More Coughy-Coughersteins

Little Natalie is 4 weeks old today!

Logan loves to take pictures. There were some even funnier ones of the inside of his mouth, but I thought I'd spare us all that sight. He's been talking our EARS OFF lately. Is this a passing stage? I hope so! I told Josh that I thought maybe it was a way to get rid of excess energy because he NEVER SHUTS UP. Even when there is no one to listen to him he is making noise.
His nose looks so funny in this picture. What a goofball!

Natalie enjoying her nice, warm bath. She loves soaking in the tub.

This past week Brynne celebrated her 9th Birthday (on the 26th). Unfortunately for her, she was sick all week so we didn't really get to the celebrating part yet. One of our birthday traditions that we do most years is for the birthday child to go out to dinner with Mom and Dad and then go to the bookstore to select a new book for themselves. It's simple, but we've found it to be a favorite birthday option. That was what Brynne wanted to do this year (we also do parties and family trips occasionally). Since her illness kept her from having an appetite, we're waiting for her to feel 100% before we go to a restaurant!

However, since she was feeling mostly normal on her birthday, Devon and I took the younger kids for an outing. We went to the redwoods to play, and made a short stop at the beach on the way home, but it was too windy to really enjoy it.

Since then, Logan and Natalie have gotten sick. Kenna is still sick from this never-ending cold that will not go away. I don't feel so good. So we're just a houseful of germs right now. Oh, the joy! This is my sad little Kenna. She'll be glad when I stop wiping her nose all the time!
(picture by Logan)

My sister left this morning. It was fun having her around. With all the sick kids I didn't think we were very entertaining, but it was fun having her. The most helpful thing that she did was babysit the four older children all day on Saturday so that Josh and I could go to Santa Rosa. It was a whirlwind trip - as our trips to go shopping always are! We were able to dispose of some old computer equipment (that someone gave us and didn't really work - I'm so glad it's gone!). We bought Josh some much-needed work clothes. And we filled our pantry shelves at Cash & Carry and Costco. Hooray, hooray! I was exhausted by the end of it. Up two nights in a row with sick kids and then running around Santa Rosa all day really wore me out. It was fun to have a day with Josh (and Natalie, of course) where we could talk and spend time together.

Here's hoping this week is better than last. No more germs!