peppery flavor, as well. because that's what arugula does. >> okay. but then you're not going to cook that very long. >> not going to cook it at all. put it right into this bowl like this. it's sort of like having a pasta and salad all at once. >> there you go. >> just take a spoonful. >> there you go. >> all right. as i eat this, you're going to come back here and you're going to show us garlic bread? >> exactly.

>> now i grew up eating not in my house, but in my italian-american friend's house, great garlic bread. it's very, very simple. what i do first though, is i actually toast the bread first. >> without anything on it? >> just maybe a little olive oil, some salt and pepper. and then, i take some butter, and some garlic. i saute the garlic a little bit. okay. >> so you cook the garlic before you put it on. >> very, very quickly. >> just to draw out the flavor? >> to take the rawness out of it. a little salt and pepper. this is softened butter. >> was that just for tv or is that as long as you cook that? >> very, very quickly. just take the rawness out of the garlic. and then i just throw it over some softened butter and then i just slather the butter on top of the garlic bread. okay. that's what i'm talking about, matt. >> you don't even need the pasta dish. >> let me explain something to you. >> now you're talking. >> let me explain to make sure it's nice and healthy we take

the fresh garlic and put it on top. >> this qualifies as health food right now. >> absolutely. absolutely. listen if you're going to go for it you might as well go for it. >> you put that back in the broiler? or that's it? >> as long as the bread is nice and hot it's going to melt and just kind of eat away. >> you don't serve your guests you just start eating away yourself? >> you never asked. you never asked. >> all right. all right. let me take a bite. it's garlic. >> it's butter. >> really good. >> goes really well with the pasta. >> take a little break here. and say bobby flay thank you. up next, remarkable story about how president obama finally met his sister. she's here to share it in a live interview. we're happy to have her here.

♪ ♪ pop goes the world ♪ it goes something like this ♪ everybody here is a friend of mine ♪ ♪ everybody, tell me, have you heard? ♪ ♪ pop goes the world ♪ pop goes the world [ female announcer ] pop in a whole new kind of clean with new tide pods... a powerful three-in-one detergent that cleans, brightens, and fights stains. pop in. stand out. back now at 8:45. alma obama heard stories growing up in kenya of a younger brother named barack who lived in

america, but she could never have imagined that one day he would become president of the united states. she met when they were young adults and forged a lasting relationship and she writes about it in her memoir called "and then life happens." auma obama, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> in this book which was really a pleasure to read, you write about being neglected, even abandoned, by your father. about feeling not understood by your family. and yet you describe an almost instantaneous connection when you met your brother barack obama. can you describe why, how, you made this instantaneous connection? >> i think the main thing is that it's less -- than being misunderstood. i guess it was the fact i was the only girl in a family of men and boys and when i met my

brother, we have this instant connection, i was able to talk to him and he really understood the things i was talking about. and i can't explain why, but you know, it was just one of these situations where we met, and it just clicked. and the funny thing is when i did come to america to meet him, i initially was afraid that i might not like him as a person because i didn't even know him. i knew about him all my life but i didn't know him. so i had a plan around, what am i going to do if i don't like this person? and there was no question about it. i really felt that, i'll give it ten days of spending a month in america, i was so concerned about not liking him. >> ten days with him so if you weren't going to like him it wasn't going to go well. he, he said about that first encounter in chicago he said, he wrote, i knew at that moment somehow that i loved her so naturally, so easily, and fiercely. what void do you think you filled in his life? >> i think i gave him his -- a

part of his family that he didn't have. because a father is an important figure in everybody's life. and everybody searches, even if you're adopted or you didn't know your father, it's part of who you are, your identity. and that was a part of his identity that he needed to get back. and i was blessed to be able to be the person who was able to give him that and to share that with him. and it was for me so special because it was not difficult to do. he was always in our lives. he was always a part of our life. it was just completing the circle by actually meeting him and then just telling him things that he really would have known already. >> when he said to you, tell me something about my father, could you see in his expression, in his manner, in his questioning how much he craved, needed, to know who his father was? >> if i said yes, i would be -- i can't say that. because i just responded to him basically. you know, when he wanted to know, i wanted to tell. because in telling him about his

father, i was finding out about him as my brother. so i was gaining as well. i was gaining the brother who to me in that instantz was so special, and i was so close to but i really didn't know him that well. in our conversations we also get to know each other. it was like a holding of hands and walking this washington together. where we had been separate all this time. so for me was a wonderful experience, and i think it was great, also, for us together to understand our father. >> you told him things he never knew before, he said, things like how your father used to talk about him. with pride. >> a lot. >> and this must have been to some degree comforting to your brother. >> it is. i hope so. i suspect it is. >> so i wonder, reading the book, whether you think that filling these gaps, for your brother, about how he knew his father, if you had not been able to do that, if he would be who he is today. if he would have been able to

achieve becoming president of the united states. >> to be honest, it's a difficult question for me to answer. it's something that he went through. that's what his experience was, and whether that was a need that he had in order to be more, or to prove himself, or to achieve more, it's a difficult question for me to answer. but i would imagine that it's an important part of being a person, having an identity. so, without that there's probably always been some void in his life. and if you don't feel complete, sometimes you don't do as much as you would. he's a very whole person and i think he's very comfortable with who he is. and you know, he really has a very positive outlook on life. i think all of that contributes to it. because he just knows who he. and i hope that i can contribute to him being able to find out who he is in a more complete way. >> well, the book is illuminating. i wish we had more time but we've run out of time.

auma obama, it's a pleasure to meet you. thank you so much for joining us. >> thank you. >> the book is called "and then life happens." still ahead new high tech gadgets to help you eat smarter and healthier. and there's lots of cool stuff happening with progressive mobile. great! tyler here will show you everything. check out our new mobile app. now you can use your phone to scan your car's vin or take a picture of your license. it's an easy way to start a quote. watch this -- flo, can i see your license? no. well, all right. thanks. okay, here we go. whoa! no one said "cheese." progressive mobile -- insurance has never been easier. get a free quote today.

we are back now at 8:52 with a very special group of kids.

invited to perform on one of the world's biggest stages. here's "today" national correspondent jenna wolfe. >> it's hard to think of anything that 6-year-old oscar doesn't do over the course of his busy week. >> i do tap dancing, i do ballet, i do karate. i take tap class. and i do drumming class. and once in awhile i do gymnastic class. >> reporter: but if he could, he'd probably be doing more. now that he's got his spirit, and more importantly, his health back. >> oh, and i also have swimming classes, street hockey, and i am starting little league. >> reporter: at age 3, oscar was diagnosed with cancer. >> oscar had a tumor, a slow-growing tumor. he was about stage three, which is almost the end. >> reporter: a far cry from the wide-eyed, life-loving little

boy we found rehearsing for a performance at none other than radio city music hall. can you show me one tap move, stand up here and show me one tap move? >> kind of like a shuffle step. you got it. >> reporter: just a few hours later, oscar would join over 100 kids, each facing their own uphill battle, as part of a garden of dreams talent show on this very stage. ♪ what you can see here is happiness, optimism, unbridled joy. what you cannot see from these kids, and what the garden of dreams is helping to fight every day, is homelessness, illness, and poverty. talk to me a little bit about the inspiration behind this particular event. >> it's about happiness and it's about inspiration. it's about the american dream. it's about telling every kid no matter what their circumstances, you can be what you want to be. >> reporter: a message not lost on 13-year-old alyssa, who chose to sing "beautiful" by christina aguilera. >> i have a tumor, and i lost

all my hair, so i didn't really feel beautiful anymore. but i used singing to kind of escape from it. and when i would sing a long i'm like i'm beautiful, hair, no hair, chemo, no chemo, whatever. ♪ i am beautiful >> reporter: and once a year, on one of the biggest stages that inspiration is brought to life. and the garden of dreams comes with a guarantee. once you join, you're a member for life. with an open invitation to attend special events, held by the foundation all year long. >> i think it helps the people that have no homes or having cancer, it helps them feel great. >> reporter: and did it help you? >> yes. >> i feel like it helped me get through a lot and just made me feel like a better, stronger person, as well. >> that was jenna wolfe reporting. the folks at madison square garden who are behind this, they do this all year long. this isn't just a one-time

event. they're behind this cause all year long and they've done great things over the years. >> it's amazing to see those kids. what they've gone through. >> just ahead -- >> and she is beautiful. >> just ahead inspiring weight loss stories from members of the joy fit club. that's coming up right after your local news. 8:56 is your time. i'm eun ng. let's check in with tom kierein for a look at your forecast. big changes on the way. >> we need it, too. it is chilly. temperatures around the region are still only around 50 degrees

as we approach 9:00. 52 at reagan national. clouds holding back those heating rays of sun. it is going to take a while to hitting the 60s. we institute start doing that by noontime. hold stead write in the 60s through the afternoon. lot of clouds around. then overnight tonight, maybe a shower or thundershower after midnight as well as off and on tuesday. otherwise, a cloudy pattern. bit milder tomorrow. really warming up, near 90 wednesday, thursday, friday into the weekend. remaining warm. >> tom, thank you. [ female announcer ] with xfinity,

