Ski season is almost over. Living in dry, sunny California means it will be at least nine months before we’re back on the slopes.

We love skiing in Tahoe. We live about 200 miles southwest of Lake Tahoe. During the winter, we drive to the mountains 3-4 times to ski. But these trips are not just about skiing.

They are also about family bonding. About spending time together, uninterrupted by internet or work. And about doing an exhilarating physical activity together and taking pride in our progress and skill.

Our ski trips are also about shaking snow off trees:

Making the effort to climb up that snowy hill with your sled because sledding down is SO MUCH FUN:

Sometimes, they’re about enduring snow storms, snowy roads and terrible traffic:

Of course, no ski trip feels complete without building a snowman.

We always look forward to breathing in the clean, dry mountain air and taking in the breathtaking beauty of snow-covered mountains and beautiful lakes.

An important part of any trip is having great meals at our favorite local restaurants. More accurately, the three of us have great meals, while a certain fourth member of our family, the smallest one, pushes around the food on her plate while eagerly awaiting the arrival of the only course worth paying attention to in any meal: the dessert.

For said dessert, we never forget to pay a visit to the local handmade chocolate store. They have this huge pot where they melt chocolate for their homemade chocolate fudge. The sweet, chocolaty aroma that greets you as you enter that store is the kind of thing that makes you forget all about fitness and nutrition and just go for it. After all, you only live once, right?