Amy Robach

By Amy Robach

NBC

You have chickens?

That's what nearly everyone asks next, after they find out about our family pets.  They just need to make sure they heard me correctly.   Perhaps it's because I don't come across to most as a rural loving farm girl.

But you don't have to live on a farm to have chickens, in some places, you just need a little bit of green space and a tidy chicken coop. 

To me, they're nearly ideal pets.  They feed us, more often than we feed them!  We have 2 chickens, Goldie and Paprika, and they each produce 1 egg a day, sometimes more.

Because there are just 2 of them, the chicken poop is not too bad, and we just sweep it into our flowering beds for extra fertilizer. 

And best of all, because my oldest daughter has several pet allergies, they can't come in the house - they have their own!

They're really beautiful to watch roaming around the yard and they both run up to us nearly every time we go outside. The kids love them and can't wait to check for eggs every morning.

TODAY anchor Amy Robach likes her eggs over-easy.

By Lester Holt

A question I’m often asked by viewers is – what do I do when I taste something I don’t like in one of our food segments?

First of all you need to know that I like almost everything. Eating makes me hungry.  That said, occasionally when something one of our guests whips up is not to my liking  I’ll  usually say something like “mmmmm..interesting.”

But politeness had to go out the door for today’s guest, Andrew Zimmern from The Travel Channel’s show “Bizarre Foods.” Nothing he brought looked appetizing and I let him know that in as friendly a manner as possible. I’m sure he’s used to it.  He samples strange and unappetizing looking foods from all over the world on his show.

Chiara Sottile / Weekend TODAY

Behind the scenes of Weekend TODAY.

This morning, Andrew brought with him deep fried turtle, geoduck (a shellfish,) braised BBQ raccoon and hog ponce, better known as stuffed pig stomach and pig intestine.  Normally the idea is for the hosts to try a little of each food that a guests prepares. 

OK, the turtle was actually quite mild. Not great, but certainly not stomach turning.  I tried to tell myself the geoduck was just a piece of sushi, but in reality the texture was hard and quite unappealing.  Still, I reluctantly soldiered on to the raccoon.  It actually would have tasted quite good had I not had the image of a raccoon rummaging through the garbage stuck in my head.  The stuffed pig stomach was a no-go for me, as my own stomach was already on the verge of revolt.  Eventually I tried a nibble of the intestines.  I wish I hadn’t.

 So, what’s the best way to sum up this morning’s bizzare food segment?  How about... mmmmm, interesting!

Chiara Sottile / Weekend TODAY

Lester Holt and Andrew Zimmern after the "Bizarre Foods" segment on Weekend TODAY.

Want to see Lester and Amy taste test a few of the delicacies? Check out the video below:

TODAY

There is nothing like a photograph of personal significance to share a memory, inspire empathy or trigger an emotion. TODAY's Life Illustrated is your outlet to show Weekend TODAY the precious moments in your life.

Each week, we will showcase on air the pictures that matter most to you. From candid family photos, to awe-inspiring nature scenes to thought-provoking moments, we want to see what matters most in your life. As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words” and now is your time to be heard. 

To give you some examples, here are a few photographs from members of the Weekend TODAY team. To submit your own photos to TODAY's Life Illustrated, please click on this link and follow the directions. 

Dee Dee Thomas, Weekend TODAY executive producer

"Did you bring the breadcrumbs?" This photo was taken by Kyle Thomes. This picture is of my son Charles with 2 of his good buddies, Violet and Maxence. It reminds me of that time when we are kids and all we know is what's in front of us. 3 kids out to conquer the world -- who knows what they will accomplish, but they will do it together!

Jenna Wolfe, Weekend TODAY anchor

This was me dangling at the top of Toronto's CN TOWER, the world's tallest free standing structure. I love heights. Do they scare me? Of course, but I thrive on that fear. It's what lets us know we're alive. To be 2000 feet in the air with nothing more than a safety cable between you and the ground is exhilarating. I look at this picture and it always reminds me of how I stared fear in the face and owned it.

Jenna Wolfe, Weekend TODAY anchor

This was me surfing off the Barbados coast. I was born and raised in the Caribbean, a corner of the world where "island time" is the only time. This snapshot encapsulates peace and serenity. It's just me and a warm wave and my familiar West Indies wind guiding me as I surf. Nothing better.

Amy Robach, Weekend TODAY Anchor

Amy Robach enjoys some family time on a sunny day. Look close and you'll even see a few baby chicks joining in on all the fun!

Jenna Wolfe, Weekend TODAY anchor

This is me and my nephew Max, named after my late grandfather....the most wonderful man to ever walk this planet. Max is the perfect little bundle courtesy of my brother Michael and my sister-in-law Jill. This picture just screams LOVE. Unfiltered, unconditional, blissful LOVE.

Lester Holt, Weekend TODAY anchor

The water shot was taken a couple of days before the tropical storm hit NYC. I was along the water's edge at Battery Park desperately trying to compose my thoughts before shooting an on-camera standup. A colleague took this.

Lester Holt, Weekend TODAY anchor

The kids were following us on a documentary shoot near Aurangabad, India over the summer. They were naturally curious but respectful as we got our pictures. Afterwards I went to thank them and we snapped off a few shots together.

Lester Holt, Weekend TODAY anchor

The dog photo was a few days after we took-in an abandoned dog. He was undernourished, dehydrated and tired and all he wanted to do was curl up on our laps and so I obliged. We named him Maddie.

Lester Holt, Amy Robach and Jenna Wolfe relive their adventures holding down the weekends on TODAY in 2011.