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good morning. still seeing problems on the inner loop of the beltway in virginia, first one inner loop at little river turnpike. accident blocking the right lane. second accident as you approach 50 and just really slow. here's a lye look right now. delays continue to the dulles toll road as you travel 20 miles per hour. very slow. >>

we're back now with more of "today" on a monday morning. the 30th of april, 2012. it's picture perfect in new york right now. a little chilly, 48 degrees, but beautiful sunny skies. we do expect some clouds to roll in a little bit later. some sprinkles this evening? >> that's right. and then we'll have some rain. >> but it -- a little window of some nice weather. look at this. >> i'm matt lauer along with ann curry, al roker and savannah guthrie. what's coming up? >> we're going to do a little

breast health 101. we talk about mammograms, breast cancer but there are a lot of things women experience with their breasts, everything from sagging to pain, even finding the right bra. coming up we're going to take a look at these common concerns and get everybody educated. >> all right. >> and then of course we're going to talk about some big-time losers. i'm not talking about us. we're talking about members of the joy fit club. that's right. that elite group of folks who shed at least 100 pounds each. and they kept it off. joy is going to share with us some of the most inspiring stories over the last four years and she's also sharing hints, tips, and recipes to help you lose weight. >> makes me happy to see the after picture how happy they look. how strong and great toy look. >> changed their lives. that's amazing. got a lot to get to. natalie is standing by at the news desk. got a check of all the headlines. >> good morning once again. new york city officials are investigating what caused an out-of-control suv to go airborne and plunge 60 feet off an elevated highway. nbc's jeff rossen is in the

bronx with more. jeff, good morning. >> natalie, good morning to you. this story is just horrific from top to bottom. police say this family was out in their van for a drive on what was a beautiful sunny day. the roads were dry yesterday here in new york. they were headed to a family reunion of all things. for some reason the van lost control, it flipped over a curb and over a guard rail on the bronx river parkway and plunged deep inside the bronx zoo behind me. this morning the entire family is gone. the final moments inside this family van are unimaginable. the driver maria gonzalez an her 10-year-old daughter jocelyn, both killed, along with jocelyn's cousins, just 3 and 7 years old. her aunt, and grandparents. police say they all died at the scene. relatives cried in the streets sunday. >> it's hard. she worked hard for us.

>> reporter: police say the family was speeding down the bronx river parkway in the left lane, going 70. they hit the median, crossing three lanes of traffic, hitting the curb and going airborne over the guard rail, dropping 60 feet into the bronx zoo. upside down. >> the injuries are quite horrific in 30 years i've seen something like this once or twice. everybody was taken back by it. because everybody has a relative. everybody knows a child. everybody has a grandparent. and you can see the emotion on everybody. it's very upsetting. >> reporter: the van landed in heavy brush in a remote section of the bronx zoo. away from animals and visitors. >> our accident investigation squad obviously has been engaged in doing an examination. all of the victims here were apparently wearing seat belts. >> reporter: but even seat belts couldn't save them. the focus now on the highway itself. this is the second accident here in less than a year.

last june an suv plunged off the road near the same area, after hitting a divider. two people were injured. but nothing as sudden, nothing as tragic, as this. >> -- this saturday. >> reporter: one man who lost his wife and daughter in the accident just gave a heartbreaking quote to a local newspaper. he said, i lost my family. what can i say? i don't want to be here. i just want to die. natalie, city officials will now look at this stretch of parkway to see if they need to make any safety changes. >> all right. just such a sad story. jeff rossen in the bronx, thank you. the u.s. and china are pushing to reach an agreement on the fate of a blind chinese dissident. the fate of chen gung chang has long been a sticking point between the two nations. chen spled house arrest, and

officials are hoping to win him asylum here in the united states. but the clock is ticking. officials want to resolve the issue before high-level diplomatic talks between the u.s. and china begin thursday. the new tower under construction at one world trade center is rising from the ashes of ground zero and it's set to surpass the empire state building, becoming the city's tallest building today. the landmark comes just ahead of the one-year anniversary of the raid that killed al qaeda chief osama bin laden. but analysts warn that al qaeda is not yet defeated and is, in fact, strengthening its reach, particularly in yemen, and in tribal areas of pakistan. the wife of former john edwards aide andrew young is expected back on the stand today at edwards' corruption trial. cheri and andrew young are central to the prosecution's claim that edwards used nearly $1 million in illegal contributions to hide his pregnant mistress during the 2008 campaign. andrew young acknowledged last week that he kept about 80% of that money, and spent it on his dream home.

the relationship comedy "think like a man" was tops at the u.s. box office for the second straight weekend. taking in another $18 million. sony's animated comedy "the pirates! band of misfits" was runner-up. the discovery channel purposely crashed a 727 passenger jet filled with test dummies in the mexican desert friday for a documentary episode on how to make plane accidents more survivable. discovery said extensive safety and security precautions were taken, and that the wreck site will be cleaned up. the pilot ejected minutes before impact, according to plan. it is now six minutes past the hour. you're up to date right now. let's go back outside to al roker with a check of your weather. >> all right, natalie. thanks so>> natalie, thanks so . bright blue skies here. lots of happy faces here as well. let's give you your forecast. unfortunately in miami, you are not too happy. we have a lot of heavy rain from key west, key largo all the way up to west palm beach. they have picked up a few inches

of rain. got more coming. one to three inches over the next 24 hours. some areas up to eight inches of rain. they have flood watch necessary effect. risk of strong storms from wichita falls and garden city. paducah, kentucky, western pennsylvania, pittsburgh, cleveland, and columbus. rain is firing up between tulsa and dallas. stretching all the way to cleveland. rainfall amounts looking at anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of rain in that area. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> gray monday. good morning, tom kierein storm center 4. we are just in the low 50s around the metro area and points south and southeast. it is in the mid and upper 50s. farther west and north, still in the 40s. many locations, later today, most of the area should make it into the 60s with a lot of clouds and then tomorrow, we may get a morning shower or thundershower as well as during the afternoon. maybe even some as late tonight as around midnight. then some sun back and wednesday, thursday, friday, and warming up, upper 80s near 90.

>> and that's your latest weather. savannah? >> al, thank you. this morning on "today's health," breast care 101. it's not just about breast cancer. women can experience many different issues, obviously from bra dilemmas to soreness and sagging. so here to explain some of the most common breast complaints is dr. roshini raj, a "today" contributor and medical contributor to "health" magazine. good morning. good to see you. >> you, too. >> so we're doing breast health 101. we have to start with the anatomy. there's six different parts to the breast that are important. >> there are. when we talk about breasts, it's not all about breast cancer. so at health magazine we wanted to break down the most common complaints. let's start with a little tutorial. you're starting first with the fat content. about one-third of our breast is consisting of fat that can change depending on when you gain or lose weight or also what age you're at. as we tend to get older we have more fat in our breasts. >> and we have connective tissue. >> exactly.

this is the stronger, denser tissue that gives firmness to the breast and that does tend to decrease a little bit as we age. it's also hormone sensitive. during parts of your cycle you may feel more tender because of that tissue. >> the specific connective tissue called cooper's ligaments? >> think of these as the ropes holding your breasts in place. kind of like an internal bra. it's a dense, elastic type of tissue and it's keeping things firmed up. >> lobbials? ofhe breast that contain the ns milk producing ducts. we all have the capacity to produce milk even if we're not pregnant or having a baby. >> you mention the ducts. that's another key part. >> right. the tiny little tubes, the milk will travel through the ducts to the last part we're going to talk about which is the nipples and air yo la. >> i'm glad you said it. >> this is the pigmented darker area. right on the outside where the milk comes out of. there's also some muscular tissue in the nipple which can

contract and become stiff with stimulation or cold temperatures. >> let's talk about some common concerns that some women have with their breasts. the first one, tenderness or pain. many people experience that. >> it can be very common. and often this could just be a fact that you're having hormonal fluctuations due to your menstrual cycle or because you're taking a birth control pill. with menopause or premenopause women experience this. sometimes it's something as simple as a muscle strain. we have muscles behind our breast that can become strained. it could be a sign of a cyst or a lump. it absolutely should be checked out by your doctor but often is totally benign condition. >> discharge? is that something you think people should go to the doctor? >> it's common to have a little bif fluid leaking out because we do in those ducts have protein and liquid that can sometimes leak out. however if there's a any blood tingeing that discharge it should be investigated. that could be a sign of cancer. >> next one, a lot of people complain about sagging breasts. >> yes. >> tell us if there's a cure for that. >> i wish i could. you know, as we age those

