I've done this countless times, the more you do it, the easier it gets. This is all from memory, so please excuse me if I forgot a step.
1.) Remove all of the VAC lines to the upper half of the IM. Mark them accordingly if you aren't comfortable with where they go on reinstallation.
2.) Remove the bolts that secure the IM ports to the head. The bolts along the bottom at the corners are the hardest to remove. There is a 'track' machined out of the exterior of the IM to help you guide your socket to them-- use a mirror and a light and a 6 inch extension to loosen the nuts nearly all the way. To get the nuts off the rest of the way, use a magenetic retriever with twisting so that they won't drop onto the plenum.
3.) Remove the PCV valve and the bolts securing the Fuel rail to the IM. Be very careful that you don't lose the O-rings on the injectors-- they come off the injectors easily. Make absolutely sure that you be careful when removing the insulators/spacers grommets that go between the rail and the IM-- if they drop into the engine bay, they're likely lost for good and they're quite expensive and hard to come by from the dealer. Set the Rail on top of the head.
4.) Remove the bolts securing the upper half of the IM to the lower half of the IM.
5.) Disconnect the lines to the VICS and the VCTS actuators on the left hand side (mark them according to which actuator they connect to before doing this).
6.) Remove your cold side pipe from the throttle body, then proceed to remove the Throttle Body from the plenum itself. Do this by removing the 4 bolts, the various lines connected to it, and the 2 sensors. Set the TB aside. Clean the EGR valve while it's out-- use a carbon killer of your choice.
7.) This is imperative-- Remove the nut that secures the EGR pipe to the exhaust manifold. This requires a special wrench-- a flare nut wrench of the proper size (search because I forget the exact mm). Without unsecuring the exhaust mani side of the EGR pipe, the IM will not move enough for you to be able to move the top half off the head.
8.) Remove the two bolts that connect the underside of the IM to the seating bracket. This requires you to jack the car up, and get under it. This is also imperative-- without doing it, the IM will not move enough for you to take the top half off the head.
9.) Once this is done, you should be able to move the IM enough to move the top half off of the head. First, push the top half laterally towards the firewall to unseat it from the bolts on the head. You may need to use a rubber mallet to assist you because it can be difficult to unseat. Then, pull upwards to remove the top half from the bolts on the lower half.
To reinstall, reverse the process. Make sure you lubricate the gasket with the proper lubricant (listed in the shop manual), and make sure that the convex side of the adhesive on the NEW IM gasket is facing the head. Also make sure that the injectors are press fit correctly into the IM.
When you reinstall your PnP manifold, if you've removed VCTS, make sure that you've sealed the hole where the VCTS rod used to go through. Do this during the pnp process. Use a 1/8 NPT and thread a bolt in there. Use JB weld on the threads, and on the exterior. Use an excess of JB weld to fill in the hole on the interior of the port walls and smooth it out when you're porting. Reconnect your actuators just as they were before, but leave the end of the actuator rod (once connected to the VCTS rod) free. Just make sure it has clearance to move. I forgot to add, put a new TB gasket on there before you reinstall the TB-- chances are it's already shot, and it can be damaged easily on removal (it generally seperates into pieces when you pull the TB off).