css - background rendering problem

I am trying to create a website using only CSS2; no tables, etc.  I have encountered a few different problems, most of which I've been able to solve.  This one I am stumped on.

In Internet Explorer (Firefox seems to work fine), the background-color as set in BODY will sometimes only render to the last element of the page, and it will leave white for the remainder of the window (on short pages).

page is here:
http://coffeegeek.net/new

here are screenshots of the problem:

what it initially looks like when I encounter the problem
http://coffeegeek.net/bgBug1.gif

if i put a window in front the correct background gets draw on repaint:
http://coffeegeek.net/bgBug2.gif

if i hit Refresh or minimize/restore the window, it is the way i want:
http://coffeegeek.net/bgBug3.gif

it doesn't render this way in IE every time.  seems to be only the first time you go to the page in IE.  also, i have multiple color layouts (which can be accessed by clicking change colors in the nav), and this bug might only be happening with the green color scheme.  the color schemes aren't complete; i know they are ugly. :-)

thanks for the help,

~ Justin