Thank you so much for all of the input!! I heard back from our general manager and the flat paint that they use is actually "Kwal Acu Pro flat wall paint matched to Sherwin Williams colors". That was a bit misleading to me as I thought we were actually using Sherwin Williams paint. I think we're leaning towards just going with the flat, touching up when we need to, and then just repaint as we want to in different finishes down teh road (namely kids bathroom, main floor bath, etc) as I'm sure I'll be changing out some colors anyway as we've lived there for awhile. chispa - That is good to know it's that easy to cover any blemishes!! It makes me feel so much better about going with flat! kangell - Yes, I think you are exactly right. It is more expensive for them to finish the drywall for anything other than flat paint as flat paint hides blemishes better. It's all about money at the end of the day! worthy - Thank you so much for your input as a builder! I'm relieved to hear that you agree with our builder and it's just not him trying to be cheap. Son in your own home you did do satin over drywall...out of curiosity, why were you willing to do it on your own home but not on others? Did you do different drywall prep? Or just have lower standards of "smoothness" than your previous buyers? ;) I think we are going to do exactly as you suggested, thank you! joyce - I love the look of flat much better than satin as well, but with kids and a dog, anything but flat is more practical!

. I also have about 13,000 in my 401K account that I will either have to rollover to an IRA or take the distribution from my old job. I 'think' it would be best that you roll it over, and totally avoid distribution. From the link below: "Your 401k withdrawal options are as follows if you are under 59 � -Take a lump sum distribution, in which case your 401k plan provider will write you a check for the value of your account less a 20% withholding tax mandated by the IRS, and a 10% withdrawal penalty. The 20% tax that is withheld, but NOT the 10% penalty, will be counted against your income tax payable or will be counted towards any refund due for the tax year when you file your tax return. Some 401k penalty free withdrawal exceptions are here. -You can do nothing and leave it with your previous employer as long as the amount is greater than $5,000. Amounts less than $5,000 will usually be distributed to you, less a 20% withholding tax, regardless of you age. (Check with your plan sponsor) -Do 401k rollover into an IRA or a solo 401k (if you are planning to open your own one person business) Here is a link that might be useful: 401k Withdrawal Options

Mannington's Restoration Laminate IS water resistant to surface water for up to 72 hours. If properly installed, it can be used in kitchens and bathrooms--per Mannington. I have two samples in my home now and am awaiting two more that are currently out of stock. It is beautiful flooring, and there are many colors to choose from in the Restoration Collection. I licked together two of my full plank samples and poured water on the joint where the two joined, left it for 8 hours and no water leaked through to the paper towels below and there was no damage to the planks. Before we buy it, I will give it the 72 hour test. I got my full plank samples from efloors for .99 cents each. Armstrong has a water resistant laminate, also, called Audacity. I don't like that it is made in China and is only 10mm thick with a 2mm attached pad. I haven't been able to find a dealer in my area or find where to order samples so I haven't seen it yet. The Mannington laminate is made in the US, is 12mm thick and up to a 3mm pad can be used with it in installation for a quieter floor. You might check out both of these before you make a decision. i was quoted a price of $3.49 per sq ft for the Mannington Restoration Laminate, but it was on sale for $2.89 sq ft at my local dealer. I don't know about installation cost as we will do the floor prep and installation. Just be sure you get someone to install that will follow the installation instructions to the letter and use the glue and caulk required for kitchen and bathrooms. If not done correctly, your warranty will be voided. Good luck on your decision.

Yes to so much of this. My husband loves spreadsheets (I prefer paper and pencil), and tracks every penny spent with our projects. He'll also estimate costs when we get to that point, to help us set a budget and decide where we want to spend our money. As I stated previously, we are generally savers. Even though I know that is the right path, it can sometimes be frustrating. It can seem that other people spend foolishly, and then continue to get bailed out. When we did FAFSA this year for our oldest going off to college, they expected us to be able to spend all of our college savings on her, nevermind that she has 5 younger siblings that we're saving for as well. (Thankfully, she'll only use a small portion of her college fund.) If we had saved nothing, we probably would have only had to spend a few thousand out of pocket. I try not to think about it too much though. :( On the topic of cheese...I gave our daughter some Sartori Montamore cheese when we moved her into her dorm. She's a generation removed from WI, but it's in her blood! ;)