Mountain Memories: Ella & Emmie Gaines Make A Rare Appearance On Family Vacation

Joanna and Chip Gaines' daughters, Ella and Emmie Gaines, don't often appear on their parents' social media posts these days, but when they do, it's always a welcome sight for fans. The latest glimpse came this week courtesy of an Instagram Reel Joanna shared featuring clips from their family getaway in Colorado. "A few days in the mountains with the whole fam, makes this mama's heart so happy," the former HGTV star wrote in the caption, before listing some of the activities they enjoyed during their trip. "Fishing, chopping down dead trees, making forts for the [squirrels], crunchy french toast, rodeo, bikes, and family hikes," she noted with a heart emoji.

The video shows Ella, 19, and Emmie, 16, barefoot while making their way across a lake before later joining the rest of their family for a nature walk. Alongside the sisters, the Reel also included glimpses of the couple's sons, including Drake, who looks so much like his dad Chip; Duke, 18; and 8-year-old Crew during their family vacay. In the comments, fans were thrilled to see the Gaineses all together, with one user gushing, "Beautiful! Thanks for sharing your special family moments." Another wrote, "Dang I cannot believe how fast your children grew up while we watched. Time is fleeting." Meanwhile, a third user added, "I just love your family. You guys are so close. You can see the love."

Back in January, Joanna shared a rare photo of their youngest daughter, Emmie, in honor of her 16th birthday in a touching Reel on Instagram. She and Chip have also previously discussed why they've decided to show less of their kids online. 

Joanna and Chip Gaines have been vocal about their desire to keep their kids away from the spotlight. As a parent, "I love to snap photos of my kids whenever it's physically possible," Joanna said in a 2025 column she wrote on The Magnolia Journal (via Today). "My camera roll is constant full because of it." But as her kids grew older, the mom of five has learned to be more intentional about how much of their lives she shares online.

Speaking to People in 2020, Joanna said of her children, "They're so young and we want to give them the chance to have a normal childhood." For his part, Chip has also spoken about becoming more mindful of his children's privacy as time passed. In a 2023 interview with the Kennebec Cabin Company, the Magnolia star admitted that having their kids on their show when they were younger might not have been the best choice in hindsight. "As the kids got into fourth and fifth seasons and they're getting a little bit older in age ... they're getting recognized out in the wild," said Chip. "I'm like, 'I don't know that I want my kids to be visible in that way unless they want to be visible like that.'"

However, that obviously hasn't stopped them from posting about their children's milestones or sharing glimpses of their family life online. In fact, one of their kids has even followed in their footsteps and entered the spotlight — Ella Gaines, who was featured on their home renovation series "Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House," which aired on Magnolia Network and HGTV in 2025.