First Lady Michelle Obama got rock-star treatment Friday night as she visited a Central Florida family on a tour celebrating the second anniversary of her Let's Move! diet-and-exercise campaign.
Neighbors of the Halls family, who hosted Obama at their home, lined up to catch a glimpse of the first lady. Cheers erupted from the crowd as Obama left about 8:15 p.m. and waved before being whisked away in a waiting sport utility vehicle.
"We love you. We love you," neighbors yelled.
Obama spent about an hour eating dinner with parents Kern, 37, and Patrice, 36, and sons Keian, 12, and Kamryn, 7, joking with the boys and discussing healthful eating. Kern Halls pulled out Obama's chair for her before the meal of jerk chicken, brown rice and peas, sauteed zucchini and salad.
The Hallses were chosen for the honor partly because they have improved their eating habits. Let's Move! aims to stem the tide of childhood obesity.
After telling Obama that he had played baseball and football in high school, Kern Halls talked about how he felt the need to change his diet and lose weight.
The first lady then asked Keian and Kamryn and asked how they were adjusting to the new menus at home.
"I've lost weight from the healthier choices," Keian said, noting that he no longer eats chips and junk food. Kamryn agreed.
"We went through the same thing in my house," Obama said. "It took a second for the girls [daughters Sasha and Malia] to adjust."
Neighbors said they initially assumed the deluge of police cars on the street in the Westchester subdivision meant something was wrong. Soon, though, energy began coursing through the crowd as neighbors realized what was going on.
"It's amazing," said Dave Singh, who brought a kitchen chair to his driveway so he could sit and watch.
Indrani Tewari said she was excited and happy that Obama visited.
"I started calling all of my friends," she said. "It's cool that we got to see her."
In the next leg of her Orlando-area tour, Obama will speak Saturday morning at Northland, A Church Distributed in Longwood with representatives of religious groups from across the country who have embraced Let's Move!
The event will feature church choirs and focus on church-based exercise programs.
The Rev. Joel Hunter, senior pastor, has been a spiritual adviser to President Barack Obama.
In the afternoon, Obama is scheduled to appear at ESPN Wide World of Sports complex atWalt Disney World in Osceola County to work out with families. Free tickets for both events were distributed through churches.
Friday morning, Obama appeared at the YMCA in Homestead, where she called family meals "critical," praised the White House's kitchen garden, told stories about raising her daughters, and fielded audience questions.
Obama's three-day tour began Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa.
