Turning 32
My 32nd Birthday
This year my birthday looked a bit different! Turning 32, I spent it by myself on a mini solo vacation. And let me tell you it was wonderful. Don’t get me wrong, I love and adore my kids and husband but spending 2 days alone in my own company not having to worry about anything or anyone other than myself was nice. Have you ever gone on a solo vacation, without your family? Keep reading to see how I spent my birthday!
I went to Waco, TX, about 3 hours from where we live. I started my drive by getting Starbucks to fuel me for the 3 hours ahead and getting gas. On the road I listened to Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney on Audible. Listening to books is something I do regularly in the car, however I usually have to pause and rewind multiple times because of course Moose wants to talk and share with me. So it was nice to be able to give the book my full attention! I finished the book and moved on to music, blaring early 2000’s as loud as I could and singing at the top of my lungs hahahaa.
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Waco Texas
Upon arriving in Waco I headed straight to the Dr. Pepper Museum. It was cute and only $10 plus you get a free Dr. Pepper. It was nice to just leisurely stroll through the museum and Dr. Pepper is actually my favorite soda. After the museum I walked about 2 blocks to Fabled Bookshop to browse the books. I browsed for like an hour before deciding on two books. The books I picked up were Everyone is Beautiful by Kathrine Center and Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau. I also grabbed a cookie before heading out that was made by Milk Bottle Cookies. This cookie was DELICIOUS!
By this time I was hungry and it just so happened to be national boba day, or something like that hahaha. So, I went to Cha Community to grab dinner. I enjoyed the milky way bubble tea and the pork belly over rice. It was so good I almost went back on Monday for more. The vibe in Cha Community was nice as well, so I called Melvin to say good night to the kiddos and then I sat in there and ate in my own company.
Where I stayed
I stayed at Marriots Element Hotel, it is a brand-new hotel in the area and it was amazing! The room was nice with 2 queen beds and plenty of room for a family or a single person. My favorite feature was the filtered water so that you can drink straight from the tap, along with a small full kitchen complete with all the things you would need to cook. The hotel has breakfast included and a fancy coffee machine to make your own drinks. I was impressed that they had all types of milk, almond, oat, whole, etc. There was also a very nice outside pool area, the pool is heated, and it was super relaxing when I sat out there with the soft music playing in the background.
Unfortunately, I did not sleep that great. The bed was super comfortable but I had to pump every 2-3 hours since I am still breastfeeding Coyote. Of course my pump was not emptying me fully so that was very uncomfortable. I also went to sleep pretty late because I decided to bring in turning 32 by binge watching Ginny and Georgia.
Turning 32
Monday morning, turning 32, my birthday, I took my time getting ready, enjoyed my free breakfast and took a second shower because I could hahaha. Then I headed out, to probably the main reason a lot of people go to Waco, to go to Magnolia Market. This place was amazing. There are multiple magnolia stores as well as a café, food trucks, a fun green for kids to play and much more. I started by getting a coffee, the 1905, at Magnolia Press and walking through Magnolia Home. I explored each and every store and area of Magnolia Market with the exception of Silos Baking Co. The line was super long and I didn’t want to wait. My favorite store was Ferny’s Retro Plant Store. I got myself an air plant and a plant name plate.
A short back story— A few years ago my grandma passed away on my birthday… As I was standing in line to purchase my air plant in Ferny’s I saw the plant name plates, at the very top and most visible was Ethel, my grandmas name was Ethel. Now I am not super into signs or very religious, but I felt like this was her sign to me, letting me know she was there. So of course I had to buy it, and that is how my air plant came to be called Ethel.
Heading Home
After exploring and taking my time I decided to head home. First, I had to stop at Starbucks for my free birthday drink! I ordered a Venti Iced Matcha with Oat milk and Peppermint syrup, yummy! This has been my go to drink along with a Venti Iced Chai with Oat milk and 2 pumps of brown sugar! What is your Starbucks go to drink?
Once I finally made it home, with a flat tire… I spent the evening with the family. The following day we took Moose to school and I spent the morning with Coyote and Melvin. We went for breakfast and then stopped at Half Price books where I picked up even more books!
It was a wonderful birthday and I am looking forward to my 32nd year! How do you like to spend your birthday? I think I will continue to make the solo vacation a regular thing!
