Lesson #3

"Tile floors throughout!" is not a plus.

The Kitchen
The Living Room
The Playroom (from the loft)

They seem like they should be wonderful. They look great. They feel cool in this hot climate. But they have some huge downsides.

Even after I'd cleaned them, our feet were turning black. So I used some trial and error to find a mop that captured the dirt in all the crevices and in the deep grout lines. The mop works really well, but needing to use it nearly everyday is frustrating. Sweeping is nearly useless, although I do it to get the bigger messes. That means I mop or let Edward scoot around on filthy floors. Yuck. Maybe if I get Edward a microfiber outfit...

Then there is the problem of the pain. Yes, both boys have fallen and cried already. They'll learn to be a little more careful. But I'm talking about the pain in our feet, knees, and hips from walking on such a hard surface all day. In the playroom we decided to put down foam pads to help the kids be more comfortable (and to decrease the echoing.)

Ethan's first tower on the new floor
We do have carpet upstairs, so we at least have a soft place for our feet to get a break.