From their little shop on Bosque, all the way to the Magnolia Silos, Chip and Joanna Gaines have been showing us what it’s like to chase your dreams in a HUGE way! For five seasons these two entertained and inspired all of America with their talents and genuine love for homes and families on their hit HGTV show Fixer+Upper!

Chip and Joanna started what we all know as MAGNOLIA early in their marriage by taking utterly dilapidated homes and making them shine again! If you’ve read their books, you know just how little they had in the beginning and just how hard they’ve worked to get to where they are today. Chip and Joanna went from flipping homes in their hometown of Waco, Tx and nearly losing everything …to owning an operating Magnolia Homes, Magnolia Farm, A Bakery, A Seed & Supply, Magnolia Table, writing multiple best selling books, magazines, home decor lines, a furniture line, paint lines…I could go on and on!

Visiting Magnolia has been on my “bucket list” for quite some time and I am so glad that my husband and I were able to take this trip together! Fixer+Upper is our guilty pleasure (without the guilt, haha)! We have moved 17 times and have renovated quite a few homes (all DIY)…not to mention we built our current home all DIY! We can totally relate to all the ups and downs that happen on any given episode of the show! Fixer+Upper begins each episode with Joanna asking “Do you have the guts to take on a fixer-upper?” We always laugh and answer her “REPEATEDLY!!!”

We really didn’t have an agenda for our time in Waco, so when we arrived around noon we were able to go right to Magnolia Table and enjoy a delicious lunch!  Can you believe the size of these beautiful watermelon radishes?! They were grown in Joanna’s garden! How cool! WOW were we impressed!  We were fortunate enough to visit the Silos two different times/ We were able to walk down the street, where Jimmy Don has his trailer set up, and even further to visit the Findery (an incredible shop that is another MUST see). We also visited Harp Design Co. and had a wonderful time staying in the “German Schmear” home from season 3 of Fixer+Upper (you can read all about our stay HERE)! It was the perfect time of year to visit because there was only a very little wait at Magnolia Bakery and Magnolia Table (their breakfast and lunch restaurant) or anywhere in Waco really.

The Magnolia Silos and Market were breathtaking…it all was! Every little detail was beautiful! I would love to visit again closer to spring to see everything in bloom! I kept thinking about what a wonderful place it was not just for the tourist but for the locals.

I think my favorite space was the grounds in the open area in the center of the Silos, Bakery and Garden! You guys, even in the pouring rain and in the middle of winter it was simply gorgeous! It almost felt like we were back in time about one hundred years back when towns were more of a real community and they help picnics or parties and everyone came and enjoyed the day together! Even though it was raining on and off, that didn’t stop people from shopping, grabbing a bite to eat at any of the food trucks or the Bakery and just exploring the grounds! The whole place had a very peaceful vibe almost like everyone there felt like they were in an extra special place.

Chip and Joanna Gaines are household names these days. They are both extremely talented, no one would argue that! Chip is full of energy and life and the guy must work his butt off to run all the businesses that he does! Joanna’s eye for design is incredible! She seems to love all things business, beauty and she really makes the homes she designs a sanctuary for her clients. She is an inspiration to me for sure. But most of all, she is a devoted momma and I’d say we all admire these qualities in her!

I am obviously a huge Fixer+Upper fan and that is a big part of why I am so grateful that I was able to travel to Waco! I love anything that has to do with renovating homes, shiplap, and beautiful design as much as anyone, but to be honest, that isn’t what inspires me or impresses me the most about Chip and Joanna Gaines. For me, Magnolia is something so much more than that.

Magnolia, for me, is all about the DREAM.  What Chip and Joanna Gaines did was show the world exactly what it looks like to dream big AND support your spouse in that dream and work alongside them until that dream comes to life. It’s not about design, creating dream homes, building an empire, being famous or any of that. To me, Magnolia represents what can happen when you follow your heart, listen to the Lord and walk through life as a united husband and wife! To me, Magnolia represents tackling your dreams head-on as a TEAM.

We all have dreams, or at least most of us do! I sure hope you do!  We all have hopes that turn into goals. When we have a “Chip” or a “Joanna” in our lives, believing in us AND working alongside us, that is when we are unstoppable! Think about it. What would Joanna be without Chip? Would she have stepped out and tackled all of the homes and businesses on her own? Of course, she could have hired a contractor, but think of how much more successful she is because she has someone who loves her and genuinely cares about her goals and dreams every bit as much as she does and worked as hard as she did to see the projects to the finish line!  Where would Chip be without Joanna? He may have been a business owner or a contractor, but do you think he would be where he is today without Joanna? I can’t help but believe that both of their dreams came true because they both worked so hard to help each other reach their full potential all along the way.

I long to do the same for my husband and children! I strive to help them and support them along their journeys in a way that only I can. To be there right beside them, working hard with them when they need me and letting them soar when they don’t need me at all. This includes shinning the spotlight on them and lifting them up and to live each day showing them that I really do believe in them. They need me and I need them! Of course, we can do things on our own and I am ALL about being self-reliant, but that can only take us so far! I truly believe that when we really care for our spouse, children, and/or partner and they care for us, the sky is the limit to what we can achieve!

I am a go-getter, a dreamer and I have always had a strong desire to reach my full potential in whatever season of life that I was in. I have always been stubborn and grew up believing that if I can dream it, I can do it! This attitude and approach to life are what’s gotten me through so many things and has served me well! But after I got married and we started a family, little by little it has grown equally as important to me that my husband and kids reach their full potential as well! Their dreams and goals are somehow my dreams and goals and mine are somehow theirs! Their happiness is my happiness and mine is theirs! We are a team!

Knowing how much teamwork and dedication were needed to bring Magnolia to life is definitely what made the biggest impact on me. It was beautiful…more beautiful than any design or dream home could ever be! Chip and Jo are a team in every sense of the word and the proof was all around!

~ Dena

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”  -Helen Keller