Home Projects: Fireplace Remodel

Since moving into our home, Tony and I have been wanting to give the fireplace a facelift. Although the Texas weather creates only has a few days per year requiring of its use, we enjoy the ambiance of a fire to remind us of our colder roots.

Unfortunately, two main qualities for our fireplace resulted in it fondly acquiring the title of the "black hole" of the house since our move-in.

(1) The builder's choice of the "riptide tile" effect: Continuing the floor tiles up the wall stripped this gem of any real design benefits.

(2) The floating fire hole: maybe it is a Texas thing, but growing up in New York a real fireplace needs a decent hearth. This element particularly solidified the space's nickname.

Over Labor Day weekend, we decided to finally tackle this project! We are by no means do-it-yourself experts. But, with the help of advice from a friendly local fireplace company and a little bit of internet research, we did pretty darn well with the remodel!

Tony and I enjoyed designing the project together. We chose Desert Quartz Ledgestone as the stonework, which reminds us of the local stone in San Antonio. The slabs came in pre-glued panels that made installation easy. Tony became quite the expert with a table tile wet saw, and by the end was even cutting tiny custom pieces to fill around the key insert!

Tile mastic served easy to use and kept the tiles sturdily stuck to the wall.  The hearth served to be more of a design challenge. Most of the internet instruction sites utilize preexisting brick hearths in the reface process. We had to build our own using cinderblocks and Quikcrete. Mitte Gray tiles, gray grout, and surrounding ledgestone completed the custom hearth.

Leon was a great little helper along the way.  Although he spent a large portion of the time sampling every Mickey Mouse show on Netflix, he did help carry some of the stones and watching Daddy through the window as he cut the stones. He particularly liked modeling in the before pictures saying "Leon cheese."

Despite our planning, there were a few bumps in the road.

We didn't expect the demolition for the tiles to result in ripping off large chunks of the drywall. That obstacle was met with a late-night trip to Home Depot. But, I taught Tony (through my excellent internet search skills) how to successfully replace sections of drywall. That may come in handy in the future for occasional drywall accidents that come with having children.

Also, when we purchased the Quick-Setting Quikrete, we didn't read closely to see that the cement set in FIVE MINUTES! After the first cinderblock, we learned that this aspect resulted in more rubble than actual mortar. However, we adapted to the challenge and mixed a separate sample of cement for each block. Luckily, there were only 7 in total and they were sturdy and level after an overnight!

When we reached the top portion of the fireplace, I had not accounted for the effects of gravity. Luckily, our friend Erik was visiting that day and provided an extra set of hands! We improvised in support structuring by using a piece of leftover drywall to support the center.

After letting the area set for a week, we ended up with this masterpiece!

Although Tony initially placed this project on the "Hire-Out" list, I am happy that I could persuade him to make this project our own... even with a few hiccups along the way.

Motherhood: Week 1

As a new parent, surviving my first week with a newborn was very much like being trapped on a deserted island with just the essentials: 

(1) A single match (that has unfortunately been thoroughly doused with water)

(2) A bag of bananas (all of which happen to be moldy)...and... 

(3) A tattered map (which apparently leads to absolutely nowhere)

I thought I had had my fair share of experiences with babies.  

After all, I had worked with newborns (quite) extensively as a medical student on my pediatrics rotation.  Several of my friends already had babies, whom I did hold (from time to time). As a babysitter, I must have changed at least a hundred diapers.  But, I realized something quite quickly in my first few days as a mom...

... I was absolutely clueless when it came to newborns.

The wonder and amazement of the newborn…cutting the cord...

marveling at those tiny feet…

...holding him in your arms…  

...seems to rapidly fade after that first night.  If there was ever a time when a good night’s rest was needed, it would be the evening after propelling a  7-pound, watermelon-sized human out of your body.  A sleep-deprived haze rapidly replaces the amazement and wonder of the birth process, as you wander aimlessly around the hospital room.

Here are the foggy recollections of my first week as a mother:

- The newborn eating schedule seems somewhat doable in theory: eating every 1-3 hours should leave at least a solid hour for sleep in there.  What the books don’t tell you is that the clock begins at the START of the last feed… 

... crap.  So, I found myself pretty much continuously feeding my little gremlin during those first newborn days.

- The person who created the phrase “sleeps like a baby” clearly was mistaken.  Just as you begin to drift off to sleep, the little whimper will begin again.  While you are not sleeping, you are left ample time to repurpose all of those baby items you thought would be so useful in surviving newbornhood… like turning your boppy pillow into a make-shift inner tube

- I discovered there is nothing cuter than a swaddled baby… or as Tony calls it, “A Baby Burrito.”  I would marvel at my little pillbug, wrapped up and seemingly swallowed in the large bassinet beside me...

...That is, until I realized I had been blessed with a little escape artist.  No matter how tightly I tried to wrap Leon, my little wiggle worm would always find a pocket to tunnel out of.

