Hilary: I am from New Orleans. I followed my husband to Texas for work after living in NYC. We have lived here almost 7 years and absolutely love it!
Elizabeth: I am originally from Houston. I went to the University of Georgia for Undergrad and then quickly made my way back to Texas
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
Hilary: I have three children. My oldest, Olivia, is five years old, my middle son, James, is three years old, and my youngest, Henry, is one year old.
Elizabeth: I have two girls. Allie is 4Yrs and Raines is 21 Months
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
Hilary: I am very open about the fact that I am a young adult cancer survivor. My diagnosis of stage 3 Hodgkins Lymphoma changed my outlook on life, health and wellness.
Elizabeth: I have been to Singapore three times. One visit was for 4 weeks where we had an apartment on Orchard Road and really felt like locals.
Favorite local activities to do in Houston?
Hilary: Yoga. I am obsessed with Jessica Dodington’s heated yoga class at equinox. I am also a foodie and love trying any of Houston’s amazing restaurants.
Elizabeth: The zoo.
Do you have a favorite family-friendly restaurant in the area?
Hilary: We love Carraba’s! My middle son has severe food allergies and not only is the food delicious, and super family-friendly, but they are very attentive to dietary restrictions. I highly recommend a family dinner there.
Elizabeth: Coppa. They cater to kids and my kids LOVE spaghetti. They also have amazing adult food.
What local places do you go to for pampering and/or mom’s night out?
Hilary: Nothing beats the Houstonian Spa. I try to treat myself to a massage there at least once a year.
Elizabeth: Sheri Davidson at Element5OM is amazing for acupuncture and cupping. I also love the Blow Dry Bar and the endless wine selections at Sixty Vines.
Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization, a creative endeavor, or in the corporate world? Please share!
We met at a training for children’s yoga and immediately realized we shared the same passion and goals. We formed MILKLOVEYOGA LLC with the intention of bringing children’s yoga to schools and the community as well as teaching yoga to moms.
Hilary offers breastfeeding support and teaches trauma-informed dynamic mindfulness to at risk children in Houston’s inner-city. She also teaches private adult yoga and meditation class for corporate groups. Elizabeth teaches adult yoga classes at Define and also offers private classes and events.
Baylor College of Medicine and UT Medical School are hosting a research project to study the effects of yoga on stress and anxiety. We are two of the instructors for the study at Debakey High School. We are so excited to bring this experience to other children.
We are also trained in pre-natal yoga and plan to add these classes as well as summer camps and more classes for kids to the calendar soon!
MilkLoveYoga’s newest and most exciting endeavor is our new line of children’s subscription yoga boxes (coming soon). These boxes will provide every child with the MLY lesson plans at home. Our goal is for every child to have access to yoga and mindfulness and be able to practice and use those tools on a daily basis at home. We hope to partner with a children’s organization and develop a program where we can also donate some of our boxes.
Hilary: I have had the pleasure of meeting so many lovely families and their children through our yoga programs. I am so appreciative for how welcoming Houston is, and the large mom community in and around West U, where Elizabeth and I both live.
Elizabeth: Houston is full of good people. Whether or not they are from here or transplanted here, everyone is friendly, willing to help one another and dreams big. This city is so big and vibrant and constantly changing. No one will tell you not to follow your dreams.
What is the best advice for juggling mommyhood and running a business (or volunteering, working, etc)?
Hilary: Learn to multitask! I thank my days as a nurse working inpatient on NYU’s oncology unit, for my ability to “juggle” several things at once. Working as a nurse taught me how to multitask better than I ever knew how to before.
Elizabeth: Find people you can lean on and trust. Having a supportive community and friends that provide a steady foundation will get you through the “crazy” days.
What would you tell the old “You” before you had kids?
Hilary: I would tell my pre child self to learn to live with the chaos. I am used to being in control of most things in my life, but mommyhood definitely does not allow for such order.
Elizabeth: Do something with your free time. After kids, you will never have enough!
Funniest shortcut/routine for helping you through parenthood?
Hilary: I would say I rely on my oldest daughter to parent the youngest more than I would like to admit. I am not sure if that is the best parenting advice but with three kids, one dog, a husband with a busy schedule and trying to build a new business, it definitely comes in handy.
Elizabeth: Pajama Days! Sometimes, the baby just needs to stay in PJs all day.
