Note to viruses: Enough already.

It's hard to say where we picked up the various viruses that have since been plaguing our family, but somewhere along the line, between the airplanes and airports, Chuck E. Cheese's and the bowling alley, we gathered quite a collection.

First it was a stomach bug that kept things quite messy for a few days. Then, right before we headed home my daughter started sniffling. A few days later it had developed into a fever and nasty cough. A doctor's visit confirmed that it was only a virus, and within days we were all sniffling, sneezing, and coughing.

Just when it seemed we were over the worst of it, my 4-year-old son informed us that his ear hurts. Looks like we will be paying the doctor another visit tomorrow.

I guess it is a bad sign when you are at Chuck E. Cheese's and someone comes over to your table asking for a napkin because her kid has a runny nose.

It's also probably a bad sign when you are at the doctor's office and there is only one staff member feeling good enough to work, and even she has puffy eyes and a runny nose.