The Duke Museum of Basketball...and Some Other Unimportant Basketball Museum

 As a treat for my guys, I planned a visit to the Duke Basketball Museum on Friday.  Whether you're a Duke fan or not (and there's a good chance you're not, because for some reason there are a lot of Duke Basketball haters out there), you'd really enjoy a stroll through this museum at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham.

Anybody who was alive and watching sports in 1992 has to remember this thing called "the shot."  There's a display about "the shot," which is consistently ranked as one of the thrilling moments in basketball history.  (I don't know if they have a display of "the shot" at the UK Basketball Museum, but probably not...)

 Below, the guys try to replicate "the shot."

 It was very cool to be at the museum the Friday before Coach K plays for his 1,000th win in Madison Square Gardens on Sunday....

Below: It's goofy, I know, but I'm a sucker for detail.  Ha!

The most shocking thing I saw at Duke Friday was K-ville (I'm not EVEN going to try to spell that!), which is the area outside Cameron Indoor Stadium where students are camping-out for 6 WEEKS to get tickets to the Duke-UNC game.   The game isn't even until February 18th, but here's a picture of those students out in the freezing cold rain.  There's a reason they're called "Cameron Crazies!"

There was actually a sign in the museum that details the very specific rules for K-Ville, including how many students can stay in a tent, how many students must be at the tent at any given time, and the exclusions about when your tents can be vacated (under 25 degrees or in 2" or more of snow).

Ok.  I'm not a big basketball fan, but I have to admit I really had a great time!  Anna, however...not so much.  If Anna had to see one more basketball trophy, basketball picture, or just plain basketball...I think she was going to lose her little girl mind!  :)

Cameron Indoor Stadium looks pretty big on ESPN, but in reality it is TINY!  In person, it doesn't look much bigger than a high school gym.

Also surprising to me was that when we popped into the court to take a few pictures, there was a recreational game in progress.  Who would have thought that the #5 basketball team in the country would allow faculty/students to use the court to play a pick-up game - right in the middle of basketball season?

And oh yes.  That "other" basketball museum.  Tim, John, and Christopher aren't UNC fans; but you just can't live in Basketball Country without ever visiting the Carolina Basketball Museum at UNC Chapel Hill.  So we stopped by there, too.  You can find the Carolina Basketball Museum right beside the Dean Dome.

And although they went, my guys want to make sure you know that they DID NOT like the Carolina Basketball Museum.  So there.

January's Recipe: Cranberry Beef Roast

Each month I will be posting one of my family's favorite recipes on the blog, and this month it's one of our winter favorites: cranberry beef roast.  The recipe I originally used called for a pork roast, so you're welcome to try that, too.  I only make this in the winter, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it's great right after the holidays if you're trying to get rid of leftover canned cranberries.  The house smells DIVINE while this roast is cooking.  This is one of Tim's favorites, so sometimes he bribes me by promising to take me to the Panera (my absolute favorite restaurant) in return for me making this.

1 beef roast (any size that suits your family)
2 tablespoons oil
1 can (16 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cranberry, grape-cranberry, or grape juice
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp. ground cloves (depending on how much spice you like)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
salt to taste

Brown roast in oil on all sides.  Transfer to a slow cooker.  Combine cranberry sauce, sugar, juice, mustard, pepper and cloves, and salt:  pour over roast.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.  About 5 minutes before serving, combine water and cornstarch and add to roast to thicken the sauce.  Serve with mashed potatoes.

"Cabin in the Wintertime"

Here's Christopher's newest painting.  He calls it "Cabin in the Wintertime."  He painted it January 8th under the instruction of Melody from Melody's Art World, based in Jacksonville, North Carolina.  It's a 16x20 oil on canvas.

-Kara

17 years ago today I married my amazing husband.

And after all these years together, I can still say...

...I believe that the greatest Earthly gift I can give my children is a loving, faithful, passionate marriage to their father.

...I believe that my husband Tim truly loves his wife as Christ loves the church and he sacrifices himself for her daily.

...I believe that a marriage has the ability to grow stronger with each year that passes, even in a world that does its best to destroy, ridicule, and distort marriage.

...I believe that a marriage must be fed or it will starve to death.

...I believe in celebrating anniversaries!

...I believe that marriage is one of God's greatest blessings to mankind, and that my husband is one of God's greatest blessings to me.

What a happy and holy fashion it is that those who love one another 
should rest on the same pillow. 

 --Nathaniel Hawthorne 

Happy New Year!

I am amazed at God's goodness to my family in 2014!  My blog has been filled with pictures of big adventures and even bigger smiles.  Thank you, Lord, for giving us peace during times of uncertainty, calmness during times of confusion, and joy during times of pain.  Thank you for teaching us SO MUCH about each other and about Yourself these past twelve months.  And thank you, Lord, that in the last 22 MONTHS, not one of us has been sick enough to need a doctor or a prescription. Thank you for three children who never cease to bless, and for a marriage that is stronger and sweeter after 16 years than it has ever been before.

And thank You for the incredible hope and promise that 2015 brings!

I really believe it's going to be our best year yet...

--Your Humble Servant,

Kara