Staying true to the somewhat new-to-us tradition we have started in the last few years,

Seth and I packed up and set out to find an adventure, and to make a memory with our children…

instead of disappearing under a mountain of gifts.

Seth found some room for us in the Inn,

also known as Abe Martin Lodge,

nestled in the picturesque hills of Brown County, IN.

We took some time to wonder through the small town of Nashville,

hiked through mud and snow and quiet woods,

and sat for hours beside the pool and the water slide inside the lodge

while the children shrieked and splashed with delight.

Dreamy as it may sound,

alot of reality traveled along with us…

health issues,  cranky children,

moments of stress while trying to figure out how to handle adolescent mood swings,

and loud Christmas parties, complete with screeching kids and scolding parents,

that carried on into the wee hours of the morning in the rooms next to us.

Christmas, like the rest of year,

both before and after the holidays…

is seldom picture perfect….

but this is the exact reason we have so very much to celebrate….

For if we can seldom find true  ”Peace On Earth”  in our circumstances,

then what a wonderful gift has been given to us through the birth of Jesus,

that we CAN have “Peace In Our Souls”.

We consumed large amounts of hot, cheesy pizza in this little pizzeria…yum…

Eden…sweetly offering to carry my camera case…

Climbing up to Lookout Point…a three mile hike through the woods.

So hoping that the little birdies that lived here escaped the snow storm and found a warmer house…

In search of Dinner…