My pride and joy

So, our kitchen faucet has been leaking for at least the last year. Since we don't know how to fix it, and it didn't seem to be hurting anything, we just let it go, but finally enough was enough! But I am definitely a bit of a DIYer, and with my new-found free time I found a class through the local community ed that taught "home repairs for women." My theory is that, even if I never fix anything by myself, I at least will be able to use the lingo and not have to pay too high of an "ignorance tax" when we hire things out. The first of 3 sessions was on faucets and drains, and after that session, I came home with a burst of confidence at realizing the problem was likely just 2 little o-rings that needed to be replaced, and why call a plumber when you can just fix it yourself? HA!
I quickly found it absolutely impossible to get the faucet apart. I could get pieces off, but could not get to the part I needed to. After having a kitchen faucet in pieces for two weeks, we finally gave in. Our old faucet now looks like this.

 At the end of the day, my faucet that should have cost <$10 for the parts, and maybe $100 for the plumber, end up with $200 price tag for the new faucet, plus all the tools I had to buy (another $70?). After 7 trips to the hardware store, 6 hours of class, and many hours of frustration later, here is my gorgeous new faucet.

Now I just need to remodel the kitchen to match!

I have to give a huge credit to Mike, without whom there would have been a plumber involved. Apparently, while I can handle assembly just fine, I struggle with dismantling. After this three week project, I definitely will not be touching toilets or electricity, the other 2 modules of the class!