The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines

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I’ve had The Magnolia Story on my fireplace hearth on the very top of my “books to read” stack.  When I started reading it this past week, I could barely put it down.  The openness and authenticity is like a breath of fresh air considering all that has been in the media recently.

Their story is a beautiful love story, full of ups and downs.  Has life given them an easy ride?  No way!  They are both very hard workers and have encountered some tough times financially and been in some tight binds.  But through it all, they held on to each other and did not let those hard times drive them apart.  If anything, they brought them closer together.  And time after time, Joanna could see God’s part in leading them to where they are today.

Before I read their book, my family surprised me with a visit to Magnolia Market.  It was as much fun as I thought it would be, maybe more.  I knew it was small, and so I wasn’t expecting this big, huge market.  But I must admit, it’s larger than I thought it would be.  When I got to the part in their book that tells how they came to be where they are today at the Silos, I could picture every bit of it.  Next time I visit, I’ll know the special story about the Silos in The Magnolia Story.  So sweet!

Joanna had a great idea and great design in the Silos Baking Co. which is a must when you visit there.  Don’t let a long line scare you off.  They have this down to a science, and the line moves very quickly considering you make your decisions on which cupcakes you want before you ever get to the counter to order them.  They have the cupcake menu on an order card and you mark your order while standing in line outside on the sidewalk.  Next time I’m there, I want to notice her attention to the interior of the bakery which she mentions in the book.

Chip and Joanna’s whole life story is in The Magnolia Story. I couldn’t help but feel like I know them in a way after reading their book.  If you’ve already read their book or if you’re planning to read it, let me know what you think.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

 

 

Pictures and text on this post are copyrighted, 2017

Movie Review: Gimme Shelter

We went to see Gimme Shelter last night, and my friends and I really, really liked it! Well, maybe they just really liked it but I really, really liked it.  It’s a story that can’t help but touch your heart about a 16 year old girl who finds herself expecting a baby, has an abusive mother, and decides to run away from home.  She finds shelter in a home for young girls who are expecting babies.  I won’t give any more details for those of you who plan to see the movie, but it’s a story of healing and reconciliation.  If you like that type of movie then I highly recommend it.  It’s a good family movie for families with older teens.

The Percussion Years

For a decade, our son has been involved in band or in an ensemble playing some type of percussion instrument.   Actually, he’s played for the past eleven years.   He’s enjoyed playing drums and several other instruments but now that he’s graduated from college, he isn’t in band anymore.  Knowing his love for music, however, I imagine that he will continue playing and that the “percussion years” are not over.  I hope not!  I miss hearing him play!

Products for Musicians

Having had a small music store years ago plus having a musician in the house, I’m used to seeing all kinds of musical equipment and accessories.  Guitars, amps, music books, and audio accessories are standard with a lot of musicians.  Audio products are popular with them so they can get the sound they’re trying to attain.  Some may use equipment such as maudio.  Do you have a musician in your house?  If so, then you’ve probably seen some of these things in your house, too.

Met Author Karen Witemeyer

I recently bought a book called “A Tailor-Made Bride” by Karen Witemeyer but have been so busy that I haven’t had time to start it yet.   However, I did get to meet Karen in person because she goes to church where our son and future d-i-l do.  She’s a sweet person, and I look forward to having the time to read her book.  She writes historical fiction, and her books are sold on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and at Lifeway.  Let me know if you’ve read one of her books.

 

Gift for the Musician

Father’s Day is coming up soon now that it’s June.  What would be a good gift to give a musician?  That’s always the question because we like to give gifts that people really like.   Does he need any good egnater amps or any other music related accessory?  Or is there a good book about music he would like or maybe a new shirt to wear to one of his gigs?  I’ll do some thinking about it and try to come up with something I think he will like.

Wireless Systems for Musicians

I’ve mentioned before that my husband is a musician.  He has an adequate amount of equipment, but I was reading recently about instrument wireless systems and thought how cool it would be if he had something like a great sennheiser freeport. He wouldn’t have to have all the cables and there wouldn’t be as much equipment to transport to and from places.  The wireless system is supposed to be light weight which would also be good when carrying in several items.  Sounds like a great idea to me.

House Musician

My husband, who is a musician, has a couple of guitars, two amps, a microphone and stand, and the usual things that a guitarist has like cords, capo, etc.  He doesn’t have a spector bass from musicians friend, however, he has gotten other things from there.  He also has stacks of music books sitting beside our piano, and there’s also a violin and the usual things that a violinist needs to play (he’s played violin since he was eight).  It’s evident that a musician definitely lives in our house.

Musicians

Living with a musician (my husband plays guitar and entertains a few places and also plays violin with an orchestra), I’m used to having musical instruments, amps, microphones, etc., around the house.  Do any of you have musicians in your house and know what I’m talking about?

Some people go full time and get professional items such as a mxl 990 microphone and other professional equipment.  My husband even plays in the orchestra with someone who has a large room devoted to music upstairs in his house.  Now that would be a music lover’s dream!

Musical Instruments

I’ve mentioned before that we used to have a music store a long time ago.  We had guitars, violins, small drums, keyboards, and brass instruments for sale.  Band students would come to our store to get instruments for school, as well as the music they needed.  Guitar and violin students would come for lessons (my husband was the guitar and violin teacher), and we even had a piano teacher come in to teach piano lessons (on the piano my parents bought me when I was in seventh grade).   Do you play any instruments?

Musicians

As I’ve mentioned before, we have a couple of musicians in our family.  The guitar, violin, percussion instruments, keyboard, and piano are the instruments of choice.  My husband even has a good banjo in the corner of a closet.  It hasn’t been played in many years, but it’s still in good shape.  The guitar and violin are the instruments I hear on a regular basis.  When our son comes home to visit, I hear the piano, which I love hearing because that’s what I used to play.  Do you have any musicians in your family?

Musicians!

Do you have any musicians in your house? If so, then you might know about those who want to buy ibanez effects pedals for their band or for their own enjoyment.  During the years we’ve been married, which total 30 something, we’ve had several guitars, amps, effects pedals plus a violin and even a banjo.  The banjo has barely been used, but the guitar and violin are used almost weekly.  Plus if you add in our son’s electric keyboard and my piano, there’s no doubt that musicians live in this house!