Tar-HEEEEEELS! Tar-HEEEEEELS!

Hear this: it's not easy for me to cheer for North Carolina basketball. It comes as naturally to me as drinking Diet Coke instead of regular, but in order to keep the peace in a home populated by a pair of passionate basketball fans, I sometimes have to do that which isn't easy, that which is, in fact, downright HARD - especially on weekends when MY team loses and Jeremy's wins.

That was the case this weekend. Jeremy's Valentine gift to me was a trip to Knoxville to see my Cats play; my Valentine to HIM was a trip to Chapel Hill to catch his 'heels. Of course, we took Jones along, so that he could catch his first-ever Carolina ballgame.

Chapel Hill is probably one of my Top Ten towns in the entire USA.  It doesn't hurt that there's a Qdoba on Franklin Street. If only they'd had a PHD in Theatre back when I was looking at schools ...!

Our visit to "the Hill" was a quick one. We rolled in late Saturday afternoon and were there just long enough for Jeremy to get a chocolate shake at Sutton's and for me to pick up a dozen Krispy Kremes. We also made time for a photo op at the Old Well before heading to my friend Elizabeth Wexler Watson's house in Raleigh. That's where we were spending the nite - and eating dinner, too!

Wex made vegetable lasagna, and it was so much fun visiting with her, Jason, and their new dog, Albert. Albert was ENTRANCED with Jones. After we'd put the baby to bed, Albert snuck upstairs and noiselessly opened the door to where Jones was sleeping. I caught Albert with his nose placed curiously at the foot of Jones's "napper." It was one of the most adorable things I have ever seen.

After eating those Krispy Kremes I mentioned for breakfast, the three of us headed back to Chapel Hill. The plan was to tour the Basketball Museum, eat some lunch, and then head to the game. The plan was NOT to have our car towed, but we almost did. We got there early enough to park in the free lot across the street from the Museum.  Now, in the University's defense, signs were CLEARLY posted that, in preparation for the 2 p.m. game, ALL CARS had to be removed by 10 a.m. that day. We assumed, however, that they wouldn't tow us.

We were wrong. When we left the Museum about 11:30, there was a tow truck attached to my two front tires, prompting me to SPRINT (no, really.  SPRINT) across the parking lot to assure the friendly truck driver ... and the not-as-friendly campus policewoman ... that I was moving my car RIGHT.THAT.MINUTE.  They detached my car from the truck but said I'd still be responsible for the $50 ticket.

$50.

Are they for real?

Anyway, the Museum was amazing. It was especially awesome watching Jeremy fill Jones in on the history of Carolina basketball. He was so proud to share his love of the team with his little boy. I honestly wish we could've spent more time in there, though it was TRULY a God-send that we left when we did. We'd probably still be in town now were we trying to track down our towed car. The game was great ('Heels won!); our seats were even greater (thank you, Bubba Cunningham), and I hope we're able to make many more trips to Chapel Hill.

Until then, here are a few more pics to remind us of our FIRST trip as a family of three to Tobacco Road!