Joanna Gaines has mostly kept her five children out of the spotlight allowing them to grow up in Waco, Texas privately.
But the media mogul has now given fans a rare glimpse into the personality of her six-year-old son Crew, sharing that he has helped his mom and dad to look at the world with renewed wonder.
© Kimmie Salmon‘Fearless Guide’
In the summer issue of her Magnolia magazine, Joanna wrote that during a family work trip to Banff in 2024 Crew asked for the family to go for a hike, an activity Joanna quipped she had done very little of in her life.
“But with Crew as our fearless guide, the journey was fun and light,” she wrote adding that “Crew inherited some of his curiosity and sense of adventure (and love of skipping rocks) from his dad, so when Chip and Crew are leading the pack together, there’s almost no stopping them”.
© Kimmie SalmonCover Inspiration
During their hike, that idea of spontaneity and saying yes saw them discover inflatable rafts on the Bow River, and the family jumped in one and created unforgettable memories – and the gorgeous cover of the new issue.
The cover shows Joann perfeched on the raft with the Banff National Park looming in the back.
© Kimmie SalmonOther pictures included show Crew skipping rocks with the raft in the background of the picture; the young boy wears black rain boots and has his binoculars around his neck.
“To me, the picture captures so much more than a cover-worthy location. It was the way the day unfolded, how one yes led to another, and then another—no destination in mind other than farther—that kept my gaze up and out at this big, boundless world,” said Joanna.
© Chip GainesBig Family
Joanna, 47, is mom to five kids: 20-year-old Drake, 18-year-old Ella, 16-year-old Duke, 15-year-old Emmie Kay, and six-year-old Crew. Drake is currently in college and the mom-of-five and her husband Chip, 50, are planning to see Ella off to college this fall.
Joanna recently revealed that she believes Ella has her own creative vision, and told People previously that she had a feeling Ella would go into a profession most similar to her mom’s.
“I think she’ll follow in my footsteps and have her hand in a lot of things. Right now she wants to cook, be a lead designer and have a donut truck,” she mused.
© InstagramThe teen was also responsible for decorating the entire family home for her mom’s birthday with Joanna sharing on social media that she woke up in the morning “and some time between 12-7am my little fairy daughter Ella waved her magic wand and did all of this for my birthday weekend”.
The family’s dining table had been covered in flowers and balloons, and dishes of sweet treats including macarons.
