Everyone knows how much I love Magnolia Market. Have you ever been? If you have then you know all the goodness that is Magnolia Market. If you haven’t, let me help convince you as to why you need to plan a trip.

I have no shame in saying I am a lover of all things Joanna Gaines and Fixer Upper. This is no different than someone’s Harry Potter or Star War obsession. (Fun Fact: I have not seen or read anything Harry Potter or Star Wars). I remember their pilot coming out shortly after we were finally able to get our home in a half livable condition. I was drawn to it early on. We are big HGTV fans in our house, so it is our default channel most of the time. On one occasion, when my husband and I were discussing our dreams for our house and future, I remember a specific conversation where I brought up that “new show” on HGTV. We talked about all the things we really liked about it/them. I told Chad there was something different about them which made them standout from all the others. Here we are many years down the road and they have created quite the platform for themselves. I don’t need to give you a breakdown of Chip and Joanna and their success, but I will say it’s been awesome to watch it all bloom.

I remember when Magnolia Market was opening. Even though I really wanted to go, I was pregnant with my youngest and already uncomfortable, so the idea of any car ride sounded miserable. I said, “Ok, once this baby comes out we will plan a trip to Waco.” Baby comes out and my goodness, he was a difficult little one. More than half of his first year of life was full of tummy issues. He had an allergy to the protein in cow’s milk, soy, and had sensitivities to citrus, meats and tomatoes. I was exhausted, tired of eating the same things, and the last thing on my mind was traveling. So after my baby turned one in April I said, “Ok, its time. Let’s plan a weekend to go see what this Magnolia Market is all about.” That was the first weekend in May. I loved it so much that for my birthday we decided to go back. Mind you those trips were only about two weeks apart! I can’t forget to mention that I got to meet Joanna’s mom on our first visit. She was happily helping direct customers to the registers. She was so sweet and had such a wonderful and kind spirit!

Since the first trip in May until now I have gone five times. You read that right, five times! I mean, why not?! If you have an appreciation for good aesthetics, you will love it here! Every detail of this place is so well thought out. It’s a perfect example of people taking pride in their work. How can some old rusty silos be anything more than an eye sore? Let me tell you, they make them work! Something about that old rusty texture is quite beautiful. Then again, I am one who finds beauty in textures!

If you love home décor, you will love it here! The market itself is magical. Every time I go in there I always find myself trying to stop and stand still just so I can soak it all in. There is always a hustle and bustle in the market itself so standing still can be a task. However, the random elbow to your side or bump of your shoulder is worth it! Each time I visit, before I shop, I like to just walk around and observe everything. Not necessarily at things that are for sale but at the details and visions of the store as a whole. On my second lap around the store is when I do the shopping and don’t get me wrong, I do that pretty slowly too. Ask my husband or my friends who have waited outside for me. 🙂

If you like a good bakery, I promise you, you will love it here! I am not typically a cake or cupcake fan, but this is where we spend a nice chunk of change each time. Don’t think we hoard them all for ourselves. After each visit, we come home and deliver cupcakes to friends and family pretty much like Santa on Christmas. We love sharing a sweet treat with our people back at home!

Lastly, though I could definitely go on, if you like a family friendly place, you will love it here! They have food trucks with all types of things to eat and drink and they have an awesome green space where the kiddos can run around, play and be free! The green space offers oversized bean bags for relaxing and a bunch of outdoor toys to keep everyone moving!

 

 

Ok, getting back on track, our third trip to Magnolia Market was for the Silobration. It was our first time going to this event. It was pretty awesome during the day as they brought in vendors from all around the country. There was so much to see and do. We unfortunately did not get to stay for the actual Silobration concert that evening. If you read my post from last week, this was the beginning of my mother in laws brain cancer surfacing. She was with us in Waco as she loves Magnolia Market too, but the situation quickly became an emergency so we had to rush her back to Houston that evening. We will definitely plan to attend another Silobration in the future!

Our fourth trip was a short one. We were in Waco for less than 24 hours and that included an overnight stay. A good friend of mine and I took a weekend road trip with our kiddos and Magnolia Market was our last stop. My friend had never been so I thought it would be a great place for her to see, and it would give the kiddos an opportunity to stretch their legs and play freely before the drive home. She is familiar with the show but doesn’t follow as closely as I do. While we waited in line for food I was explaining everything to her like the Seed & Supply store, the bakery, and the food truck on the grounds that also sells the bakery cupcakes. She said, “Why would I wait in that long line for the bakery when I could get the same cupcakes right here?” Y’all, I almost lost a friend of 18 years in that very moment. I mean, I would wait in that line just to go pee in the bakery bathroom as it is so aesthetically pleasing! However, I did forgive her! 😉

My fifth trip was the first weekend of December for Christmas at the Silos. I gathered a group of gals who all but one had never been to the market. I was so excited to be their tour guide. This was my first market visit without the kiddos and though I love to bring them, I was really excited to get the chance to roam freely! I even decided to bring my camera this time since I wouldn’t have little ones to carry or little hands to stop from grabbing breakable items. Turns out, to successfully photograph the market how I had envisioned, I need to go when I have nothing else to hold and without the intent of shopping. A purse, a camera around my neck, shopping bags in the market and then the cupcakes… I was a hot mess. I didn’t even get a chance to photograph the green space which is one of the best parts! Just gives me a reason to go back another time I suppose. I decided to leave my camera at the Airbnb for the concert at night because sometimes I just prefer to live in the moment. I did get some shots, just not everything I had in mind. Take a look….

So the question is….Will I visit Magnolia Market again next year? I think you know the answer is definitely yes! I’ve already had a number of people who have never been express interest, so I will gladly bring them to the market! Hop in the car and take a quick trip especially if you are only a few hours way from Waco. You could make it a day trip or a weekend getaway. We have stayed in some pretty cool places in Waco. We stayed in two tiny houses, a hotel, a condo and a river house. All five were awesome in their own right. Even with all of the tourists wandering around the market throughout the day, it’s so easy to drag a bean bag out onto the green space, grab a beverage and watch all the people running, playing and having a good time. It’s relaxing, its heart warming, it’s Magnolia Market.

Merry Christmas everyone and Happy Holidays! I hope that we all have a wonderful 2018 filled with love and respect for one another!

Until next time… PEACE In, Grace OUT!