- Isn’t baby poop supposed to increase slowly at first… giving new moms and dads just a few days to adjust?  Apparently not.  The first diaper I ever changed for Leon ended in a huge blow-out.  Daddy got the freebie with the first meconium diaper.  How could so much poop come from such a tiny creature?

- All those breastfeeding moms in the magazines look so natural…for me, this was not the case.  From the moment I tried to breastfeed, it felt like razorblades shooting through my body.  The lactation consultants kept telling me, “Just relax your shoulders.”  If only that was all that it required.  My couple days in the hospital consisted mostly of me persistently trying to find comfortable and workable solutions for my breastfeeding woes. I had once giggled at the term “nipple butter…” What would that be used for?  Reason discovered!  And, the colostrum that comes in those first few days… somehow I missed the memo that the quantity is all of maybe 3 drops an hour those first couple days… surely not enough to pacify a starving child new to the world.  Thankfully, breastfeeding did become easier over the course of the week... even if it drew more than a few tears (from both of us) in the beginning.

By the end of the week, I remember asking myself: How can parents ever survive more than one child?

Looking back, I see now that the trials and tribulations of the newborn fade with time.  

That wet match dries out just a bit.  A perfectly ripe bananas can sometimes be found amongst the rotten ones.  And, that roughly laid out map starts to make sense.  

You realize that you can survive on that seemingly isolated island, as parents of countless other generations have before you.  Somehow, you learn to function on fewer hours of sleep, diaper change with one hand, feed your baby and tackle chores at the same time.  And, by the end of it all, you somehow find yourself missing those days when he was so tiny.  You look back on his pictures, and think of that little angel of a newborn.  You start to remember how light he was in your arms...

... the gentle softness of that perfect newborn skin… 

... and somehow begin to miss when he was just your newborn peanut.   

You realize that it was all worth it.  

And, in due time, you find yourself thinking, "well, maybe another baby wouldn’t be such a bad thing?”

...someday...  

Jon + Mamie

Last month, two of my closest friends tied the knot.  I feel so honored that they asked me to capture their special day.  It was a beautiful event to celebrate an amazing couple.  The occasion was perfect: full of laughs, personal touches, and emotional moments shared with family and friends. 

Before the ceremony, I hosted a bridal luncheon for the ladies.  It was fun to chat and meet some of the couple’s friends and family as they all prepared for the wedding.

A few months ago, I had met Jon’s mom, Sharon, and loved having a chance to see her again.

The bride and her bridesmaids enjoyed my special portabella sandwiches, an assortment of dips, and sherbet punch while the stylists pampered them. 

Jon and Mamie chose a retro theme, offering a fun and unique feel to their intimate wedding.

Mamie’s wedding dress and accessories really pulled it all together.  The pearls, vintage-esque wedding gown and of course red-hot pumps were a gorgeous combo.

The stylist did a great job giving Mamie the perfect pin-up-style look to match her theme!

Mamie truly made a stunning bride.

Before we all whisked the bride off to the ceremony, Mamie received a surprise from her soon-to-be husband.

She could not help but tear up at the special words Jon had left for her on their wedding day 

The ceremony took place on the Riverwalk, a San Antonio landmark.  It was a perfect place to celebrate the couple, as the wedding party made their way to a bridge overlooking the water.

One of my favorite parts of a wedding is watching as the bride comes down the aisle.  You can always tell the connection between a couple in those few brief seconds.  Some couples will look out into the crowd.  Others will look down or away.  But, then there are the couples that look right into each other's eyes, only seeing one another in that moment.  Those are the couples you know are made to last.

After the ceremony, family and friends congratulated the new couple before heading off to the reception.  And, in character to the couple, a motorcycle offered the newlyweds an appropriate send-off.

Before heading to the reception, Jon and Mamie heated things up on the Riverwalk.  You would think these two were always in front of the camera! They both really are such naturals.

The alleyway behind the Pearl Brewery especially captured their steamy retro theme.

After their private photoshoot, we all gathered at the reception.  The setting was perfect, complete with an in-ground pool that filled the atrium.

Friends and family mingled over a great selection of appetizers.

It was such a romantic spot to complete the day.  All of the special touches, from the beautiful decorations to the tasty BBQ, were fantastic.

Fi, one of our friends, did a beautiful job with the wedding cake.

It was clear that everyone had a great time.

The bandanas, meant for napkins, quickly turned into headpieces.

Guests shared their favorite memories of the bride and groom.

The couple re-read their vows and danced on the rooftop under the delicate lights threaded through the beams.

And, Mamie and Jon received a fantastic send-off, making their way through a crowd of sparklers to end their perfect day

Congratulations, Jon and Mamie, on your marriage!  Thank you so much for including me in your special day, and may we be celebrating for many years to come!