We have the KA CD 25 sq ft. side by side ref. It has performed very well except that the icemaker periodically will stop working. The fill tube that comes from the top of the freezer will freeze up, stopping the flow of water. I give it a squeeze with the pliers (it is a rubber tube) and it starts working again. Have had 2 service calls for this problem in 2 years. Too many for a $2100.00 ref. Other that that it is fine. Maintains temp fine, shelf space is great, etc. We have GE monogram rangetop and oven. It looks like the burners on the GE Cafe line are similar to the monogram burners, but the output on the Cafe line is less. I don't know about profile. A couple of the profile ovens seem to have the same specs as Monogram, but cost less. Or at least that was the case 2 years ago when I built the house. My opinion is that either brand will be fine. Buy the specs and the style you like and enjoy.

We've been married for 14 years now and we lived together for 3 years before that. While we were cohabitating I never allowed our finances to be comingled. It was incredibly difficult for us to make the financial transition after we married. Truly, of all things that was THE most difficult. I have always been the "skinflint" and the "nervous nellie" when it comes to money. I remember living in a little town where there were no jobs... and how humiliating it was to have to ask for some money to go to a movie and then to ask for some for popcorn, too. An "allowance" was never offered and I had to "justify" every request for money. It was a defining time in my life. I swore, that when I got my first job NO ONE WOULD EVER USE MONEY TO CONTROL ME AGAIN. And I remember being so afraid of what I didn't know... balancing a checkbook, making intelligent decisions with savings, investing. My parents never talked about money, it was as though it was "dirty"; even though they lived frugally and lacked for nothing. I sucked it up and learned how to do those things because if I didn't, I understood I would be vulnerable and in a position to be manipulated. And you know what? it's not hard, at all! it's actually fun. The helpmeet was much more cavalier than I with respect to money (didn't take much, lol). He was never a wanton spender, but he wasn't always so good about getting bills out on time and never lost much sleep about interest or finance charges (drove me nuts). But he had a much healthier attitude in the greater context; never laboring under the awful, nagging fears that I did. So... after a few good fights about it we sat down for a "board meeting". We agreed to do the bills together; but I was given the responsibility to call the terms because doing so allowed me to put the kibosh on interest charges and any late fees. We worked out a strict budget and he stuck to it. We lucked out, I suppose. He's no longer is "late", pays no interest, and we no longer fight about money (he has thanked me for showing him how easy it can be!). Either of us could pick up the reins and take over in the event of catastrophe. Best of all, though, I am now at ease with money; no one controls me with it and I'm secure in the knowledge that there is plenty of it to meet whatever needs we have and even enough to spend on FUN THINGS! (imagine that?!) I will go to my grave knowing he imparted that simple belief to me; it set me free. Really. It wasn't easy gettin' here. You mustn't allow your husband to dodge the issue by saying he's "sick of spread sheets"... that's an excuse (and it's unfair to put the responsibility for success or failure on YOU!), the spending isn't about the new toy, it's about something bigger. I'd bet a nickel on that. If you want to get to a trusting place with your finances you have begin by being honest and putting all your debts on paper, establishing a budget and being accountable for it, and sitting down TOGETHER every month. Silvercomet is absolutely right... this is IMPORTANT stuff. It doesn't have to be unpleasant, either. One of the nicest aspects of this process for us is the time we spend together talking about what we want for our future(s). It's gone from perfunctory attention to bills and statements to presenting ideas/goals/and seeing possibilities emerge. It's empowering and it's FUN.

Thank you everyone for all of the feedback! I'll keep looking for a nice iron trundle daybed. The one I linked above was sold (though I did find a used popup trundle). Most people seem to be selling off the mattress too, though I plan to use the two we have now since I also am squimish about used mattresses. I'm hoping I could buy w/o the mattreses. DD, of course, likes the chair with the aqua seat better so may end up using that; though I think her old chair is a better match. I could probably get her to change her mind, though, if we make a fabric seat cushion. It's hard for an 8-year-old to envision what it would all look like cleaned up and painted. meghnjosh: Thanks for the paint suggestions. I plan to go the BM store today for paint choices so will add those to my list. DD also wants AQUA walls, but I think I can convince her to go more muted if we have other aqua colors in the room. I'd love to see your DD's aqua/lime room. I ordered DD a lime lamp from JCP but am thinking of returning it for the aqua one.

Oh crud. All you practical people who don't like split skulls and broken legs had to chime in :^) You can't really see it from the pic that includes the family room, but the wood is a perimeter there with carpet in the middle. We like that look and don't really want to put carpet all the way to the step (to provide the visual clue). Also, that wood strip (the one just below the step) is a high traffic area between the back door and door to the garage. We have friends (who have the same model) with the whole family room carpeted and that path on the carpet gets pretty dirty. So, we aren't in favor of any plan that puts carpet or anything else (e.g. bookcase) on that wood strip. We are replacing all of the wood on the upper level with the remodel (if we don't replace, there is a lot of patching that needs to be done because the wood is not currently under the cabinets. It was only $800 more to replace and when the wood was installed by the previous owner, it wasn't properly acclimated and there are large gaps). We can easily do something like Chicagoans suggested: using the wood pattern or stain color to define the edge of the step. Any ideas or pictures of this? Also, I measured the area behind the chairs to the step: 3.5 feet with the chair pushed in. 2.5 feet with someone sitting. 1.5 feet with a normal push the chair out to get up. 1 foot with a bug push the chair out to get up.