Joanna Gaines and Sisters: Why This Trio Is the Real Backbone of Magnolia

You probably know the shiplap. You definitely know the demo days and the sprawling Waco empire that basically redefined how half of America decorates their living rooms. But if you only look at the glossy magazine covers, you’re missing the actual glue holding it all together. Behind the scenes of the Magnolia brand, there is a very tight-knit, very private, and occasionally very funny bond between Joanna Gaines and sisters Teresa Ann Criswell and Mary Kay "Mikey" McCall.

They aren't just background characters in a reality show. They are the "Stevens girls."

Growing up as the daughters of Jerry and Nan Stevens, these three women navigated a childhood that wasn't always as picturesque as a staged farmhouse. They moved from Kansas to Texas, dealt with the complexities of being a biracial family in the late 70s and 80s, and formed a pact of loyalty that makes their current business collaborations feel less like "networking" and more like a family reunion.

The Stevens Trio: Who Are Joanna’s Sisters?

Honestly, the dynamic between them is sort of the classic "birth order" case study. Joanna is the middle child—the peacemaker, the one who tries to keep everyone steady.

Teresa Ann Criswell is the oldest. She’s often described as the "life of the party" and the most outspoken of the bunch. While Joanna was building a construction empire, Teresa was carving out her own space in the world of faith-based content. She’s a writer, a podcaster, and a YouTuber. She’s been running her blog, Triumphant Victorious Reminders, since 2009. If you listen to her podcast, OH Teresa and Tristin (which she hosts with her daughter), you get a sense of where Joanna gets that grounded, intentional way of speaking.

Then there’s the baby of the family, Mary Kay McCall, affectionately known to everyone as "Mikey." If you’re a die-hard Fixer Upper fan, you definitely remember the episode where Chip and Jo renovated a house for Mikey’s family. It was a massive deal because Mikey had been living away from Waco for years. Her return to town was a huge emotional milestone for the family. Mikey is the "creative introvert" of the group, and her aesthetic is actually quite different from Joanna’s—it’s a bit more vintage, a bit more eclectic.

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Why the Bond Between Joanna Gaines and Sisters Actually Matters

It’s easy to dismiss celebrity siblings as people just "riding the coattails." But with the Stevens sisters, it feels more like a shared ecosystem.

Take Mikey’s business, Ferny’s Retro Plant Shop. For years, Mikey had this quiet dream of opening a shop that combined her love for vintage finds and greenery. She didn't just get a handout; she spent years raising her six kids (yep, six!) while the dream simmered on the back burner. When she finally launched it out of a refurbished 1967 camper, Joanna was right there.

That eventually turned into the Magnolia Network show The Retro Plant Shop with Mikey and Jo.

A Shared Cultural Identity

Something people often overlook is how their shared heritage shaped them. Their mother, Nan, is a Korean immigrant who met their father, Jerry, while he was stationed in Seoul.

On Joanna’s podcast, The Stories We Tell, the three sisters got incredibly raw about what it was like growing up in the 70s. They talked about the "harsh looks" their mother would get and the way they sometimes felt like they didn't quite fit in.

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• Teresa was the one who saw the world through an protective lens as the eldest.
• Joanna admitted to feeling the need to "hide" her heritage at times to blend in during her school years.
• Mikey provided a sense of "home" and safety for her older sisters.

Processing that history together is what makes their current bond so unbreakable. They aren't just business partners or social media cameos; they are people who witnessed each other's struggles long before the world knew what "Magnolia" was.

Life in Waco vs. Austin

While they are close, they aren't living in each other's pockets. Teresa currently lives in Austin, which is only about 90 minutes from Waco—close enough for Sunday dinners but far enough to have her own life. She’s deeply involved in her ministry work and her family.

Mikey, however, is right there in Waco. Her home—the one Jo renovated—is a frequent stop for the Gaines kids. It’s that proximity that allows them to do things like The Retro Plant Shop. When you see them together on screen, it doesn't feel scripted. There’s a shorthand they use—little jokes, eye rolls, and a specific way of laughing that only sisters have.

The "Peacemaker" Middle Child

Joanna has often credited her sisters for her ability to stay grounded. Teresa once called Joanna a "first-class peacemaker with a heart of gold." In the high-pressure world of a multi-million dollar media empire, having an older sister who remembers you when you were just a kid in Kansas is a massive reality check.

It’s also interesting to see how they’ve influenced each other's styles. While Joanna is the queen of the "Modern Farmhouse," you can see bits of Mikey’s plant obsession and Teresa’s soulful, reflective nature popping up in the newer Magnolia collections. They feed off each other’s energy.

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What You Can Learn from the Stevens Sisters

Watching the way these three interact offers some pretty solid life lessons that go beyond home decor.

1. Wait for the right season. Mikey waited until her kids were older to launch Ferny’s. There’s no law saying you have to do everything at twenty-five.
2. Acknowledge your roots. The sisters’ recent trip to South Korea with their parents wasn't just for content; it was a deliberate effort to honor their mother’s story.
3. Support isn't always financial. Sometimes it’s just showing up to move plants into a vintage trailer or being a guest on a podcast to help a sister feel seen.

Practical Steps for Building Your Own "Magnolia" Connection

If you’re looking to strengthen your own family bonds or even start a project with a sibling, take a page out of the Stevens playbook. Start small. Before there was a TV show, there were just three sisters gardening together in their backyard.

Find that one shared interest—whether it’s plants, old furniture, or just telling stories—and let it grow naturally. You don't need a TV network to create a legacy; you just need to be willing to show up for each other when the cameras aren't rolling.

If you're interested in seeing their dynamic firsthand, the best place to start isn't actually Fixer Upper. It’s the "Jo's Sisters" episode of the Stories We Tell podcast. It’s the most honest look you’ll get at the women who helped make Joanna Gaines who she is today.