ligaments that i talked about do tend to become overstretched, and we get more sagging breasts. also, the fat content increases, and the muscular content decreases. fat tends to sag more. if you gain a lot of weight and lose it that could lead to sagging breasts. if you're overweight that could lead to more sagging. is there a cure? not really. but if you do strengthen your pectoralis muscles it could improve the appearance. >> that's where a bra comes in. >> exactly. >> we talk about it a lot but lumps. if you find a lump what do you do and should you be really concerned? >> i should say that many lumps are benign. it could be cysts, which are filled with fluids and not cancer. however, you cannot tell the difference yourself. absolutely see your doctor. get it investigated. most likely you'll get a mammogram and an ultrasound which can determine what is causing this lump. you may need some further tests. you should always take it seriously. but most lumps are benign. >> and some women have, for lack of a better term, lumpy breasts, right? >> absolutely. it's called fibrocystic disease

of the breast, very common especially in younger women. and often those women need an ultrasound or even an mri because the lamb grams are not as good for the lumpy breasts. >> is it okay to do self-breast exams? >> there's a lot of controversy. it hasn't really been shown to save lives. as an individual i think it's still a good idea to get to know your breasts, if you notice any changes. i think it could only help. >> okay. we'll spend the last minute or so on bra issues. how important is it to get fit for a bra? certainly for comfort but is there a medical reason? >> the thing is that your bra size will change over time. with weight gain, even a weight gain of five pounds could change your bra size. so go once a year, get a fit. it will make you more comfortable. it can help with backissues appearance will certain i be better. yes, make sure you're getting the right size. >> do you have a medical opinion about what bra to wear to a gym? >> we're talking about sagging. the more your breasts move while you're exercising the more they can sag. definitely have a very supportive, containing bra when you're exercising. >> and last thing, how many bras

you think a woman should own at a minimum? >> at least three. so you want to -- you don't want to wear the same bra every day. the elasticity in the bra needs some time to get back to the right shape, so rotate. >> we know everything. i hope there's not a quiz. dr. roshini rog', you'd be fine. thank you, coming up next, they've lost the weight and they're feeling great, looking great, too. amazing success stories from joy fit club members. we're going to show you how to make their slimdown secrets work for you. and later on, kate middleton makes her mark on fashion. we've got kate-inspired looks for less. but first these messages.

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sounds like a mini-wheats day to me! and becka's science fair is on the 8th. she's presenting the solar system. hey i've got just the whole grain fiber to help keep her full so she can stay focused. um...you rock. she'll be ready to rock. right here! [ female announcer ] make your kids big days, mini-wheats days. packed with fiber and nearly a day's worth of whole grains kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal helps keep your kids full and focused. now available in cinnamon roll flavor. keeps 'em full...

keeps 'em focused. those five food groups sound a whole lot better instead of a pyramid. old el paso. when you gotta have mexican. this morning on "look at me now, the joy fit club" success stories.

over the last four years we've welcomed more than 104 people into the club who each lost 100 pounds or more and kept it off. "today" nutritionist joy bauer celebrating the secrets of their success with a great new bag "the joy fit club: a collection of inspiring stories" and a nice picture of joy on the front. >> thank you, al. >> so let's get started. first of all, i mean these stories are really amazing, really inspirational. we'll start with kim. now here's a before look at kim. >> so kim here weighs 258 pounds and she tried every single quick-fix gimmick in the book and it wasn't until she realized that she maded to make this weight loss stick with realistic lifestyle changes. she lost 110 pounds. >> wow. it's like a different person. >> it's stunning. actually she's a personal trainer now and she had a lot of tips. but one of her most clever tips that we include in the book is to crush cravings with a bag of chips. literally. she has a brown paper bag filled with note cards and lists random

activities. when she starts craving chocolate chip cookies, she reaches in the bag and it says walk for ten minutes or call a friend or read a chapter of a book or polish your nails and by the time she's done with that distraction activity the craving is gone. >> she's moved on then. >> she's moved on. >> let's move on to cheri. this is another stunning transformation. there's her photo. >> i think a lot of people will relate to cheri in that she gained a tremendous amount of weight with each of her two pregnancies and she decided to really do it for her and her two boys. she lost half her weight in pounds. look at this. she is a bombshell. so she was 282 to start. she lost 2141 pounds by eating smart and by exercising. and her tip, which she still does -- >> of course now some of our -- our sponsors might not like this, but it's not a bad thing as long as you do it in front of the tv. >> so it's a great idea. she gets up during the commercial breaks of per favorite shows, like the "today" show, just saying, and she

moves. she exercises. >> in front of the tv? >> in front of the tv. she walks in place, does push-ups, crunches and burns about 20 calories per commercial. so if you're in to a one-hour show that's about 100 calories at the end of the show. if you have small kids it's fun to get them up and moving, too. a lot of hoopla in the living room. >> in the -- our television. >> right, right. >> let's take a look at april. >> okay. so april struggled with weight her entire life and it wasn't until she was taking care of her mom, who had a serious health condition, that she realized she needed to make her own health a priority. she lost 109 pounds. again, look at that. no pills, no potions. >> literally a transformation to completely different people. >> you can't even recognize that that's the same person. she is so filled with energy. and her big tip is just to jazz up your salads. because really that same old bed of greens gets so boring. >> you're bored. >> so you add on one or two

tablespoons of nuts or seeds or fresh fruit like grapes or strawberries or mandolin oranges. and she also uses flavored straight vinegars as a dressing like blueberry or raspberry vinegar. they even have fig infused vinegar. gives a robust flavor for very, very few calories. i love that tip. >> and now let's check out nicole. again, this is probably the most amazing. >> this is unbelievable. so, nicole describes high school as an emotional agony. she was teased and bullied by insensitive kids her entire life. >> let's look at her now. >> she lost 300 pounds. could you imagine, 300 pounds? >> she lost two people. >> again, just through eating the right foods and exercising. and her big strategy is creating comfort, slim-down versions of her favorite comfort foods like pizza. her and her husband were and are huge pizza holiks. now they make it on a whole wheat tortilla, reduced fat cheese, lean turkey sausage, vegetables, you name it. >> you have a challenge. >> in honor of the book we're

having this big recipe challenge for anybody who's lost weight, send us your slim down versions of your favorite comfort foods. macaroni and cheese, chocolate cake, and we'll feature them on today.com. >> all right, joy, thanks so much. >> i'm excited to hear them. >> i can't wait. the book is "joy fit club." we'll have more coming up later on. still to come, she turns heads with her elegant style wherever she goes. we're going to show you how to get kate's royal look for a fraction of the cost. ♪ [thor] who dare cross the avengers? [iron man] it's loki! [captain america] wait! i forgot my shield. i think my mom has it. [mom] i'm over here. [captain america kid] come on, guys. hey, mom. we're looking for loki. [mom] did you look over there? a superhero in every aisle. the avengers, now at target.

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just ahead princess kate's look for less. >> and how using your smartphone is a smart idea for losing weight. ♪

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no. really? cold cuts from a package? yes. [ male announcer ] in a world filled with "no," it's nice to finally say "yes." new oscar mayer selects deli meat. the tastes you love and no artificial preservatives. it's yes food. good morning. it is 9:26 on this monday, april 30. i'm aaron gilchrist. let's go to tom kierein for our forecast. >> it is a gray over green monday. lot of clouds and temperatures aren't warming up a lot yet. just in the low 50s around the metro area, 40s to near 50 west and north and mid and upper 50s farther south and east. it should make it into the signatures most of the region. throughout the afternoon. lot of clouds around, though. maybe a shower or thundershower after midnight tonight and off and on tuesday, that's possible. and a bit warmer tomorrow. then really heating up on wednesday, thursday and friday, into the upper 80s each day, near 90 degrees.

over the weekend remaining warm.

couple of accidents on the

inner loop of the beltway. but they are gone in virginia. but you are still slow as you make your way past little river turnpike. you are under speed, looking at 23 miles per hour. also as you cross over the 14th street bridge nice and clear at this time.

we had this, this glow about her that was just, you know, incredible. you know. and i'm -- i'm -- i'm thinking to myself, you know, she must be -- she must be doing really well, because she looked really well. >> for the first time since the passing of whitney houston her ex-husband bobby brown is speaking out, and that is what he had to say about the last time he saw whitney, about a week before her untimely death. we will hear from bobby brown in an exclusive interview wednesday, only on "today." >> hard to believe she's gone. >> yeah. >> and i got from the interview that some of the things you'll hear him say are quite surprising.

