Chip and Joanna Gaines Reveal How They Keep Their Marriage Fresh After 22 Years (Exclusive)
People; Nathan Congleton/NBCU/Getty PEOPLE spoke to the Magnolia Network stars for a new special edition,Chip & Joanna Gaines: Their Next Chapter, out July 3 During the exclusive interview, the pair opened up about how they keep the excitement alive in their marriage after 22 years They've been trying a number of new activities, from dance lessons to working out together for the first time ChipandJoanna Gainesknow how to keep the spark alive — even after 22 years of marriage! During an exclusive interview for PEOPLE's new special edition,Chip & Joanna Gaines: Their Next Chapter(out July 3), the Magnolia Network stars shared the key to keeping their relationship fresh. Even while growing theirMagnolia empireand raising theirfive kidstogether — they share daughtersEmmie, 15, and Ella, 18; and sons Crew, 7, Duke, 16, and Drake, 20— the pair tell PEOPLE that their willingness to try new things as a couple has helped foster an even stronger connection between them. "What we've realized in 22 years of marriage . . . is we still feel like newbies. Anytime you unlock a new thing, and you do it together, it only grows your relationship," Joanna, 47, explains. Most recently, that "new thing" was dance lessons. She continues, "I hired this couple; they came to our office and taught us how to dance." Chiming in, Chip jokes, "Just she and I with this couple. You talk about awkward." The Stories We Tellauthor adds that new activities help her and Chip, 50, see a side of each other that they never have before. "You see insecurities, you see strengths, and it's like, 'Oh, that's a new awakening,'" she says, recalling how she and Chip havestarted taking dance lessons together. Despite their best efforts to keep up with the instructors, Joanna claims she and Chip quickly realized they weren't the most skilled dancers. "Chip's little feet trying to keep up! And then I'm stiff as a board. We're just so bad," she jokes. Defending himself, Chip says he's a "smooth" country dancer, but every now and then he experiences this "awkward thing" where his ankle "wants to kick itself out" — and he even tripped his wife during one lesson. "All this time I thought I was the coolest two-stepper. Back in college you'd go to these little dive bars, and you danced with the girls," he continues. Of the instructor, he jokes, "For this guy to be calling me out, for Jo to be laughing hysterically the whole time, I'm like, 'What is happening?'" Chip adds that the lessons have made them experience new feelings as a couple. "[When we started] we didn't know how to hold our hands. It's hard to make eye contact with even your best friend and wife of 22 years. I feels really strange, awkward. But then after two or three weeks, we started looking forward to those lessons," he says. "It was this sweet reminder that all of us could use refreshes and challenges in our relationships." Echoing her husband, Joanna further explains why they were so important for their marriage. "I feel like dancing is the most symbolic way of talking about, as a couple, 'How do you stay in sync in life?' We do really good in real life, we have our rhythm. But with dancing we were so off, it was surprising. We've done everything else so well, but this we totally suck at! But it was beautiful," she shares. Don Saladino/Instagram Along with dancing, the lovebirds have beenworking out for the first time together in their marriage, with a little help fromcelebrity trainer Don Saladino. Of their first few sessions with Saladino, Joanna recalls how Chip showed up for the workout in boots. "Don thought he was joking. And I'm like, 'Baby!' And Chip's like, 'I can work out in my boots,'" she remembers. "They're my most comfortable footwear," Chip adds. "All [Saladino] did was made us basically stretch, and for the next two days I couldn't sit down right. My butt was so sore. It was very humbling, very embarrassing." Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Joanna Gaines/Instagram TheFixer Upperstars first met in Waco, Texas (their current home base) in the waiting room of Joanna's dad's auto shop back in 2001. Chip proposed in 2002 after a year of dating, andthe pair later said "I do"in 2003 at the historic Earle-Harrison House in Waco. They celebrated their 22-year wedding anniversary on Saturday, May 31 this year. Throughout their decades-long marriage, the couple built theirMagnolia empiretogether. It now includes aquarterly magazine, aTV network, ashopping and dining destination, a real estate company, vacation rental properties, a restaurant and more. For more from this exclusive interview, pick up PEOPLE's new special editionChip & Joanna Gaines: Their Next Chapter, available now. Read the original article onPeople
Chip and Joanna Gaines Reveal How They Keep Their Marriage Fresh After 22 Years (Exclusive) People; Nathan Congleton/NBCU/Getty PEOPLE spoke...
