Don't have to be really old! LOL There is a new and really gorgeous subdivision not far from me. When I first an open house there, I was seriously ready to sell my house and move, but the housing market was down (which meant taking a loss), so I had to "chill out". Guess what? I know someone who bought a house there and they had terrible problems with black mold and had to move out due to being allergic to mold. One never knows, right... OP, I really feel your pain. Every single appliance broke soon after we got this house and new appliances do not fit the old openings. Do I need to say more? Did I mention finding mold in AC vents a week after bringing a newborn home? Well, "this too shall pass". :-)

(((HUGS))) Ditto everyone else---she is JEALOUS of you. I went through similar stuff with my SS's mother. Opposite situation in that I am the SM, she is the BM. But not all that different in that you and I are good, kind-hearted people doing our best to care for our children. I have a DD and my SS, while you have your DD and DS. We were both physically assaulted. And verbally. And I totally understand, the verbal stuff is FAR more hurtful. BM has pretty much been out of my head/life for the past two years because I had a restraining order on her, and she couldn't send me nasty emails. But, believe me, for YEARS she did, and she would leave me nasty, hateful voicemails. One we played for the GAL in DH's court case---right after BM had assaulted me. In it, she called me a "pubic-haired b*tch" and made comments about my weight. She has ALWAYS called me fat. I don't get it at all because I am 5'3" and weigh about 117 lbs! WTF. I think it's a female thing to go RIGHT to weight/appearance. Women like your DD's SM or my SS's BM---CRUEL women---have this urge to attack and hurt, and they lash out at US in the very areas they themselves are so self conscious and insecure about. You are beautiful inside and out. I don't even know but I can tell that just by your posts here on GW. You are SO much better, so much more of a mother, wife and WOMAN than SM ever could be. And she knows it!!! That's why she is relentless in her attacks on you. She wants to bring you down to her level of misery. Don't let her. She is NOT worth your time or mental energy. Save all the emails, print them, file them away but don't respond and try not to even let them get at you. I really feel for you, honey. I think your situation is so very painful because SM is attacking you as a mother. Mine was less painful/easier to take because BM was attacking me as a SM. I think as mothers our defenses instantly go up. There were times that BM would take jabs at my daughter and I wanted to fly thrugh the roof! It's more hurtful and personal. And,again, she knows it! I don't understand why this woman cannot just parent her own DD, help BD parent your DD when she is there and LEAVE YOU THE H*LL ALONE?! She is really emotionally disturbed.

Oh my gosh, you guys are cracking me up! I never heard of the "while we're at it" syndrome, but yes, we have caught it too! Though that's not really the hold up here. And we've begun quietly keeping a "while we're at it list" until the kitchen is done - we don't want the contractor to get distracted!!! I'm not angry. Even though some personal issues caused the contractor to be away, that is not entirely unexpected when it's 2 guys doing all the work. They do beautiful work. and even though they are quite behind and know it, they are not taking any short cuts to get caught up. I appreciate that integrity and artistic sentiment. The penalty clause we included is quite stiff, but it's more of a scare tactic to keep them on track (how's that working out?!). We certainly won't enforce it at the earliest possible date, if at all. We like the guy, we love his work, and honestly, it's in a part of the house that doesn't interfere with our day to day lives, and I have a fully functioning kitchen in the meantime. Clearly, not much to complain about. Just tired. And impatient. Glad to see I'm not alone here. We can cheer each other on. Since all of my major decisions are made, I haven't been on here as much and don't have a lot of time just to peruse (though I do when I can). I'm afraid if and when it's time for the reveal, nobody will care! :D

Quick ship usually refers to in stock items; some manufacturers offer quick ship on items they keep in stock or "married covers" that come in already cut & sewn & just have to be applied to the frame. Delivery time frame to you can add into the equation also; a delivery from a local store is a quicker time frame than if you order long distance. I am not sure of the time frame for Ballard Designs