Cold Weather Socks

The best thing about summer is the lack of socks. If it were up to me, we'd live in a warm climate where I can go barefoot or in sandals every day. My feet are all kinds of rough and I care not. I like to feel the world spinning around under my feet. My kids love summer sandals too. When it's time to go we stick our feet in and fasten the velcro. Thirty seconds later we're in the van and on our way.
Winter is not so simple, mainly because of the socks. At the moment we have three sizes of socks, not that that stops anyone from trying to wear whatever size they find--only the baby's socks are safe. Peter hasn't realized that there is supposed to be a gender difference between the white tubes we put our feet in, so there isn't much hope there either. I don't know why socks are so difficult to organize, but they are.
We begin with bulk discount packages and dire warnings about abusing or losing socks. I've considered requiring a sock oath, but why tempt my children to sin? The first week or two getting socks and shoes on is only two or three minutes longer, but then, somehow, the socks disappear. The rest of the winter is a constant rerun of the following conversation. "I bought you 15 pairs of socks and you are telling me you can't find any?" or its variant "I bought you 15 pairs of socks and all you can find is this mismatched horror I don't remember purchasing--ever?"
I do love the days when the snow falls and falls and falls and falls. I do love Christmas looking like a post card. I do love the wondrous comfort of a hot beverage after a day of running errands or playing with the kids. I just wish we could enjoy all of that in our bare feet.