Mark product out of stock issue

[gentlemoms]

I've search for days through this forum. I need a little shove in the correct direction please.

I previously used SBA. For whatever reason, it doesn't correctly show low levels of stock in the cart when items with attributes are combined with items that don't have attributes. Frustration and months of research - no answers.
But that's okay. SBA apparently doesn't work with the product grid any way.

So I have resolved to create each product as it's own "category", and have each "product" as an individual attribute.
Category -> Sub category (Product name) -> Products (Red, Blue, Polka Dots)
Now if you click on Red, you can see I have 2 of those red items in stock.
(Side question I just thought of - is there a way to show the stock level in the category listing rather than model/manufacturer?? )

A quick test purchase of items in stock? It works. Excellent. A quick test purchase of more items than in stock? Clicking the "checkout" button simply reloads the shopping cart page without any warning message.
Admin settings:
Check stock level true
Subtract stock true
Allow Checkout false
Mark product out of stock **
Stock Re-order level 0
Show available stock level in cart when less than order true

What am I missing?
Thank you.

[gentlemoms]

Here's a screen shot (which make me realize I need to add brand name to my product description because you could have brand A in white in your cart and brand B in white in your cart and have no idea which white is which...)

Anyway.
Of the products in my cart, I have 2 each in stock of white and pink. I can click on checkout as many times as I want; it only refreshes the current view.

[gentlemoms]

Do y'all think I should delete SbA entirely to see if that clears up the problem even though the problem I am having is with products that don't have any attributes?