My Family COMES FIRST

THE TODAY ANCHOR WILL LEAVE THE SHOW NEXT YEAR TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH HER DAUGHTERS

- Rick Egusquiza

In early September, Hoda Kotb took her daughters to their first day at a new school. "I carried a coffee and I had sneakers [on], and I walked my kids to school like normal people," she gushed on air. "It was awesome." A new school and a house in the suburbs aren't all that's changed. A few weeks later, Hoda, 60, announced her decision to step down as an anchor of Today early next year. "I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new," says the star, who is making life with her daughters Haley, 7, and Hope, 5, her priority. "She'll still contribute to NBC, which she loves and calls home, but she's looking forward to being somewhat of a stay-athome mom," says a friend.