Chip and Joanna Gaines seem to have it all. The couple is at the top of their game professionally, and while their Fixer Upper days are behind them, the possibility of a new cable network launching this year gives fans hope. After all, fans are seriously missing getting glimpses into the life of the Gaines family, which grew by one with the birth of baby Crew last spring. It's easy to think that Chip and Joanna have it all. What's hard is realizing what having it all takes.
Like any couple, Chip and Joanna have their issues. Fifteen years of marriage doesn't just happen. It takes hard work. Chip once told People, "We are thankful for our success, but if it ever compromised our ability to be a healthy married couple or our kids started to get a little bit off track, we would quit this thing in a heartbeat." In a recent interview, Chip opened up about how he occasionally finds himself "in the doghouse" and how he and Joanna work through conflict.
Chip and Joanna Gaines are serious #couplegoals. The two manage to make raising five kids and running multiple businesses look easy as pie.
Of course, there's more to it than meets the eye. A couple doesn't survive and thrive through 15 years of marriage without working hard at it every day.
Over the years, Chip and Joanna have been dedicated to making sure their relationship — the foundation of the whole family — is always in a good place. They often speak about how they each have their individual strengths that they bring to the table.
In a recent interview with Cowboys & Indians magazine, Chip insisted that the couple isn't acting on TV. They are their authentic selves always. "The reason that we’re those people is because we do the hard work that is required. We treat each other with respect. We admire one another’s strengths and weaknesses. We pull for each other. We learned that early."
Joanna's and Chip's different personalities are no secret. Joanna is the solid, reliable rock of the family. She believes in getting things done and enjoying yourself while doing so.
Chip has always been the more chaotic one. His fun-loving, silly spirit can be frustrating for someone who's a little more type A like Joanna, but it still brings the balance that's needed.
During the interview, Chip was asked how he knows when he's pushed the chaos too far and is in hot water with his wife. Apparently, it takes just a look from Joanna to know he's on thin ice.
"Jo and I know each other," he explained. "We have always been really good to each other. We believe that part of the magic in our marriage is just the simple fact that we care sincerely about one another."
"Boy, when either of us are off the tracks or kind of lost our minds in one way or the other, you know, a little look, a little side eye certainly goes a long way for sure," Chip added. "And she’s got a nasty one. She’s scary."
Joanna's "look" and the tone that accompanies it must be one the whole family recognizes. Chip recently posted a meme created by their oldest son, Drake, showing the reaction when mama starts a conversation with "Can I ask you a question?"
Of course, parenting is another beast that requires communication, hard work, and balance from the two. They've been very open about how they place family above all else.
Chip and Joanna cited putting family first as the reason for walking away from Fixer Upper despite its huge success and popularity. "Our family is healthy and our marriage has honestly never been stronger," they wrote on their Magnolia blog. "This has nothing to do with a fraudulent skincare line or anything else you’ll inevitably read. This is just us recognizing that we need to catch our breath for a moment. Our plan is to take this time to shore up and strengthen the spots that are weak, rest the places that are tired and give lots of love and attention to both our family and our businesses."
The two have even admitted that the parenting styles they've grown into are not what they expected. Wild Chip never expected to be so strict, while Joanna's been surprised at her ability to be laid back.
By considering their family and their marriage in every move they make, they've forged a strong bond. Whatever comes at them next, Chip and Joanna will face it head on with their combination of risk-taking, careful thinking, and putting love first.
