Here's the second floor.

Hopefully these links will be easier to see...

There is a lot I like about your plan:
-line of sight from the front door to the back woods.
-kitchen, especially the large window.
-back hallway/mudroom area.

Things I don't love:
-dining area seems like it was designed with "what was left". How do you plan on arranging furniture in that space?
-usually I think there should be hall access to a bath upstairs but you don't have a bonus room so I suppose that isn't a big deal
-if the den is to be a functioning office, it not be the quietest space.

Overall,I like it!

You have the each same functions/rooms on each as what we are planning (with the exception of finished LL). Yours is arranged to maximize southern exposure in front while ours maximizes that in the south.

Our first plan will be back from the architect soon and it'd be fun to compares notes!

Do you think you'd like a back door in the service area? Just thinking that after an hour of playing in the woods, you might like to come in that way to slip out of the dirty shoes, keeping the living spaces cleaner.

It is rather a long walk from garage to kitchen, and kitchen to dining area, but my folks' house is like that, and it's fine by them. But still, I wonder if you could eliminate that big closet, put that stuff in the basement, and bring the garage closer in?

You have nice views front and back, and this looks like the kind of kitchen you won't be hanging out in all day, and that's a good thing. There's a biiiiig space between elements, but I'm used to a tiny corner for prep between sink and cooktop. I don't think I'd want it to be so far away, though. I'd put the dishwasher between the sink and fridge, thinking that that's where you'll keep the dishes.

These are all great ideas! Thank you! I agree that the "dinette" space is huge - maybe overkill. In fact, I'm trying to think of ways to be more efficient with that space. I had sort of planned to put the dining table in the middle of the space and some arm chairs/table/maybe another couch in the bay window/sunroom area. I like the flexibility of that space if you're entertaining a crowd, which we do a fair amount. However, the space is so big that it might just be too much on an everyday basis, so I'm going to have to give that some thought. One way to cut it down, of course, is to cut off the bay window. But since that's some of the appeal for me, I hate to do that.

I love the idea of the service door, bpathome, as well as moving the dishwasher! Thanks for those thoughts.

shiltsy - I'd be happy to compare notes and share anything I have about the house. I'd love to see your plan, too, when you have it! Maybe it would be helpful in working through some of these tricky issues with the space.

Thanks again for everyone's thoughts! This is a complete work in progress, so everyone's expertise is so helpful!