They also highlighted two of their favorite stories of the year, including one that put Lester, Jenna and Amy to the test like never before. See both of them below.

Let us know in the comments: What was your favorite moment from TODAY's weekend shows?

The weekend TODAY team celebrated Halloween a bit early this year with a Kardashian red-carpet affair – hosted by the one and only Melissa Rivers!

Lester dressed up in his finest tank top to pull of Bruce Jenner's Olympic look. He was joined by Janice Huff, who dressed up as Kris Jenner. 

Amy was Kim Kardashian and Jenna was Khloe. CNBC's Melissa Francis joined the gang as Kourtney. 

Watch the costume reveal above! 

Whose costume was most convincing during Weekend TODAY's Halloween Extravaganza? Vote on Facebook.

And what does it take to pull off dressing up like the Kardashians? The real-life family gave our anchors some pointers. 

Our weekend TODAY team also celebrated Halloween by visiting a prison many say is haunted with SyFy's "Ghost Hunters" team. Read about their adventures here. 

We all love a good ghost story this time of year. Our brave anchors decided to star in their own this weekend.

Lester, Amy and Jenna went inside one of the country's oldest institutions, which is considered by many in the paranormal community to be haunted.

They headed to Eastern State Penitentiary with the crew from SyFy's "Ghost Hunters." It's familiar ground for them: The "Ghost Hunters" cameras recorded what they believe to be an apparition in a previous episode.

Did our anchors make it through the night? And if so, did they hear or see a ghost? Watch the two-part series below:

With Halloween fast approaching, our weekend TODAY anchors shared the movies that keep them up at night.

Lester said he loves the scene in "Alien" where the creature pops out of a man's stomach, whereas Amy said "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" still gives her chills.

Jenna's choice was a bit more unconventional: "Jaws 2." "That shark was like the end of the world to me," she said. "Each tooth was like an animal!"

Lester and Amy laughed at the choice. "It's just so not scary!" Amy said.

But none of them had anything on the news reader, Melissa Francis. Melissa acted in the horror film "Bad Dreams" in the ninth grade.

"It's not a Jaws 2, but looks really scary," Lester joked.

Watch the fun segment above, including a few of Melissa's big scenes. And let us know your favorite horror flick in the comments below. Our TODAY.com Entertainment team shared their favorite spooktacular movies here.

TODAY Gives Back is an occasional series that features the charity and volunteer work of TODAY anchors. This week, allDAY's Anna Wiggin speaks with Amy Robach about her involvement with the Juvenile Diabetes Relief Foundation and Do Something.

What inspired you to get involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Relief Foundation?
I have two cousins with juvenile diabetes. They both contracted the disease before the age of 5, and it was so heartbreaking watching them go through daily blood tests and injections. It is such a difficult disease to live with and requires constant attention; a tough thing to explain to a child. When I was approached to work with and ultimately become a board member of the Washington, D.C., JDRF chapter, I didn’t hesitate.  So much has been done over the past decade to help with blood monitoring and quality of life, but it requires significant fundraising for research to one day find a cure.

What advice would you offer to friends and families who are affected by juvenile diabetes?
Be diligent and remain hopeful. Yes, it’s difficult to maintain such a strict diet and stay on top of your blood levels, but not doing so can be fatal or disfiguring. I saw the struggles my two cousins have had over the years and I truly sympathize. I do think with the brilliant doctors we have working around the clock to fight this disease, one day there will be a cure.

Has your charity work changed you as a person?
When I give my time to a worthy cause, it's time well spent. Lending a voice to help raise money -- or perhaps just awareness -- is the least I can do to give back. When I spend time with people who are fighting for children, it puts everything into perspective.

What is your roll with Do Something, and what aspects are you passionate about?
My husband, Andrew Shue, is the co-founder of Do Something, and we both speak and present at awards ceremonies. It's absolutely amazing and humbling to see all the work so many young people are contributing to better their communities on both a local and global front. They are truly making a difference and inspiring other young people to do the same.

Are there any experiences with JDRF/Do Something that have particularly moved you during your charity work?
It is an honor to spend time with such incredible people, and I cherish my contributions. It gives me hope that this world can be a better place.

Read how other TODAY anchors are giving back here.

TODAY

Pro poker player Beth Shak's footwear obsession -- she may own 1,200 shoes -- spurred our anchors to talk about their own shoe habits.

We see Matt, Ann, Al and Natalie every day -- slick-shined wingtips on the guys, sky-high stiletto platforms on the women. But just how many pairs populate their closets? 

"Probably 15," Al said. "Probably between 50 and 75, somewhere in that range," Natalie said.

Ann was a bit more wary. "I never counted," she hedged at first. When prodded, she admitted that if you factor in flip-flops she owns close to 80 pairs of shoes.

TODAY

Amy Robach's shoes.

Amy Robach, sporting a pair of borrowed glittering sky-high purple Christian Louboutin platforms, said she has about 50.

Matt admitted to having between 30 and 35 pairs in his closet. But maybe that's because it's full with a different garment - his extensive tie collection.

"I have a ridiculous amount of ties," Matt said -- who places his neckwear haul at under 300, but "probably" over 200. "And not all of them are polka dot," cracked Ann.

Later, Matt put the question to Martha Stewart. And of course, Martha gave the perfect answer.

"Not enough, obviously," she laughed. "My shoes never wear out, so I wear the same shoes for years."

How many shoes do YOU own. And yes, we're including flip-flops!

More in The Look:

Meet the woman who owns 1,200 pairs of shoes

Dressing for other women...do you do it?

As temperatures soar, men dare bare their ankles