To all of those moms out there… Happy Mother’s Day! You are so appreciated in every way and in every stage of motherhood. From grandmas to soccer moms to new moms, thanks for all that you do. I hope you enjoy your day and are reminded of how great you are and how much you are loved!
So let me get a little mushy real quick... I love my mom! She is one of the greatest women I know. She is strong, compassionate, kind, caring, and the greatest when it comes to hugs. She was a nurse, turned stay at home mom, turned MAXXINISTA. She is my coffee shop exploring buddy. She is my Netflix watching person. She is my at home food delivery service. She is also my personal stylist! She taught me the importance of blow drying my hair every day (which I attribute to 30% of my daily confidence). And she never fails to dress me to my best. She can thrift shop through dress clothes for me like a boss. She manages to find me the cutest J. Crew dresses for a bargain! We share a love for new shoes and purple things. My mom is the best!
As I scroll back through pictures from nearly a year ago, I cannot help but reminisce about our trip one year ago to the Magnolia Market at the Silos. It was a college graduation gift for me to travel with my parents to Waco, Texas, and explore everything Joanna and Chip Gaines created in the cute little town. My mom and I were so excited to go. My mom has been a huge fan of their TV series “Fixer Upper". I was there for the bakery. And Dad, of course, was willing to treat his favorite girls to a special day. Here is a little about our trip, and what we enjoyed in downtown Waco.
Our day started with a trip to the Silo's Baking C.O. on the corner. It was always Joanna’s dream to own a bakery, and this cute little shop is what she created. The place was delightful and petite with limited capacity. There is typically a line outside to get in. Since it 11AM on a Thursday, the line was quick to get through. I heard Joanna's mom can be spotted around the bakery on the weekends, but we did not see her today. While we were in line, we were given menus so we could know our order when we got up to the counter. Of course, I needed to see the pastries before I made my choice! When we made it to the pastry case, we decided on three cupcakes and cup of coffee for my mom. The cupcakes were:
Shiplap – vanilla cake + vanilla buttercream
Shilobration – vanilla cake + chocolate buttercream
Nuts & Bolts – vanilla cake filled with pecans and walnuts + cream cheese icing
Never ever do I choose a vanilla cake with vanilla icing! But, Joanna Gaines, you make a mean Shiplap cupcake. It might have been the best vanilla cupcake I have ever had. It was so incredibly fresh, and the icing was perfectly sweet. We enjoyed our morning cupcakes outside the bakery amongst the other guests.
Next stop was the MAGNOLIA store! I was not really intending to purchase anything, but I just wanted to go inside for a good look. Everything was beautiful. Expensive, but beautiful! People were leaving there with huge bags of décor and merchandise. And my mom, being my mom, was pointing out all the items she had seen marked down at HomeGoods. We ended up getting some cute T-shirts to take home with us to remember the day.
Next we decided to take a ride on the Waco Trolley. It was a free ride around the block with a tour guide to tell us a bit about the town. The route made a nice loop past some antique shops and vintage boutiques. My mom recognized a few of the storefronts from the TV show. We stopped inside a few places to get some ideas for furniture that we were hoping to “flip” this summer. We made no purchases but got a lot of inspiration for color palates and techniques. If you are really into flipping furniture, interior design, or remodeling, you must make a visit to Waco.
We spent a good bit of the hot afternoon down by the river, where there was a historic bridge suspension bridge built in 1870. The area was called the Riverwalk. I got a cute picture of my parents together there. They really are the greatest parents I could ask for!
We hopped back on the trolley around 2PM to head back to the Silos for LUNCH. There were lots of lunch options, including the Magnolia Table (the official restaurant on the property). Since it was a beautiful day outside, we decided to each grab lunch from a food truck and pop a squat at a picnic table. The food trucks change by the season. I enjoyed a taco. My mom got a chicken salad sandwich. And my dad got a grilled cheese. We all ordered from different places, which was nice. Everyone got what they wanted!
Next to the pavilion with the picnic tables, there is a huge turf lawn with games for kids and adults to play. There is also a stage in front of the Silos where the Gaines Family will hold concerts and special events throughout the year. I am hoping to go back someday for the Silo District Marathon. My sister has not been, so it is something we plan to do together.
Being at the Silos gave me the vibe of an amusement park for millennials. People came in large groups from all over the country and left the giftshop with huge bags of merchandise and memorabilia. They wore matching outfits and often came to celebrate a special occasion. The staff was extremely friendly, and the grounds were spotless. There was music playing, food to snack on, and lots of families with packable strollers. Moms wore comfortable shoes with fanny packs. Most importantly, there were many places for great photo opportunities.
Everything at the Magnolia Market is so well put together. Joanna and Chip have made a brand for themselves that just keeps expanding. I recently got the Magnolia Table cookbook as a gift. It has some sweet and savory Southern recipes in it from “JoJo’s Biscuits” to ”Aunt Opal’s Banana Pudding”. I am excited to try them out. I also have a few pieces of home decor from her Magnolia line that my mom picked up at HomeGoods, of course! I am really excited to go back to Waco in the future to try out the new Magnolia Press coffee shop and indulge in another cupcake from the Silo's Baking C.O.
In the spirit of Mother’s Day, I decided to bake a classic mom treat. Chocolate Chip Cookies! 🍪 A snack does not get much better than some fresh chocolate chip cookies and nice glass of milk. My mom makes THE BEST chocolate chip cookies. She uses the recipe right on the back of the Nestle Tollhouse bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips. I love it when she sends me back to school with a big batch of dough to bake or some pre-rolled dough balls to store in the freezer.
I decided to make Joanna Gaines’ signature chocolate chip cookie recipe from her cookbook. I had heard a lot of good things about it, so I needed to test it out myself. The recipe is a little different than what I am used to. She uses less butter and ONLY brown sugar. You can definitely taste the difference from traditional chocolate chip cookies made with white sugar. I had these mixed and baked in a half hour! The recipe was easy and simple! The cookies baked so nicely and were the perfect night snack for a study session with my friend Lindsay. Here is a link to the recipe from Joanna, herself.
Once again… Happy Mother’s Day to all of those great moms out there. You have A beautiful role in life that I hope to learn from and become someday. To my mom, Nonna, and Nana, sending lots of love and hugs your way! I hope to see you soon. 🌻
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