I only have experience with the Mac one. I noticed the 3 stars too and read through several of the reviews - they're all over the place! Seems like people really love it or really hate it. I can only say from personal experience that ours has worked very well the past 3 years. DH took it with his MacBook Air to Afghanistan on deployment. He used it daily for work and to watch movies for the 8 months he was there with no problems. My DD uses it with her Air now for school games and movies, and we always take it with us when we travel. So far, not a single issue with it.

We live in Hawaii, and Costco is an even better value now than it was when we lived in Florida. Unlike other stores here, Costco keeps their prices the same as they are on the mainland. Some of the things I consider great deals there compared to other current options: organic ground beef organic boneless skinless chicken breast red, yellow, orange bell peppers pack spinach carrots grapes strawberries kale organic milk toilet paper paper towels dishwashing liquid detergent

We are loyal Apple users, and of all the products we own - iMac, iPad, Macbook Pro, Macbook Air - the favorite for all of us is the Macbook Air. You can get the super drive separately to play CDs and DVDs; it's attaches by USB. But for the price ($999), you have a computer that's fast, super light, and has plenty of space.

DH (31) has 2 brothers. One is 34, the other is 24. DH talks to the older one probably once a week. He and the younger brother text occasionally but usually don't talk on the phone. He has a close relationship with both of them, but careers, distance, and personalities play a roll in how often they communicate. We live in Hawaii, and DH works very long hours. His older brother is a state trooper in NJ so he calls when he works nights, while it is after work but before bedtime here. DH and his younger brother are both pretty quiet on the phone, and it's hard to keep a conversation going very long between them. So texting works best. :)

We have a Toyota Sienna that comfortably seats 8 and has plenty of storage space in the back. Our previous vehicle was a Honda Odyssey that also seated 8. Both get decent gas mileage, are great for long road trips, and have plenty of upgrade options. I've loved my minivans - and this is coming from someone who only ever had SUVs and was sure I would NEVER drive a minivan :)

Chick-fil-a!!

We prefer Standards as well...

I have no idea what you're talking about either! 30 yrs old, born and raised in Florida...

Hike the Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali coast! Hanakapi'ai Falls is absolutely beautiful and worth the extra 2 mile hike to get there. It's where DH proposed, which was amazing, but not exactly the easiest spot to revisit. :) Here are a few links with some helpful info: http://www.kauaiexplorer.com/hiking_kauai/hanakapiai_hike.php http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g29218-d560716-Reviews-Hanakapiai_Falls-Kauai_Hawaii.html http://www.hawaiistateparks.org/hiking/kauai/kalalau-trails.cfm

Yep, that is why I have always liked Tristan. :) My son's name made the list. I don't personally know anyone whose surname is Hunter, and I don't consider it to be "violent" either!

:lol: For me, it completely depends on whether my husband is home or deployed. When he's around - a couple times a week. When he's gone? Ummmm.....

:iagree: Exactly.

I usually end up wearing make-up once a week for church. However, I will actually fix my hair and apply make-up for girls' night, dates w/DH, dinner guests, baby showers, etc. :)

:iagree::iagree:Another libertarian homeschooling family currently here in Jax. And yes, except for the whole humidity thing, Jacksonville seems to be a nice fit. We LOVE our large, non-denominational church with both Calvinists and Arminians. However, I know of a few good Calvinist churches in the area that women in my Bible study group attend. The Navy is sending us back to Hawaii this summer, and we are actually going to miss Jax quite a bit!

It's 70 degrees here right now. I have no idea what that even feels like, snuggling up and getting ready for snow! :)

Actually, I agree with most everything you said - especially the words in bold. My DH doesn't use profanity, but a lot of the guys he works with do (he's in the Navy). It doesn't bother me to hear it. Now my son's football coaches.... well, I'd prefer them to watch their language around the kids.

Umm, yep, this is precisely my homeschool fantasy. Unfortunately, reality doesn't even come close to this. I still keep dreaming about it though; it gives me something to aspire to!

This is the same for us as well. We turned our formal dining into a schoolroom and, although I really enjoyed decorating it for the seasons before, we only used the dining room a few times a month. It is right off the foyer, the first room you see when you walk in. I love it! I like that it forces me to keep it organized and clean, and we enjoy having all that natural light. (We have never had to turn on a light during school.)

1. He hates attention or being the topic of conversation and would not be happy to know I am writing this. ;) (I have to secretly tell his parents about his accolades & make them promise not to tell everyone!) 2. He is an incredible athlete and extremely competitive. 3. He loves to be outdoors and wants to hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine someday. 4. He is a a very patient, devoted father who loves nothing more than spending time with his family. 5. He is the best gift-giver & dwells for hours over finding the "perfect" gift every time 6. He got accepted to West Point before the Naval Academy and couldn't decide which one to attend until the very last day. His dad had to drive his acceptance papers from New Jersey to Annapolis to get it there on time. 7. He has now been to 24 countries (between backpacking through Europe after graduation and 4 deployments) 8. He is an avid reader, especially historical fiction, and we love to spend rainy days reading together. 9. He's more romantic than I am - he proposed at Hanakapi'ai Falls on the Na Pail Coast, Kauai and has been one-upping me ever since. 10. HE IS COMING HOME IN 38 DAYS!!! :hurray::hurray:

Currently-- from my parents: 272.96 from in-laws: 738.18 After we PCS-- from my parents: 1131.20 from in-laws: 241.40

Lettuce, tomato, pickle, cheddar, mustard, mayo, ketchup

We were both 17 when we met at the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, DC. I was representing my high school in FL, he was from NJ. We ended up in the same group because of our last names. I thought he was the most handsome guy I had ever seen, then soon realized he was kind and intelligent and funny too. :) We both knew halfway through the week that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. :001_wub:

:iagree:

Oh yes, I forgot about the Marines being under the Navy. I also didn't realize that the last two were considered an armed service. Thanks for the info! :)

It is interesting to note that there are 5 Armed Services, with 4 being under the Dept of Defense and 1 being under the Dept of Homeland Security. I know that the Coast Guard can sometimes be transferred to the Dept of the Navy, especially during war. But it is currently still under the Dept of Homeland Security, right? Sorry, I'm not around as many Coasties anymore at our current station to keep up with such things. :)