Our general order is to work from the top down. This way any drips or spatters will not be such a big deal. Also, painting the foundation usually gets your brush and roller full of dirt which if painted first will cause a grittiness to your other coatings.

I will suggest your wife knows you quite well and figures if the foundation, which will be the easiest, is painted first, getting the rest of the house painted will require more motivation for you.