Lindsey has two kiddos, but her hubby graciously kept the littlest guy so we wouldn't be outnumbered. From Plano, it took us about 2 hours to get there. (This was the first "mama road trip" I've taken and I will admit, one of the highlights was just having some "{semi} un-interrupted conversation with Lindsey! We do a lot of "activities" together with our kiddos which really means that we're squeezing in bits and pieces between rescuing them from the jungle gym or digging out a snack.)
We stopped in West for a potty break and since the famous Czeck Stop was on the other side of the highway, we slipped into the new Slovacek's station. But holy moly. I could've made a full shopping trip there. They had all sorts of treats, homemade fudge, sausage, the most DARLING gift shop, complete with collegiate paraphernalia, including some Mississippi State stuff. And there were some delicious aromas coming from the Kissing Pig Cafe. And listen. I'm from Mississippi, so I can tell you that some of the best eatin' you'll ever do is at the local gas station. (I'm looking at you Shell station in Woodville, MS.) #truth
Lindsey and I both took advantage of the t-shirt selection; she found a Razorbacks shirt, and I go this one.
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| She pretty much made me buy this. I love that we were headed to one of the most popular markets in the country and we ended up buying shirts at a gas station. |
Too be honest, I wish we would've had more time at Slovacek's. I probably would've knocked out some Christmas presents.
Anyway, 30 minutes later, we arrived in downtown Waco which is now a TOURIST ATTRACTION. (Which sounds bizarre if you remember David Koresh in the 90's. ) Baylor University is of course a big deal, but really?.....these people are flocking there for the #shiplap following. It's unreal. We went on a random weekday in school season and it was packed! We paid $10 to park at the First Baptist Church of Waco, and started the fun!
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| The bakery is on the corner of the property, and we should have gotten our sweets FIRST. Cuz by lunchtime, there was a line completely wrapped around the building. (But it moved fast!) |
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| Front of the Market and courtyards |
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| This was taken from the other side of the property because our kids did not appreciate we were at such a famous place....they found a big pile of rocks and played for like 20 minutes. #boys |
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| Our official picture. Awesome that Greyson has a disorder against looking at the camera.I love that they have a designated Magnolia employee to stand there and take pictures of your group. #nomanleftbehind
The green space was so fun and cute! They had music playing, there's bean bags, corn holes, and swings hanging from those steel bars! The boys had a great time getting their wiggles out after being in the car. The big pavilion to the left has picnic tables under it.
  
We decided to head into the store. Like most toddlers, Greyson has a since KEEN SENSE for the most inopportune times to need a diaper change. So we petty much walked in the store and then stood in line for 20 minutes to go to the bathroom. The highlight was that while we waited, we got a great picture in front of the fresh flower wall. #freshflowers #freshdiaper
Finally, we got to scope the store out. Everything was SO DARN CUTE. I still love my home decor, but of course, it made me want to start over with a farm house theme. ; ) I will say that I was pleasantly surprised at how reasonably priced everything was. Honestly, the smaller decor items that I was interested in were no more than Marshall's or Homegoods.
I loved these board/wire wall hangings. Think...you could really put anything in these! Children's books, photo albums, cutting boards, flowers, etc.
Give me all the tulips!
I couldn't get a great shot of the kitchen area, but I LOVED all the kitchen pottery stuff.
This was the back portion of the market which was down a few stairs. Down here was "Chip's Corner" (really cool manly things), more decor, a children's decor area (which was adorable) and all the shirts/caps, etc. (My friend Lindsey bought a shirt that said #demoday. Yep,with kids er'day is #demoday.)
I also loved the jewelry and purse section! (Yes, they leave no stone un-turned.)
 
After reading the book, I know that Joanna's goal for her decor is that it doesn't have to be super expensive or complicated. And this store really reflects that. Everything is super laid back and just has a fresh, relaxing feel.
I would've spent MUCH more time in the store but Greyson was quite literally MELTING onto the floor and getting hungry. So we headed to the back where several food trucks are and got some gourmet mac 'n cheese. And y'all. This stuff made it OK to eat mac 'n cheese for lunch. Delish! Then I watched the boys while Lindsey stood in line at the bakery to get us some cupcakes. Teamwork is dreamwork. They were about wiped out by then, so it was pretty easy.
 We did get to look into the silos which are humongous, and echo really loud so the boys were completely enamored with them. While they were   Lindsey sent me a picture once she was inside the bakery! Oh really, look how yummy and adorable everything is! She said the line moved really fast; they hand you a menu while you're in line so you can mark what you want beforehand. (For people like me who just freeze with indecision when it involves chocolate.) She also took a pic of the YUMMY menu for your choosing pleasure. The cupcakes really were absolutely incredible.  
By 1:00, the littles AND the mamas were tired, hot, and needed naps, spankings, or whatever came first. We headed out and they were GONE in about two seconds.
We had a GREAT day, and it was definitely worth the trip. After reading the book, I have an even deeper love and appreciation for what Chip and Joanna's vision is, and the journey that has brought them here. They never started out desiring to be famous. They are just talented, do what they love, and know that God has laid out every step for them.
I love the fact that they wanted to create a space that the whole family could enjoy. For the kids and dads what's better than some green space and food trucks? And the Market is just so beautiful and inspiring. It SCREAMS their designs, so if you are a fan of their style, you will just be giddy stepping into the store! The Bakery is a MUST and oh so worth the wait!
If I had to say a con, it would be the crowds. Like I said, we were there on a random school-day and it was swarming. I can't imagine what it's going to look like during spring break or summertime! (There's not an abundance of bathrooms, so if you have littles, I would definitely do a bathroom stop before you get there.) That being said, I think crowds are ALWAYS more frustrating and harder to navigate when you have a 2 year old monkey clinging to your leg. If your kids are older and you can trust them to play on the grounds while you head to the food truck or shop, then this will be a different experience for you. ; ) Next time, I'll make it a mamas only trip OR have my stud muffin with me and leave the two of them with the hot dog stand and corn hole.
I really would love to spend some more time in Waco, and check out some other stores that I've heard about, like The Findery, Harp Design Co., and Junque In The Trunk. (I mean, don't you wanna check it out solely for the name?)
If you know a lot about Waco and have any suggestions on lodging, things to do, restaurants, I'd LOVE to hear them!
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