Last week my mom and I took a mini-vacation for a much needed girl trip and visited the Magnolia Silos in Waco, TX! We both LOVE the show Fixer Upper on HGTV, and we love Chip & Joanna Gaines! Of course Jo’s style choices are on point and she has some serious talent, but what I love about them most is their commitment to Christ and their desire to glorify Him through their business.
Before I show you tons of pictures from my trip, I first want to say that you can just tell from the moment you walked onto the Silos property (and really throughout the entire city of Waco) the peace of God was there! His presence was all around us, and I know it always is, but there was something special about the Silos that you could just feel in the Spirit. I know thousands of people have visited this property, Christians and non-Christians alike, but I’m sure whether people are in tune with the Holy Spirit or not they could tell you that the atmosphere of the Silos is just peaceful and serene. We were there early in the morning before all of the shops had opened. The sun was shining, the plants were blooming, and everything was just beaming with newness of life. Even after big crowds of people made their way onto the property, it was still peaceful. I could see everyone enjoying time with their families on the lawn, enjoying each other’s company at picnic tables, or taking fun pictures together in front of the signs. The connections that people were having and sharing together were more than just seeing sights and taking pictures, it was simply beautiful.
I read Chip & Jo’s book, The Magnolia Story, not long ago. And in the book Joanna describes how God had given her an instruction to lay down her business at one time to focus on her family. Although she was confused at first, she did it anyway. Then later on, God expanded her business and gave her numerous opportunities because of her obedience, including the show Fixer Upper and this vision of the Magnolia Silos. Currently, my husband Michell and I are going through a season of transition in our personal lives. We are starting to take some leaps of faith in starting our own businesses. So to read of Jo’s testimony, then to actually see the promises of God fulfilled, is so inspiring to me!
If you’ve never been to the Silos, there are basically 4 main areas: the Market, the Bakery, the Garden, and the Lawn. Magnolia Market features all kinds of home decor items and also t-shirts, mugs, and other keepsakes. The Silos Bakery has tons of delicious options, including amazing cupcakes and coffee. My mom and I decided to try 3 cupcakes (they were just that good), carrot cake with cream cheese icing, lavender with lemon icing, and strawberry with strawberries and cream icing. All 3 were amazing but I think my favorite was the lavender with lemon icing! Past the lawn area were several food trucks to choose from for lunch and snacks; it was hard to pick because everything sounded delicious. But I had a grilled cheese from the mac and cheese truck with tomato soup, and it was very good.
Magnolia Market was definitely the key area to visit at the Silos because it highlights their signature style so well. With tons of items to buy inside the store, the displays were amazing. The attention to detail that was around every corner and in every little ‘nook and cranny’ was truly classic and stylistic. You could see the same emphasis that Jo puts on decorating a house last minute on Fixer Upper before the reveal, inside the store as well. I know she has a design team of many people that she trusts (so it’s kind of unlikely that she herself decorated everything in the store), but all these people truly exemplified excellence in their designs and handiwork. To be honest, I couldn’t buy much in the store. Some things were expensive (at least for me) and other things I just didn’t have a place for in my smaller home right now. But believe me, I could have easily bought everything in sight! Also everything in the store currently was in season for Spring, so there were flowers, plants, and more everywhere!
Now here’s some more pictures for you to enjoy! Next week I will be posting about other things to do in Waco and some tips for the best trip experience! Click on each picture to see them bigger!
Meredith Hobbs 