all right. and just ahead on a different note, kate's style one year later. kate middleton married her prince one year ago and ever since then she's been dazzling the world with her signature style, and easy elegance. and this morning we're going to show you how you can dress like a duchess on a dime. our own ali foster playing kate middleton. >> and practicing the royal wave. >> very nice. >> she left her prince victor downstairs. >> she's looking royally gorgeous. we're going to show you how you can find some of these styles for a lot less. >> and there's an app for everything. one of the most popular these days are those to help you lose weight and keep track of what you're eating. we're going to tell you about some of the best apps and websites -- go what is that doing? >> it's crushing the french fries. >> hmm. >> that will remind you how much fat is in them. >> does that reduce the calories? >> i don't know. i think it's a specific reminder not to eat it because look how much fat came out of that. >> or eat more of them because they're all crunched together. >> is it wrong that that looked

kind of good to me. >> we're going to tell you what happened when savannah started dancing on the table at the white house correspondents' dinner over the weekend. >> oh, good job. >> that did not happen. >> okay. >> i think you threw a little party too, mr. roker. don't throw savannah under the bus. >> equal opportunity around here. >> all right. first you have a check of the weather for us? >> all right. let's see what we've got. for you. starting with the week ahead. we have below normal temperatures in the northwest and the pacific northwest. and new england as well. above normal temperatures in between everywhere else, heavy rain in southern florida. mid week period, about two-thirds of the country going to be above normal with wet weather across the plains and the great lakes. wet weather in the pacific northwest. it is going to be chillier than usual. and then as we get into the latter part of the week, again, much above to above normal temperatures throughout much of the u.s. and pacific northwest, looking wet, looking at rainy conditions from the plains, across the great lakes into the northeast. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning, cloudy and chilly. just past r past 9:30.

we are sometime only around 50 degrees. around the metro area. just near 50 west and north. it is into the mid and upper 50s farther south of washington. and later today most of the area should make it into the 60s. lot of clouds, though, might get a shower or thundershower late tonight after midnight and perhaps duringhe day tuesday. off and on. highs near 08 tomorrow, though. really warming up after that. wednesday, thursday, and friday, partly sunny each day to highs upper 80s near 09. it is going the stay warm into the nd that's your latest weather. >> al, thank you. nigel lythgoe as you see him there knows a little bit of something of star making. he served on the mega hit that started it all, "american idol" and executive producer and judge on "so you think you can dance." and now he's got a new reality show called "opening act" on e! gives musicians a chance to open for all-star acts like nicki minaj and jason mraz. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> you have the midas touch with these shows. tell us about this. it's not exactly a competition, right? >> it isn't a competition.

doesn't have judges. mary j. blige, myself, vocal coach, and producer nick cooper, and antonina have chosen these people from the internet, and said, okay, you're terrific singing in your bedroom or in your lounge, but in five days' time you're going to be opening for nicki minaj, lmfao and all of these stars. so it's a real challenge. >> and it's not beyond the realm of possibility. justin bieber was an international sensation and we know what he's gone on to. it's possible. >> it is. and we'll keep our fingers crossed for them. because they could make it. there's still jeopardy there. there's nobody saying, go home. but there's still jeopardy there. and you know, e! have decided that this is the new way forward with entertainment shows. and i think they're right. >> i think you're on to something here. >> nigel lythgoe, thank you. "opening act" premieres july 9th.

that's nigel's birthday. >> it is. >> 10:00, 9:00 central. on our sister network. >> i want to see you dance next. >> no, you don't. trust me. you don't want to see it. >> coming up next, he's got the look. how to dress like a princess with affordable fashions inspired by kate middleton. [ male announcer ] it sizzles, ready for anything. its smooth taste spreads across your bread's delicate surface. while melting into those creamy mashed potatoes... bringing a rich, warm tenderness to your peas. ohhh! it's i can't believe it's not butter! fresh butter taste with 70% less saturated fat than butter go ahead. cheat on butter. you naughty thing. they claim to be complete. only centrum goes beyond. providing more than just the essential nutrients, so i'm at my best. centrum. always your most complete.

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♪ that i'm doing this right. even if i'm doing it alone. tell me you are proud of who we are. just -- tell me. [ female announcer ] for everything moms need to hear, there's a hallmark card. ♪ there's a hallmark card. by what's getting done. measure commitment the twenty billion dollars bp committed has helped fund economic and environmental recovery. long-term, bp's made a five hundred million dollar commitment to support scientists studying the environment. and the gulf is open for business - the beaches are beautiful, the seafood is delicious. last year, many areas even reported record tourism seasons. the progress continues... but that doesn't mean our job is done. we're still committed to seeing this through. we could eat whatever we wanted and still lose weight. weight watchers online was so easy. you look up a food, you eat the food, you track the food. weight -- comes right off.

you have lipstick on your teeth. ok. got it. using the recipe builder, i'm making 2 point enchiladas that will blow your mind. together, we lost 71 pounds with weight watchers online. quit dancing. i didn't do it... [ female announcer ] join for free. offer ends may 12th. weight watchers online. finally, losing weight clicks. in "today's style," it was a year and a day ago that prince william and kate middleton tied the knot in that spectacular wedding. who could forget? ever since the duchess of cambridge stepped out in one stylish look after another from coats to dresses to tass naturers, kate is known for her classic and simply elegant look. but you don't have to be a princess to dress like one. "today" and "us weekly" contributor jill martin is here with kate inspired looks for a lot less. >> i'm surprised you recognize me. >> i did a double-take. i was like wait, is that kate? this is you wearing those coral jeans that she wore. >> right. those tangerine jeans. that literally sold out the day

she wore them. >> i know. >> this is her first look. she wore this to olympic park. i'm in the american eagle version for $49. >> it's identical. >> you see her. >> seriously like whiplash, table take. >> when she left olympic park, she used to play field hockey and then she went -- >> she got into a sporty look. >> she got into a sporty look. >> so let's bring our model, ali, wearing those same jeans, but this is her second look. >> stretched down. >> these are guess, $44 from macy's. and the hoodie from outer style, $39, also looks exactly like kates with the sneakers. what i love about kate's look is even though she is wearing them, it is relatable. these are things you can really find. >> and it's identical. i mean, practically the exact same. very cute. i love the look. thanks, ali. okay, next, that green dress that kate wore that everybody did a wow, was a diane von furstenberg. >> the royal wedding reception

in l.a. the diane von furstenberg. this is a few hundred dollars. also a classic dress. this is sami in a very similar dress, $99. great for spring and summer. i just love the pop of green. and it looks a little bit like a wrap dress because it has the detail on the waist. and the pumps $89 from nine west. you'll constantly see kate in beige pumps because they elongate your legs. this is another way to get in on the royalty trends. >> looks gorgeous. thank you so much. next look is a cream dress that kate wore, now this is a kate inspired look, again. >> she wore that dress in quebec last summer. the designer is joseph. again a designer dress, not that extravagant but still pricey. this is our version, $98 from armani exchange. and just a beautiful, white dress in the summer. you can layer it with a cardigan. again kate wore it with the beige pumps. the clutch. she wears designer clutches. $60 from nina handbags.

>> very nice. i love the look. gorgeous, thank you so much deanna. okay and then i think something that you're going to wear over and over again is a trench coat. >> right. >> and kate middleton made her trench coat famous, as you see there. >> she walked out in this burberry trench in ireland. within the day they were sold out. >> unbelievable. >> within a day, everybody wanted to look like that. this is our version. green with envy trench around $100. this is great to have in your wardrobe. a staple going into spring/summer. she wore it with tights and heels because it was in the cooler months. we put it with a great pair of flats and leggings. $68. and the leggings are just gap. another relatable way and another relatable way. >> and for $99 you're going to wear this jacket over and over and over again. mandy looks great. and finally kate turned a lot of heads this past december in this beautiful black strapless gown. at the military awards in london. >> by alexander mcqueen which of course is priceless that dress.

and also turning a lot of heads here. >> no doubt. >> jaws are dropping everywhere. this is our own ali foster. she works here at the "today" show with us. now this is actually a rented dress. >> so you want to get in and you want to feel like you're in on the trend, this is lendingluxury.com. it's badgley mischka. you borrow the dress, wear it, and send it back. this was $120 to rent. >> that's absolutely beautiful. $130 to rent and you don't have to worry about wearing it again. >> or dry cleaning or anything. you just ship it back. and the jewelry is $38 and up. so obviously she has access to the real thing. but if you don't, this is a great outfit. >> absolutely gorgeous. ali does not come when you rent the dress. does not come with the dress. come on out, ladies. let's see one last look. one last look at our kate middleton look alikes. ladies thanks so much. you guys look gorgeous. >> all right. >> jill martin, thank you. still to come for more on the by the way the royal anniversary

you can pick up a special issue of "us weekly" on stands now. if you want to look good in all of these fashions we've got the websites and the apps that will make it easier to eat healthy. i. sounds like a mini-wheats day to me! and becka's science fair is on the 8th. she's presenting the solar system. hey i've got just the whole grain fiber to help keep her full so she can stay focused. um...you rock. she'll be ready to rock. right here! [ female announcer ] make your kids big days, mini-wheats days. packed with fiber and nearly a day's worth of whole grains kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal helps keep your kids full and focused. now available in cinnamon roll flavor. keeps 'em full... keeps 'em focused.

