Since we moved to Austin, I’ve had my eyes on one event and one event only: Texas Antique Weekend.

I first heard about it on Fixer Upper, the HGTV show that basically lives out my dreams and takes up all the space on our DVR, and knew that if JoJo was there, I had to be there. So when I first Google mapped Austin > Round Top, TX and discovered it was only an hour away, confetti basically exploded out of my ears. When I discovered it happened twice a year, I nearly threw up.

Luckily for Matt, the event spawned over the course of two weeks, meaning I could go solo during the week. Unluckily for Matt, the event spawned across an entire town, meaning that one visit was not enough…a second, weekend trip was non-negotiable. Plus, I was extremely under prepared when I rolled up to the fair on Thursday. Not only was I not aware of just how many vendors and shows and wagon wheels awaited me, I drove out of Austin WITHOUT MY ATM CARD. To those of you in line behind me at the one bank in Round Top, I apologize. I was trying to convince my credit cards that they could and should give me cash on the spot. Obviously to me and to the USAA representative, this attempt failed miserably. Either way, I spent the afternoon in total sensory overload, ooo-ing and ahhh-ing and convincing vendors to hold items like a commemorative “original” Buffalo mason jar until I returned in two days. It was really fun.

When we went back on Saturday, I knew it needed to be more of a mission-based expedition and not just another day where Anne Marie can wander around and touch everything. We were on the hunt for a few specific things, namely a coffee table, a large antique sign we could hang above our TV, a cool clock and, for me, anything old from Buffalo, Saratoga Springs or DC. Because while I love decorating our space with rustic pieces, I want to also fill it with things that remind us of the places we once called home. Like, you know, that ol’ bourbon barrel we scored in Kentucky!

The day was a success, and not only because Matt discovered you can openly walk around with beers, but because we found the perfect coffee table AND an old tin bucket from Buffalo. I just about laid across each one when we found them, preparing Matt for the temper tantrum that would follow if he did not oblige to my antique wishes and rustic dreams.

Both made their way to the back of the Jeep. Happy wife, happy life. More to come on their life in our apartment, but for now…let’s all mark our calendars for the fall show, shall we?