A Weekend in Waco, TX

This is a long one y’all. So get your favorite beverage and snack. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! I can’t wait to share our weekend in Waco, TX!

Let me just preface that this was one of those bucket list trips that I had been planning in my head since I first saw the episode where Chip and Joanna Gaines bought the Old Cotton Mill in Waco. I knew then that Joanna had a vision of where they could take their company and grow, and low and behold…she literally made my version of a Disney Land. You honestly could not be unhappy while visiting the Silos. Its such a family friendly fun place to hang out which was their vision from the start.

My amazing husband told me back in January to take off a Friday in March because he had something planned. He wouldn’t give me any other information other than I needed to be off that Friday from work. So when my birthday rolled around he finally revealed to me via a game of hangman that we would be going to Waco for the weekend! I was so surprised and so full of excitement like a giddy school girl!  I had just finished reading The Magnolia Story and was already so inspired by it. I couldn’t wait to go see where it all started. They are such an inspiration not only as designers and renovators, but as a family who are not afraid to talk about their faith and how it guides them each and every day. I tune in every week to HGTV’s Fixer Upper not only because I just want to see the amazing transformations, but to see Chip and Joanna going after their dreams and goals as a couple. Their story and drive to create their family business and legacy has inspired people all over the country.

As we walked up to these grand silos I literally stopped in my tracks to take in their beauty and snap this photo! I couldn’t believe I was there! There is something so breathtaking when you are walking up to them, and how perfectly incorporated they are into this amazing landmark. They have brought this old abandoned cotton mill back to life and made it into a place where you can Shop, Eat, Play and Gather with friends and family.

Our first stop after we took in the grandeur of the place was to get a bite to eat. After all, we had been up since 3:30am EST to hop on the earliest flight and then drive from Dallas to Waco which is only about 1.5 hours. Needless to say we hadn’t had any other sustenance than a Larabar and some plane peanuts. We were the first customers at Co-Town Crepes and man was it amazing! I had the Club savory crepe and Chris had the Strawberry & Banana Nutella Crepe. I have to say I was a little jealous after he let me try a bite, but I was saving my sweet tooth for the cupcakes later. The employees at Co-Town Crepes were so friendly and so easy going, which I found to be the case for almost all the locals in Waco we encountered while there. Everyone was so happy and hospitable…its a true Southern town!

They have a bevy of food trucks all along the perimeter of the property who are on site every day. Here’s the original Silos Baking Co Airstream before they opened the Bakery last Summer at the front right corner of the property.

Just a little tip… if you are going to visit I suggest going early in the morning on Friday because the crowd was not bad at all. We went late afternoon on Saturday and the crowd was significantly larger. Keep in mind they are closed Sunday. Also they have free parking on the back side of the Silos and we never had any trouble parking here. Even while it was raining on Friday afternoon people still came out in droves. They were so nice as to even hand out Magnolia clear ponchos to everyone during that rainy afternoon. There was no detail left undone here. They have thought of everything!

We toured around the Magnolia Seed + Supply, green house and beautiful garden.

There is a huge green space for gathering, lounging and playing sports right in the middle of the property to just let loose and have some fun!

I really loved the Magnolia jeep which makes for a cute photo opportunity to document your visit.

The 2 guys in the bottom left side of the picture were a part of Magnolia grounds keeper staff and let me just say they were some of the most hard working individuals on site. If anything was out of place these guys were on it! Wet picnic table: they squeegied it, leaking trash can: they poured soapy water on the sidewalk, trash on the field: they picked it up. They did not stop moving! We took notice of their hard work and overall care to keep this place looking its best at all times!!! I had to give them a shout out because they left quite an impression!

Did I mention they have music piped in over speakers throughout so you can’t not have some pep in your step when shopping, eating, and playing around Magnolia Market.

After our bellies were full we made it to the Magnolia Market…and lets just say..if I had a U-Haul I would have been in trouble! I have looked on the website a million times, but to see everything all together in a brick and mortar store…well there’s really nothing like it! I probably went around 3 or 4 times to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Joanna and her team have really outdone themselves…its truly amazing!  Joanna’s beautiful mom was right in the entry to the store when we were walking out. I wish I could have said hello but there were a lot of people around her. I love that she comes and works in her daughter’s store. It just shows that this truly is a family business.

We ended up finding some cute white vases on sale, a couple of t-shirts to remember our trip, a hat to cover my rainy day frizzy hair, a cool metal plaque that fits Chris to a tee, and my beloved and favorite item, Joanna’s favorite bag. Chris insisted buying it for me after we had gone into the store for the second time that day to grab a hat. Even the sweet lady checking him out high-fived him on his purchase since we had told her previously about him surprising me with the trip.

When we were checking out I noticed Chip and Jo Jo’s hand prints in the cement counter top. How adorable!

After shopping we did some people watching under the Silo stage since it was raining. Once the rain let up we made our way to the Silos Baking Co line. I have to say even though the line was starting to wrap around the building it went by pretty quickly. They hand out cards to place your order so it makes it easier when you get inside. The smell alone entices you to buy everything on the menu. We ended up getting some extra goodies to last us the remainder of the weekend. I loved the Nuts and Bolts, it’s was beyond delicious. The icing is to die for!

After some more people watching and cupcake devouring we decided to take the free trolley right outside of the Silos to get a quick little tour of the downtown area to help and get a lay of the land. I have to share this story because looking back on it it’s funny, but at the time very humiliating! After 2 rides around downtown Waco the driver said each and every time someone got on and off to “be careful the steps can be really slippery” since it has been raining. She had just said it not even 15 seconds before my descent straight to the ground! Since I was the first to exit the trolley and felt like I was holding up the line I rushed and fell straight down the stairs..boom boom…gasps all around!!! Let me tell you it was probably one of the most embarrassing falls I’ve ever had in my adult life. It was traumatic and scary at the time, not to mention humiliating. I have to give a big thank you to the cop who was so nice enough to help me up after my fall in front of everyone lined up on the sidewalk waiting for the trolley. Thankfully I had bought a hat earlier and I hung my head so low in shame and walked as fast as I could back to our car crying like a baby! I was in such shock that I couldn’t tell if I was seriously hurt or not. Thankfully no broken bones or sprained limbs..but I do have some pretty impressive bruises on my backside. Its funny looking back on it..but after it happened I just wanted to get out of there as fast as possible! Has anyone else had that happen to them? The last time I had a fall in front of a crowd of people was my freshman year of college…first day of school and I fell up the marble slippery stairs going into the liberal arts building. Horrified and mortified…but now I have a story to tell I guess.

We decided to head on over to our Home Away house for the weekend and let me say…my mood went from sad, hurt and humiliated to happy and smiles all around after seeing this adorable newly renovated house we were staying in! The owner said that the bathrooms were renovated by the one and only Joanna Gaines so it made the stay extra special. Here’s a sneak peak at this adorable house…more to come in part II of our trip to Waco. Stay tuned!

Thank you little birdies for flying by my nest!

xoxo,

Robyn 🙂