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...so nothing will get between you and the care you deserve. find your pharmacist at walgreens.com. "today's health"ier you" is brought to you by walgreens. >> this morning on small steps to a healthier you, using technology to eat smarter. we offer you some motivation to get healthy, slim down, yahoo! editor is here with some cool tools to help us out at the grocery store or when we're dining out. >> good to see you. >> these apps are all kind of interesting. >> the first one is shopwell. you know, before we get into it, just real quick to note, one of the things you're seeing on yahoo is people are looking for heart healthy, gluten free. they want to know how to find these products. frankly reading labels is overwhelming. this first we're going to talk go is shop well. it's also an iphone app. you can use, it as a bar coder

on it. it will give you information about the various products that you want to put in your cart. basically what it does, if you personalize it for you and your family, so for example, i have 6-year-old twins. they're very active. when i'm shopping for them, maybe i don't want a lot of sugar, maybe i don't want a lot of fat so when i look up something like granola bars it will grade the various products that i'm interested in. so for example, i might like chewy granola bars and i may not realize quaker also makes a low-fat version. so it will tell me that. it will tell me whether it's a red, yellow or green food and give it a score so that i know without having to sit there and read the label. kids are putting stuff in the cart. and i can do it beforehand. it also has an iphone app that you can use in the store. >> is it best to do something like this before you get in the store? it seems like, you would be in the grocery store -- >> you can do it before. you can print up the list. but if you're in the store, can you use it on your phone and actually i think -- >> what's with the nutella? >> the nutella is actually the

top searched food that people search on shop well. the second, our second are energy bars and that's why we showed these, as well. what i wanted to say also with the app people are spending 25 minutes on shop well when they're in the store. so they actually are using it in the store. >> okay. >> which you probably wouldn't want to do it while you've got your kids there running around putting stuff in the cart. the next one we're going to talk about a game for kids to help them understand why we're not putting certain things in the cart. really fun ipad app called smash your food. it definitely appeals to the grossout factor that kids love. >> okay. >> and basically it's a quiz for the kids, and you get to move up levels based on how accurately they get how much sugar cubes, how many shakes of salt, and how many teaspoons of oil. so why don't we take the quiz. this is set for my son ian who is very active. so for him, per meal his max would be two cubes of sugar, two shakes of salt and three teaspoons of oil. what do you think? do you think that a can of cake

would have more than two cubes of sugar? >> i think yes. >> what should we say? >> i say five cubes. >> let's do five. how about salt? >> three shakers. >> and how about oil? >> no oil. >> okay. so let's do zero. and -- now we get to smash our food. now watch what happens. this is why kids love this. this, by the way, won the first lady's contest. >> very cool. >> for healthy apps for kids. >> isn't that fun? >> wow. >> so as you can through this game the kids are learning what they're actually putting in their bodies. >> i've seen this done at a frat house. >> exactly. so it's really fun. and as you move up, there are 40 different kinds of foods that can you smash. and they're just really crazy foods, too, like a stack of jelly doughnuts. >> what is out there for when you're dining out at restaurants? >> i know. that's always a real, i think, tough one for a lot of people. especially if you have allergies, as well.

>> sure. >> so there's a website called healthydiningfinder.com. they also have an iphone app called young power. you put in your zip code or the town that you're in and it tells you all of the healthy options that are within a five-mile radius. for example say we're in canton, ohio. we want to know what restaurants we should go to and order there. top on the list might be red lobster. it will tell me. this is based on registered dietitians who have partnered with the national retail -- the national restaurant association to come up with healthy meals for people. >> and chew your food? >> yes, chew your food. that's on the phone here. we didn't get to mention goji which is a fabulous one. >> we're going to put all of that on our website. >> thank you so much. >> robin, thank you so much. and still ahead the commander in chief turns comedian in chief for a night. this is "today" on nbc.

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last year at this time, in fact on this very weekend, we finally delivered justice to one of the world's most notorious individuals. >> president obama this weekend at the white house correspondents' dinner poking a little fun at the donald. the annual event with names from washington to hollywood, a real chance to shine. >> is it fun? >> we had a good time. >> we sat next to each other. >> that's right. >> very fun. >> chuck todd. >> and kristen welker, willie geist. >> and congressman canter. >> i think we had the most fun table. >> i hear you were dancing on the table. >> no, i wasn't! you know, i wish i were that exciting. >> you looked lovely. i think we have a picture there. >> look how beautiful. >> we got al and deborah, i

hope. >> yes. >> can we just say -- >> va-va-voom. >> smoking. smoking. >> i will say so. >> gorgeous. >> and jimmy kimmel is pretty funny. i think we have a clip of one of his -- >> right here. >> really has been an honor for me to be here tonight. i also want to thank mr. mills, my tenth grade high school history teacher who said i'd never amount to anything if i kept screwing around in class. mr. mills, i'm about to high five the president of the united states. thank you, everybody. >> sweet revenge, right? >> i know. i saw him a little bit later at a party, he said that's absolutely true. there really is a mr. mills. >> that is fun. >> mr. mills feeling really good today. >> yeah. >> there were a lot of celebrities there. >> charlize theron. george clooney. >> kim kardashian. >> i know. i was circling around george clooney, i wanted to say hi. i didn't want to talk him too much. but there were a lot of celebrities.

>> sofia vergara. >> yeah. >> sigourney weaver. >> you know what's fun about this? i go every year, it's a really fun event and i hear that all these celebrities are there and i never see them. >> never see them. we saw paul wright. that's right, viola davis there. really kind of cool. >> really pack them in. >> some of our friends there were, don nash. savannah was there. >> can you imagine? chuck, tamron. al. back of al's head. >> deborah. >> very beautiful. >> and -- >> wehood a good time. >> the red carpet. >> guess who's back? >> who is that? >> kathie lee. >> yay! >> they're going to have some fun. >> all coming up. after your local news and weather.

9:57 is your time on this monday, april 30, 2012. i'm eun yang. let's check in with storm 4 meteorologist tom kierein for a look at the forecast. feeling like summer soon. >> not yet. with the clouds we have still a chill in the air as we approach 10:00 now. 9:57. it is 53 at reagan national. beginning to hit the 50s all around the region. later this afternoon, we should

make it into the 60s most areas. and we will have a lot of cloudiness. cloudy tonight and might get showers and thundershowers after midnight. perhaps off and on tuesday. and then the big warmup moves in wednesday, thursday, friday. upper 80s, near 90 each afternoon, warm into the weekend, too. how is the late morning traffic? >> looking at the inner loop of the beltway earlier, big problems on the inner loop. nice and clear now as you make your way past liver little turnpike. crossing over the outer loop and inner loop of the beltway in montgomery county, no issues in this area. and travel speed, 57 miles per hour on the outer loop. >> thank you. on "news4 midday," celebrity fit club ian smith talks about his club ian smith talks about his new book "the t

captions paid for by nbc-universal television hello, everybody. it's fun day monday. it's april 30th. no, i am not the big willie that was here all last week. >> look at you! >> hi, hoda. i missed you! >> i missed you, too. look at you. you look like you've been to a jazz festival or something. >> i think that yours is a far more important trip you took. you were gone for a week. we didn't say where you were for a bunch of reasons.

now you can tell. >> you know what? i don't even know how to tell you all about where i've been the last ten days because i learned more in the last ten days that i have in my entire life. it was a very, very different kind of a trip for me. i have been to the holy land three times before. first time when i was 17 years old. it was my graduation gift from high school. i never even went to my high school ceremony. i was off. i've just been fascinated with biblical studies and that sort of thing. so i went two other times right after that but i hadn't been back in almost 40 years and i -- frank and i went with 16 other friends and we went for this very intensive study with a man named ray vanderlon who has something called that the world may know ministries. this is a man who for 37 years. he's been to the holy land 270 times or something like that and teaches in a way that most people have never, ever been taught. you go where it happened, you talk about who said it and you

talk about what they saw and you see things all of a sudden through -- we see everything through western eyes. we can't help it. you don't as much because you have egyptian new. you have a little bit of a -- but when you read the original text from their point of view and what it meant, it's profound in your life. so i highly recommend if you can't get on one of his tours, if you're interested in this sort of thing, that you go to his website and you can -- he's got hundreds of videos that he's actually done. you know, we've all heard about indiana jones. well, we call him michigan ray. he would -- we got off the plane in tel aviv at noon after flying ten hours. we thought, oh, we're going to get settled in, have a little vino and dinner. no. he says let's get our luggage. we get our luggage. all right, get your hiking boots out. get your sunscreen and your hat, let's go. what he always does -- then we get within an hour we're on a climb. now frank is with us. and he's the -- i can't do this.

