Greetings!

Greetings from sunny FLA! We finally had our first cold front roll in...it was 64 degrees the other morning...brrr! Better keep those parkas handy (haha!). But at least the beginning of October signals the end of the lovebug mating season here. They are totally harmless (except to car paint...which their corrosive guts will eat a hole through it if you don't get them washed off ASAP!), but Josie was freaking anyway...because they were EVERYWHERE! They covered the lanai and were always landing on you.

Just spent the nicest couple days with Mike and Charlotte and their whole family. We went to Clearwater Beach on Thursday and it was a beautiful day. We literally floated in the water for more than 3 hours with pelicans diving all around us, fresh fish (and I mean in the flirty way...brushing up against EVERYONE...little bait fish flying out of the water and running into the kids' heads...it was hilarious). We had to shuffle our feet since there was a dangerous marine life flag up...there were stingrays in the area. Stan and Mike saw one before it swam for cover when the rest of us charged over to get a peek. Then they all came over for a bbq...it was just heaven to be with loved ones. We had no idea how much we truly missed everyone, and then I suddenly had a very clear memory of talking to Larry about that very thing, how awesome those first visitors were for the family in Tucson. So all y'all better hurry before we aren't so keen on company (hehe...as if, right?...we didn't want to let poor Mike and Charlotte leave...practically followed their van out of the neighborhood!).

We're deep into soccer and softball which will keep us jammed until the middle of November. Training for the marathons is going well...we do our 20-mile run tomorrow and are extremely grateful for the cooler temps. Josie just finished her diversity project week...with HUGE props going to Grandma and Aunt Necie! You should have been noted at the top of her bibliography! She did refer to you often in her report and during her oral presentation. And of course the cookies were a hit...much more popular than the Dominican Republic crackers made with a little mashed plantain. Josie asked her little friend, "How can you think those are good? They don't taste like anything..." We're still working on the tact thing.

Anyway, love you all and miss everyone like crazy...even more so since seeing some family!