More today with what has become the Halloween marathon. Today was the Halloween party at Cate's preschool, complete with a mini version of what we had at Christopher's school -- including a cake walk, pumpkin bean bag toss, and pin the nose on the pumpkin. Kudos to the team putting it together -- it was a lot of fun for the kids and really well organized. The best part about it? I didn't have to do a thing but show up! (Is that horrible to say)?

They also had this cute background put up for taking Halloween pictures. Queen Amidala looks a bit out of place in the spooky background.

In other news, we have kitchen cabinets! And a cook top that isn't hooked up to electrical yet! That's the good news! The bad news encompasses several items:

• Apparently installation of the hardware for the cabinets wasn't included in the bid. So we are ordering hardware that Greg will pick up when he's travelling to California next week for a conference. Then, Greg will need to install the hardware. Until then, the cabinets aren't really useful since I don't want to put things away when more sawdust is in our future.
• Several of our appliances aren't in yet, like the refrigerator and trash compactor. Don't know when they will actually arrive, and then our general contractor will have to figure out moving it into the house and installing it since the work guys had to return to Fairbanks.
• The oven we purchased is in, but is the wrong one. We bought it as a showroom model so we got a discount on it, but it doesn't have the capabilities that they promised us. We thought we were buying a double oven -- a lower oven that is regular and a top oven that is a combo convection oven/microwave. We got a bottom oven that is regular and convection and a top oven that is only a microwave. If we're paying that much money for the appliance, I really want the top oven to have convection so that I can be cooking side dishes in the top oven while a main dish is below. It's not necessary -- but it is what I thought I was getting for the price. Now we're back to figuring out possibilities that will undoubtedly cost us more money. I'm not happy. Who knows how long til my oven arrives and is hooked up?
• Countertops have been measured for and promised before Thanksgiving. They tried to make me feel great about that promise, but I'm thinking "seriously? Three more weeks?" Maybe they're just managing my expectations and they will really be installed in a week?
• Still trying to figure out flooring...we had planned to continue the same hardwood we have throughout the house but Greg has gotten cold feet about it in the kitchen because of water on the floor. Another detail that has to be ironed out.
• Prying the apprentice electrician can get here to finish the electric tonight. He's the hold up for getting things cleaned up since he'll be creating more sawdust with some light installs. After that, I can at least make things look less messy.
• Also to still decide upon -- pendant lighting, kitchen sink faucet, and tile backsplash.