you can't to kill the man because it's -- i've never done anything like this in my life. >> you saw like the mount of olives. >> no, everybody sees that when they go. no, we went to -- within an hour wearing these which is my favorite thing. irv's never had hiking boots in my life. you know what else i've ever had? i've never had a hiking tan. i've got the fisherman, thing. i didn't wear spanx, i didn't do makeup. i didn't wear -- i wore a bra. you'll see. that was it. >> kind of. >> you know how much i love lunch? lunch was at like 2:00 in the afternoon. it was two pieces of pita bread with some hummus in it. i've never felt more alive, more excited. it was so profoundly moving. there's frank and i leaving with our backpack. right as we're getting in the car, frank gifford says i don't want my hiking boots and forget this pack, i'm not wearing this. i made him bring the boots. that's at the temple mount in

jerusalem. keep going. there we are overlooking -- that's jerusalem in the background. look how happy frank is. that's at the mount of olive. but my favorite, favorite moment -- hold on a second for the picture of this one. see this family here? we had been talking -- we had a study about the fact that in that part of the world, they were taught to leave the corners. their fields to feed the poor. you almost knew how generous a person was by how much they left for others that would be in need. i found that so interesting. but it wasn't harvest time so nobody was working in the fields. we're driving through one of the palestinian areas, i believe we were in the benjamin hills, and i look down and there's this family working in the hills. i go -- there's a family! so our jewish guide, another gentleman, gets off, goes down and talks to this arab-muslim

family, says may we come down and talk with you. we have visitors. so off this bus gets christians and jews who go down a very rocky trail to sit in a field with muslims. and it's as close as i've ever been to heaven. everybody there totally wished one another peace and love and a little bit of heaven on this earth. it was extraordinary and i want to tell you who these -- i got to tell you how to get these. first, they weigh like an ounce. i didn't even try these things on before i left. you're supposed to break things in. i put them on on the way to go see where david smoked goliath but these are kind of expensive. $335 boot. but they cost $190. i wore them literally for ten days. nothing. >> no blister. those are awesome. >> the other favorite thing,

this gentleman ray vanderlon who i thank from the core of my being for teaching me how little i know. i'm a student of this sort of thing and i study it every day and the minute i got there i realized that i knew hardly anything at all. so it's a wonderful thing to find out. >> what a trip. >> there's so much more to know. so what did you learn at the jazz fest? >> well, i was smashed. anyway, i went to the new orleans jazz fest and got hammered! okay. if you want another kind of religion, go to the jazz fest. okay? it was one of those crazy trips. i ended up having to go -- i went for a lunch. trank up the audio. >> yes, i know the look. >> second line through the fest. jay aback there in the corner. so anyway, you go through, you dance through the quarter. -- i mean through the fair ground. they had cee lo green.

one of the greatest moments happened -- let me tee it up. my best friend karen loves bruce springsteen more than anything on earth. she always wanted to meet him but never had the opportunity. he was playing at jazz fest but again, there can zillions of people. she finagled her way and got a good spot. the highlights of her married, the day she got married, the day she had her daughter, the day the saints won the super bowl, and the day she met bruce springsteen. that was karen's hand. i know it was fleeting -- no, that's it! marriage, baby, saints win the super bowl -- bruce springsteen shaking her hand. >> you know what today proves? heaven means different things to different people. different things to different people. >> kwee watwe can watch it all . >> she's not going to wash the

hand. today is honesty day. >> i couldn't come back to a better day. it was created in 1991. let's lie and say it was 1990. to encourage people to be more honest. these studies are amazing. >> i think there are lies and then there are white lies. i think there are hey, hoda, how you feeling, i feel terrible and i'll say, i feel good, because we go into all the detail. that's a lie but that's one you just tell because you don't feel like stopping your day an explaining your business. >> you don't have to, i have a pulse. i'm alive. >> i'm wearing a dress, you hate it, it's ugly. >> not so much. which is not a lie but i let you know. >> but if i loved it and i was getting ready to go out and i didn't have another dress and i said, hey, i'm getting ready to go out, what would you say? >> you know what's on tv tonight and you don't want to miss it. no, i'd try to find a way to say

something nice without -- i just do. no, i've said them of course. i was 6 and -- you know, 6 year-olds do. that's what i was basically learning on this trip. it's almost like the doctors. first do no harm. do no harm. our mouths -- lord, have i learned this the hard way -- they're so powerful. words are so powerful and you can -- with one word you can make somebody smile with one word you can put them in a fetal position. so what do you want to choose in life? how do you want to go about your day? you want to pass on a little peace to someone or do you want to pass on a little chaos? which nobody needs anymore. and by the way, i knew you were having a good time and knew you were hammered -- because you didn't care how your hair looked. >> my hair looked terrible. i know. i didn't care. it was so hot and steamy. that's just rude. but can i just say one thing? tank tops, flip-flops, everyone's sweaty, everyone has a drink.

everyone looks terrible. except karen can't look bad. but the gospel tent just to go a little bit on the religious theme was unbelievable. the tent was packed. my arms -- they're always flabby under here but they're not as flabby because they were in the air the whole time i was there. great, great time. we have a new heroin. this lady we're going to talk about. >> we love this woman. >> she's from poland. >> she's angry with her ex-boyfriend. okay? and he came in for a dental check. she is a dental hygienist. >> i thought she was a dentist. >> she's a dentist. >> he came in to get his teeth worked on and she gave him the anesthetic and he went out. >> bye-bye. >> she pulled out everyone of his teeth. >> every single tooth! not nice to do! she said i tried to be professional and detach myself from my emotions but when i saw

him lying there, i just thought what a -- and yanked every one of them. >> and gauzed them up so he didn't know. he thought he was having one or two pulled and he got home and took out the gauze and there it was. >> what the -- >> anyway, she's being charged. i don't know why we're laughing. >> she's a very good dentist. she could put implants in his mouth. who's dumber? for her to do that because she's going to be in legal trouble, or for him to go -- call 1-800-dentist and find a new dentist. >> he thought he was going to get a freebie or something. real fix kwaquick favorite . when your cleavage is always showing, there's fashion tape. this is by the hollywoodfashionsecrets.com. double stick tape, you stick it in. this one i even love more. is called the deodorant removing

sponge. you know when you put a shirt on -- >> it's not your birth control. be careful. >> when you put on your shirt and you have the deodorant stains, you just take the sponge and rub it and it gets rid of it. >> you don't have a problem with that. >> no, i don't -- wait. wait. you were gone, "people" magazine did its most list and guess who happened to have been on there? we have a good split screen. klg made the most beautiful list. >> number 58. >> this was your reaction when you were in israel. >> hoda texted me. >> come on. >> it was actually the other picture when the long skirt -- some of the areas are considered holy so you have to cover up so i schlepped this skirt everywhere. only had to put it on once but boy was it attractive. sara, how about you, darling? >> i got a nail color. i got this down on my little piggies here that are -- but this is by tom ford called african violet. i'm obsessed by getting my nails

done because you can do it all the time. it is just a fun summer color to put on her toes. >> see how shallow after everything we've talked about. incredibly shallow. >> knee manmarcus.com. i spoke at a komen foundation luncheon. karen was in the picture, angela and me. we were at this great luncheon that was for breast cancer. it is great to be back. >> we're so glad you're back! >> we're going to talk about all the buzz in hollywood with our friend right after this. [ male announcer ] we put a week's worth of bad odors in a home. some aerosols may just mix with them. can febreze really remove it. we asked real people what they thought. [ moderator ] take a deep breath for me. describe the smell. it's very pleasant. fresh. some kind of flower maybe? [ moderator ] remove the blindfold... awww, oh yuck! i didn't smell any of that! [ male announcer ] febreze air effects doesn't mix, it actually removes odors. [ laughs ] wow, that's incredible. [ male announcer ] so you can breathe happy. guaranteed.

