Living in the shadow of the mountains, our seasons are a month of winter and a month of summer separated by several months of beautiful spring and fall. The transition to our brief spell of winter causes mornings of shivering and afternoons of sweating. I’m sorry. I mean glowing.

Every morning this week, I’ve dressed the youngest children in jeans, long sleeves and coats. Every afternoon this week, I’ve been subjected to complaints about me “making” them wear coats. Amy comes home from school daily missing her socks and wearing her jeans rolled up above her knees. I caught Evan with my scissors just seconds before he cut the sleeves off of his shirt.

This morning, the children left for school in shorts, hoodies and coats. I thought it would make the afternoons less miserable for them. Instead, they spent the wait for the bus complaining because I “made” them wear shorts.

Tomorrow, I’m sending them to school in jammies and bathrobes.