Christmas 2016 - Part 1

Gosh this Christmas season has rushed by in a blur!  We packed in a lot of fun, but it sure went by fast!  I've decided to make this a two part post so stay tuned for part 2 later!

Jordan and I kicked off our holiday break by heading to San Antonio to see family.  Since we were driving south, we decided to make a pit stop in Waco to see the Magnolia Market and meet up with Jordan's brother and his family.  I have to say, the Magnolia Market did NOT disappoint!  If you're a fan of Chip and Joanna Gaines or the show Fixer Upper, you'll love this place.  They have a huge store full of beautiful decor, a bakery, garden, and plenty of outdoor space for kids (and adults) to enjoy the fresh air (perfect for a break on a road trip).  If we aren't in a hurry the next time we pass through Waco, I think we'll stop again.  It's the kind of place where you can hang out for a half hour or all day, whatever works for you!

These are a few pics from our trip:
Top Left: Jordan indulged me with a selfie when we first arrived!
Bottom Left: They have a beautiful Christmas tree in the center of the store!  
Right Top and Bottom: These are just a few snippits of the store.  It has the feel of an impeccably decorated home rather than a "store".

Top Left: I highly encourage you to explore the area if you visit.  They have the main store, the silos, bakery, a little garden shop, individual swings, bench swings, garden area, and more.  We found this little space and took a quick picture.
Side note: They have ample staff around the silos to take pictures which came in very handy!
All Others: These are pictures from the bakery.  We met up with Jordan's brother and his family so we decided to buy a few treats to share.  The cookies and cupcakes run about $2.50 - $4.00 depending on what item you buy.  It's pricey but the portions are huge and the prices are better than Starbucks.

Top Left: Silo pic!  People come from hundreds of miles away to visit the Magnolia Market so they have a handy hashtag #milestomagnolia
Top Right: On Jordan's side of the family we have a LOT of nieces.  It's a lot of fun (and squealing) to be around them!  Here, Jordan was pushing everyone on the bench swing and the girls loved it!
Bottom Left and Right: More sing pics!

Top: They had a beautiful Christmas tree display with a cute antique truck out front.  I think they might have been doing some remodeling or something back there but the trees looked beautiful!
Bottom Three: These are more pictures from the main store.  I just enjoyed browsing slowly through each nook.

Later in the day we finally arrived to San Antonio and got to spend time with family.  We had a blast playing with the kids, opening gifts, walking outside (the weather was perfect), and eating yummy meals!
These girls are a hoot!  Kids these days know EXACTLY how to work cell phones and love to take selfies!  It's easy to get good smiles for pictures but their personalities really shine through when you say "let's take a crazy pic"!  There are layers of shenanigans in this picture but the best part is Jordan's face!

Bocce ball fun, juggling, little feet, sunglasses, and adorable faces!

Since the weather was so pretty we took a short walk to a nearby creek with the kids.  They loved the water and it was good to get some energy out.
As I said... the personalities really sparkle when you let them do whatever for a picture.

Later we heard the story of Jesus' birth and opened presents!
The decibels were high but it was totally worth it! 

Merry Christmas to all our family!  It was wonderful to see you all!

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