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gas-x. the gas xperts. it is time for "today's buzz" and all the hollywood news you can handle from hot doc patrick dempsey to the white house correspondents's dinner to william and kate's first wedding anniversary. >> here to fill us in, naughty but nice, lob rob -- >>by lo bwe love our rob. >> what about the white house correspondents' dinner? big weekend. a lot of celebrities went down to d.c. they call this nerd prom so this is the prom for nerdy smart people is what they say. lots and lots of celebrities there. kim kardashian was there.

lindsay lohan was there. the president got up and told jokes for about 20 minutes. getting some sort of mixed response. some people thought he was very funny. some people sort of felt they'd seen it last year, there wasn't anything new. jimmy kimmel here was sort of the host of the evening. he also, too, had i think difficulty connecting some of these jokes. last year seth myer did it from saturday night life. brilliant. jimmy did say though that he had more time -- more worries deciding about what jokes to tell than actually writing the jokes. he also said, too, president obama is a very hard president for comedians because he's just not that funny. he's quite cool but he doesn't mess up that often so he's quite a hard thing to make fun of him. >> that doesn't seem to make sense. nothing you say made sense to me. >> also, kim kardashian was there, stole the show. a beautiful red dress. looked quite sort of sophisticated. there was not a lot of flesh.

she was asked on the carpet about her recent statement about running for mayor, maybe getting into politics. she said don't count it out. she said she might really want to do this one day. >> i thought she wanted to be a sitcom star. >> the mom is saying she's very busy. kris jenner, her mother, was with her saying she's very busy but she says she thinks kim would make an excellent mayor. let's wait and see there. also lindsay lohan was there. we can report she was not drinking. that's a great sign. she looked really healthy. rick santorum went up to her during the evening and asked to take a photograph -- >> that's just weird on many levels. >> it was really weird because he didn't want to be in the picture. he just took her picture by herself. >> we've went a couple of times. it's strange to see people you only know one way, they're really kind of fans of other people in the iconic world and they make pretty much -- >> we had a twitter picture,

sophia vegara. look who's hype here, george clooney. >> his girlfriend was working. they're still together. she was working. but look how excited she looks. >> well of course! >> let's talk about william and kate. i can't believe it's been a year since that wedding. >> since 2 billion people watched this wedding. >> and a really successful year, i would say. >> no trouble, there's been no drama, there's been no scandals. they have a beautiful new little dog and they spent the anniversary -- they spent their anniversary in the most perfect way, i think, together, alone, away from the public eyes and really -- >> that's a real love affair. >> a lot of celebs are renewing vows. mariah carey and nick cannon. >> yeah. a lot of people thought that would not last a week. >> four years, two babies. they went to paris and at the top of the eiffel tower they renewed their vows the day before they did a photo shoot where he got down on one knee and proposed again. so these two very much --

>> why do people do that after just four years? >> you used to think it was so great when heidi klun and seal did it. they did it every year and it didn't keep them together. i think the sentiment is right. then it becomes how are we going to top ourselves the next year. >> i think they like recreating the moment and seeing these pictures out there. maybe that's why they do it. >> lee ann rhimes also did it. we announce our fan of the weeks up next. it could be you but it probably isn't. right after this.

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♪ that's why new dove style plus care with nutri-style complex nourishes and conditions so your style can go the distance. new dove style plus care. better style through better care. it is monday and that means it is time to reveal our "fan of the week." >> and the landfall miss sara is here to tell us where the lucky winner is going. >> yes, drum roll please. our winner this week is linda reekie from mulvane, kansas. this is the one-hour a day she must not be disturbed. >> that's so cute. >> her favorite part of the show is "today's talk." she enjoys the fourth hour so much she even wrote a poem about you guys and for you. here's a toast of love from my heart to yours, i'm truly your number one fan. you both i so adore. stay crazy, stay nutty, stay so

fun, you bring smiles for so many by the tons. so, thank you for that amazingly written poem. congratulations, linda. you are going -- >> i love this place! >> -- destin, florida. for a three-night stay in the presidential suite at the henderson park inn. the trip includes daily breakfast and snacks, the use of beach chairs and bicycles and round trip airfare tore twfor t. >> have a great time. the sand is like sugar there. it is like pensacola -- the coastline there. the panhandle. gorgeous! you'll have a ball. i notice there's no wine included so bring money for that. >> if you think you should be our fan of the week, go to klgandhoda.com. maybe we'll pick you. still ahead, the 40-something best selling author jen lancaster faces her greatest challenge to date -- acting her age. he lost half of his weight. wait until you see the newest inductee into the joe fit club.

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last chance to choose! this incredible deal ends may 5th. so don't wait. call 1.866.680.fios. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's 1.866.680.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. fios. a network ahead. we're back on this fun day monday with more of "today" and one woman who at 40-something has come to the realization it is time to frickin' grow up. >> jen lancaster started her career with "bitter is the new black" and six book later she writes about her latest epiphany in the experiences that come with trying to grow up in a new book called jenerationx. look at you with your vino in hand. >> this was on her bucket list. >> some people want to climb mount everest.

they want to go to israel. i just wanted to have a drink with you guys. >> now you're having another one. this is the second. i say problem. the first was a dream the second is a problem, jen. >> i'm okay with that. >> you say it is time to grow up in this book. this is -- you sort of are having an epiphany. >> i am 40-something. i'm not afraid of my age but i never had children and i don't have a day job per se so there's no outside influence trying to make me grow up. so i found myself doing things like eating froot loops for dinner every night. at a certain age, you can no longer process -- >> you eat them out of the box? >> oh, yes, i have. but your gi system can't process it. unless you want to spend the entire night on the toilet crying over your "ring of fire," don't do it. >> i've always thought that. yeah. but you said something to us in the break which is now you -- success has brought you a grown-up thing called a mortgage. how is that changing your life?

>> well, even though i do my best to be a grown-up now, i still end up screwing things up because my husband and i are these big adults now we decided we were going to refinance because we're on top of these things. so we go to the bank to refinance and i had been watching an internet girl fight before i went to refinance so i threw on a bra that was too tight so the entire time this man is trying to taus talk us through important financial documentation i kept thinking this bra is going to kill me and at one point i choked because it was so tight and he looked at me and he said, are you okay? i said, i just choked on some spit. and then when we left -- they just -- he and my husband just looked at me and pretended that it didn't happen. so i get out into the car, i -- all i wanted to do was get the stupid bra off. threw it off. i looked at the bank and realized it was all glass and you can't see in -- they can see out. just a re-fi has not come through yet. >> but you made a few friends. >> we made some friends. >> you still have a thing with

barbies. that's a little weird. >> i know the barbie thing is weird but years ago i ordered a barbie for my niece online. you know when you go to amazon they always want you to order more of those things. that is me, that is the barbie head and those are my dogs. so i had taken a prescription sleeping pill for the first time and apparently that lowers your inhibitions and my inner child really wanted a barbie head so the next day one shows up. i open it. i look in the box and there's a severed head and i had a heart attack because i thought someone was sending me a message it turned out it was just me ordering late night. i put it away, i thought i'm an adult, what am i going to do with a barbie head. next morning i came downstairs and she had white lipstick on, she had her hair all poofed and she a scarf on and i thought my inner child wants barbie to look like nancy sinatra. then i couldn't return it. >> your book is full of funny bits about your life. we're so glad you came to see us, miss best-seller.

>> it's full of lessons on how you, too, can become an adult because i have done the leg work for you. >> thanks, jen. up next, wait until you see him now, the latest inductee into the "joy fit club" who lost -- believe this -- you have to believe it, it is honesty day -- 201 pounds. >> joy says he's a hunk. i've got gas.t . ooh gas. take an antacid. oh thanks. good luck. good luck to you. doesn't he know antacids won't help gas? oh, he knows. ohhh. my opponent says that he wants to pass a gas solution. but the fact is... he's already cut one. skunk has left the barn. i say trust your gut america. choose a gas relief package that really works. [ male announcer ] antacids don't relieve gas. gas-x is designed to relieve gas. gas-x. the gas xperts.

until they see this. the new oral-b pro-health clinical brush. its pro-flex sides adjust to teeth and gums for a better clean. the new pro-health clinical brush from oral-b. i've been fortunate to win on golf's biggest stages. but when joint pain and stiffness from psoriatic arthritis hit, even the smallest things became difficult. i finally understood what serious joint pain is like. i talked to my rheumatologist and he prescribed enbrel. enbrel can help relieve pain, stiffness, and stop joint damage. because enbrel, etanercept, suppresses your immune system, it may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma, other cancers, and nervous system and blood disorders have occurred. before starting enbrel, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis and discuss whether you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections,

have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if, while on enbrel, you experience persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness. [ phil ] get back to the things that matter most. ask your rheumatologist if enbrel is right for you. [ doctor ] enbrel, the number one biolog medicine prescribed by rheumatologists. mom! look what i found in the shed! no! no! no! ♪ were you guys just making out in here? what? no! really, cold cuts from a package? yes. [ male announcer ] it's nice to finally say "yes." new oscar mayer selects. it's yes food. [ male announcer ] it's nice to finally say "yes." - [ announcer ] introducing hugs. - [ barks ]rs ] crispy, oven-baked dog snacks with soft savory centers, made with beef and cheese. beneful baked delights: a unique collection of four new snacks... to help spark play in your day. ♪ [ female announcer ] when is it okay to lose the cover-up? when you can. take the special k challenge...

