As you surmised, I was going for the "paper birch" look:). The peeling is the result of veneering the cabinets with 3M spray rubber cement 2 days before MAF and driving 90 miles to Lima in the pouring rain. Although wrapped in plastic, the moisture got in there. They looked okay in Lima, got progressively worse back home. Your wife sounds like a pretty bright girl. Keep her! No more rubber cement, this veneer is likely to stay on: