At the end of 2019 I made a bucket list… when I made the list I put 3 things on it, haha! 2019 was a tough year and it was difficult for me to think past some of the pain we experienced… and to be completely honest I didn’t want to hope for too many things either. One of the things on that list was going to Magnolia Market. When we were in the states for Christmas we had to make a quick trip to Texas for a wedding, you can read more about that here. We initially considered flying from Missouri, but between the cost of tickets and the actual travel time, we decided to drive. Once we figured out we were driving Tyler reminded me that we would drive right through Waco and I was over the moon excited.

We knew we wouldn’t have a long time there, just a few hours, but it was worth it for me. We decided to stop by on our way back to give us more time if we wanted. Tyler tried to get me to stop on the way there, but I said no. I didn’t want to drive by and halfway see it. I wanted to really experience it. To give our selves enough time at Magnolia we left Kerrville, TX at 6:00am. We made a small detour to drop someone off at the airport and we were to Magnolia by about 10:00am.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Usually, when I write these types of posts, I usually include a lot of different tips, like where to park, etc. But you can find everything you need to know on their website. We parked on their 8th street lot, which is currently closed due to construction, but check out their site for updates. We also arrived at a pretty good time too. Their operating hours start at 9:00am and we arrived at 10:00am. There were still plenty of spots in their free lot and it wasn’t too crowded.

A few things that stuck out to us the most… They really did create a place of community. I’ve seen plenty of pictures online, but I didn’t really get it until we visited in person. There were kids and families hanging out on the lawn playing games. There were plenty of food trucks (we bought food from three different ones.) There are plenty of places to sit and eat and there is lots of shade too. Their operations are also on point. Even though there were plenty of people visiting the Silos we rarely waited in line.

PICKING UP A LITTLE HOPE

When we walked through the Market, I wasn’t really sure if I was going to buy anything. We’re in such a weird season right now, buying something didn’t really make a lot of sense, because we wouldn’t be taking it to Canada, it would go into storage. Something I’ve been working through and letting go of is the idea that we might not ever have a normal life with a house to call our own. That might sound dramatic, but Tyler and I have worked really hard to hold everything really loosely and hold to Jesus tightly. If I never have a place that’s ours that I get to call home, that’s okay, because we have Jesus and that’s all we need. Now I’m not saying I don’t want or desire those things, but I need to be okay if we don’t. So, back to walking through the Market, I was standing in an aisle looking at some throws and Tyler asked me, “what are you looking at?” My reply, “I was thinking about whether I should buy this throw for a house we don’t have.” His response, “YES.” He didn’t even flinch, he picked it up… he didn’t even ask the price. 😭 Most things that we buy like that these days feels like hope. So I ended up with a throw and mirror for a house we don’t have, but with the hope of one we may have.

For fun, I put together some of my favorite things from the Market below! Including the throw we picked up and the mirror too.

MY FAVORITE MAGNOLIA PICKS

MAGNOLIA TABLE WAS PACKED

Before we actually made it to the Silos, we stopped at Magnolia Table. This place was busy! This is the one place I would suggest going and having lots of time. We would have loved to eat here, but we just didn’t have time. They do have a Magnolia Table food truck at the Silos, so even if you don’t eat at the restaurant, you can try some of the food at the Silos. That’s what we did. We had heard good things about the biscuits, so that’s what we got with strawberry butter and they were worth it!

Lastly, the Bakery was amazing! This was one place with a line, but while you are waiting you fill out a card for your order, so you’re ready once you get to check out. They get you in super fast. We actually got a bunch of cupcakes and cookies to take home for New Years Eve and they were so good! We tried 4 or 5 different cup cakes, but the Strawberries & Cream and the Lemon Lavender were our favorites! xo. Samantha