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"joy fit club."" >> 31-year-old david johns from minneapolis, minnesota lost 201 pounds. before we meet him, let's take a look at david's incredible story. >> i was a skinny kid but once i reached puberty i started using food to repress my emotions. living as a super obese teenager and young adult i was nearly a bystander to my own life. i never considered nutritional values. i would binge to the point of pain and then pass out from exhaustion. in 2009 at 420 pounds i could no longer breathe on my own while i slept and was outfitted with a sleep apnea machine. i suffered from high blood pressure, acid reflux and limited mobility. chairs, couches and toilet seats broke regularly under my weight. i scheduled myself for gastric bypass surgery but canceled just two days before. i realized i would gain the weight backfy didn't resolve my emotional issues. a friend introduced me to the

take shape for life program and i made a commitment to follow the program for 30 days. at the beginning i needed a big goal so i decided sky diving would be my reward for losing enough weight to qualify. now, i have a completely fulfilling career as a health coach giving people the tools to be successful and i am fully engaged and an active participants in my own life. >> doesn't he sound like the sweetest guy? before we ask david to come out, we're here did "today's" nutritionist, joy bauer author of "today's" new book and best-selling author, "the joit fit club." >> this guy lost 201 pounds. just to show you visually this phenomenal feat, hello. 200 pounds of hams. >> that's like when oprah came out with all that lard. >> we're donating this afterwards to city harvest. is this unbelievable? he talks about how -- >> think if you had to carry around that much weight. >> i know.

>> his most favorite things now that he can do that he couldn't do when he was carrying around all this extra weight, go to a regular clothing store, play around with his energized nephews. he can keep up with them now. go on any ride that he wants. he flew over here from minnesota to new york and did not need a seatbelt extender. need a drum roll for this -- he sky dives. he's a sky diver now. >> he's wacky. >> he's gorgeous! gorgeous! >> let him prove it, okay? >> here's david's before photo one more time. all right, david, come join the "joy fit club." >> are you kidding? >> you are gorgeous! give hoda love! >> i can't even believe what's happening here. i'm totally shocked. >> amazing! >> he's stunning and totally healthy. he's got no more health issues. >> you're totally hot.

wow. >> wait a second. >> that is not the same person. i'm sorry! >> i know, night and day. >> did you get taller? >> yes, you did. wait. the gastric bypass must have been a real ah-ha moment. were you almost going to step in there and put on the brakes. >> had i not made that decision i wouldn't be stabbing here today, i wouldn't be helping other people get healthy and knowing that they can do it. your decisions are just so paramount. i'm so happy to be here today. >> awesome story. >> we love having you on the show. >> what's the victory room? >> so i have a victory wall at home. it's sorpt of my thing was i knew i couldn't fail at this. i just couldn't bear losing weight only to gain it back like so many other people do. i literally took a permanent marker to the staircase in my house and started tracking my weight with a goal. it was either going to be this thing i told everyone there is that thing i didn't finish or it is going to be my victory wall and das it is my victory wall. >> good luck for everything. you are a great inspiration to

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time for "happy mother's day today." we're less than two weeks away from the big celebration but what do you give the woman who's given you everything? >> here with some stylish gift suggestions is elaine griffin, contributing design editor for "better homes and gardens" magazine. >> hey. we love personalized things. >> we have a ton of them and that's why when you are thinking of gifts, number one, consider the recipient's personality and hobbies and also things that we have today if you order today, you only are 13 days, you can get them in time. each website has different shipping times. >> i'm sort of loving the ipod's case. >> could you be partial to that?

this is for the mom who always has her phone glued to her ear. it is a personalized iphone cover. you upload a picture to kodakgallery.com. it is $34. >> it's so cute! these totes are nice here. >> this is fantastic. it is called the mother-child tote. the beauty of this is it holds a lot of stuff and then there is a little handle at the bottom for your little person to hold on to. she can stay close to you, help carry things and it is $23. spoonsisters.com. >> i wonder if cassidy would do that with me now. >> music lovers. >> these are called zip buds. you know how when you want to bop out to tunes while are you working out but your wires always get discombobulated? zip buds zip up in one little thing. they zip.

>> genius. >> that would have been your favorite thing. >> yes! i love that. >> it stays like that in your gym bag. >> sold. thank you. what's next? >> look at you on your yoga mat. >> hello! >> i will give this to cass because she does love yoga. personalized yoga mats are the perfect gift for the yoga mom. downward facing dog in your life. they're $80 at yogamattic.com. >> you can do yoga with your puppies on there. >> if you don't want a personalized one, they have a ton of other really great graphics. >> personalized cards are always cool. these are cute. >> this is for the mom that has everything and also grandmas. you have way too much art that's sitting in folders or it is on the refrick rageratorefrigerato. upload fantastic children's art. if it starts at $7.99 for flat cards, $10 for little folded note cards.

unique. >> adorable. >> these are my personal favorites. this is the monograms enamel bangle. they're at seawonder. >> jerry's probably got it so we can't steal it. those are beautiful! >> $58 each. like wear one for every child, one for every outfit. stack them up. for the glamour doll in your life, start with the monograms makeup bag. it's $20 at the monogramm monogrammeddivas.com. don't stop there. fill it. for our bag we filled with it something that feels great. this is $40 for the perfume. the cream is $20. it's luxurious. >> what is it? >> it is not a brush from outer space. it is a quick style brush from goody. this is $12.

as you brush you dry your hair! >> ten second. show us what's on the table. >> love this. these early mommy mornings. it is a wonderful robe from plumprettysugar.com. they start at $65, lots of different lengths. also tunics. up next, don't sweat the small stuff. simple ways for moms to stress less and enjoy family more but first this is "today" on nbc. what makes the sleep number store different?

you walk into a conventional mattress store, it's really not about you. they say, "well, if you want a firm bed you can lie on one of those, if you want a soft bed you can lie on one of those." we provide the exact individualization that your body needs. this is your body there. you can see a little more pressure in the hips. now you can feel what happens as we raise your sleep number setting and allow the bed to contour to your individual shape. oh, wow! that feels really good. it's hugging my body. when you find somebody's perfect level of comfort, that may be the first time they've ever felt a bed that feels exactly like they're hoping it would. - wow. - oh, yeah. it's not about soft or firm. it's about support where you find it most comfortable. you can adjust it however you want so you don't have to worry about buying the wrong mattress.

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we are back with "today's

moms." if you are feeling overwhelmed or underappreciated, it may be time to be kinder to yourself. >> her new pook "don't sweat the small stuff," for moms it is the latest in the series of books. great to see you. happy mother's day a little early. >> this is a terrific book for so many reasons but i was just saying i love the way it is sectioned off. can you take a bite size piece of something. as moms often women are very hard on themselves. >> this book is just designed like all of the don't sweat books where you can read one short chapter at a time when you are waiting for your kids, when they're at gymnastics or you're waiting in the car pool line picking them up from school. you can read these really quickly. >> what is the biggest take-away from your book for women? is this that we just look at our day and let all of it overwhelm us without thinking of just one thing at a time and it will all work out? >> right. the biggest thing is just to realize that you do have a choice to be happy and bring peace into your life and that

the book is packed full of really easy ways that women can do that. like breathe before you speak. such a simple thing but imagine how much more responsive you are to life if you like take three breaths before you respond to your kids instead of just do these knee-jerk reactions. >> you say you don't have to be perfect. >> don't we know that intellectually but we don't believe it. >> i think as american women we're bred to be like live in these images of the turp hero wonder woman or something. the truth is we're just human beings doing our best. i think when you hold yourself to an unattainable expectation it just creates stress in your life. >> when your kids have a problem, you don't want them to fall but you say you shouldn't totally scoop them up and prevent them from feeling any pain at all. right? >> that's resiliency. wouldn't you rather your child risk things when they're younger and they can come back and learn how to come back so that when they're adults they're not

making those big mistakes for the first time. >> my dad used to say i love you too much to deny you the privilege of making mistakes. >> there's some wisdom that some of our generation has lost from previous generations. that's a lot of it, is that we somehow think that we have to give our kids so much better than what we had. but you know what? we had it pretty good, a lot of us. >> that's what made you a strong person, the fact that you weren't surrounded by stuff. stuff is never -- >> you address that in your book, too, giving your kids too much. >> giving your kids too much and also bringing your kids into your family budget and talk about money and things and cut the fat out of what they don't need, sharing with them and having them be part of that discussion this is need versus want. i talk a lot about those things because these are the things that i lived through with my family having two grown daughters 20 and 23 and two grandkids. >> it's especially challenging for you because you lost your dear husband who had written the original books on the subject. >> yeah. >> very big shock to you and to

your two children. >> it was shocking and you have to just really move forward in life. you can't sit and dwell on what isn't. >> we wish you good luck with this book. tomorrow -- barry manilow! plus, the competition begins on "today's voice the kid's edition." -dad, why are you getting that? -that's my cereal.

is there a prize in there? oh, there's a prize, all right. is it a robot? no. is it a jet plane? nope. is it a dinosaur?] [ male announcer ] inside every box of heart healthy cheerios are those great tasting little o's made from carefully selected oats that c help lower cholesterol. stickers? uh-uh. a superhero? ♪ kinda. [ male announcer ] and we think that's the best prize of all. ♪