A Mother's Day Q&A with Co-Founder Lizzie Duplantis

My sister Lizzie, fellow Miron Crosby co-founder, entrepreneur-extraordinaire and my best friend, is also a mother to FIVE kids, ages 8, 7, 5, 3, and 1. She manages her many roles with grace and ease, a wonder to those of us around her day-to-day. To celebrate Mother’s Day, I’m getting Lizzie’s take on what it’s like to navigate motherhood and entrepreneurship, how she manages it all, and what she loves and finds challenging about raising littles. Thanks for playing, Liz Biz, and Happy Mother’s Day! Xx, Sarah

Sarah: Give us a day in the life of a working mom. What’s your daily routine?

Lizzie: Admittedly our house is a little off the wheels. Chaos ensues the moment I wake up – it’s loud and fun and I thrive in it! Mornings are a whirlwind of Nutella waffles, hunting for library books, and feeding pets (our newest addition is a guinea pig, Mr. Belding). My morning non-negotiables are my runs and daily devotionals. Then it’s a quick shower and off the studio or office, depending on the day. My team knows that I like to schedule meetings with everything wrapping about 4pm so I can be around for after school activities or grab a drink with a friend. I’m highly social and I’ve learned time with my girlfriends and a quick margarita really fills my cup! In the evenings, we really try to commit to sitting down as a family and we always cap the night with baking cookies.

Sarah: How do you handle balancing work life and family life?

Lizzie: To me, balance is a bit of a four-letter word. It’s hard to strike a perfect harmony when you’re pulled in so many directions. Some days skew much more towards Miron Crosby, but then I’ll be sure to compensate by blocking off a day for the 2nd grade field trip or school Field Day, for example. Every day looks a little different. I try to stay fluid and be mindful and intentional in allocating my time. 

Sarah: We started Miron Crosby while you were pregnant with Fields, your third…what was that like?

Lizzie: Going from two to three meant zone defense rather than man-to-man defense for Seth and me. With Fields’ arrival I became more familiar with the concept of multitasking. As a baby, I’d bring him to the studio on Saturday mornings and let him sleep in the cash wrap while Seth ran soccer duty with June and Bates. But I’ve loved having my kids be a part of Miron Crosby. As they are getting older, they love to come up to Miron Crosby – it might be for the lollipops we keep on hand. I’m so proud that MC is a family affair. 

Sarah: How do you make time to show up for the kids at school and engage in the community?

Lizzie: I really prioritize it. I feel strongly that in sending 5 kids through our schools and our church that I need to do my part to contribute to the fantastic community we are so lucky to be a part of. Plus I’ve solidified some of my best friends in things like volunteering as the Hyer Auction Chair, lunch cafeteria duty, and Vacation Bible School. 

Sarah: The littles have such special names and people always comment on them. Can you share how you came up them?

Lizzie: Seth and I love a mix of unique and sentimental, so incorporating family names with names we liked was something we did with each child. 

• June Corrine: born in June, she’s always been our June Bug and, in all honesty, Seth has a major crush on June Carter Cash! Corrine for my paternal grandmother, Grammie, who lived on the ranch with us and to whom I was extremely close. 

• Jon Bayton: Jon for my Dad and Bayton for Seth’s Dad. Both phenomenal men. He goes by “Bates.” 

• Jack Fields: Jack for my mom, Jackie, and Fields because we loved the name. 

• Reid Samuel: Seth has always loved the name Reid, and Samuel is Seth’s maternal grandfather’s name and also Seth’s middle name. 

• Sarita Cole: Sarita is Spanish for little Sarah and Cole for our brother, Coley, our “Ita” caboose is named for both of my siblings 

Sarah: What does “me time” look like for you?

Lizzie: As an extrovert, I love my time with my girlfriends, my Mom, sister, and sister-in-law, and date nights with Seth. I’m an avid runner, mystery/suspense reader, amateur art historian (I audited a class at SMU this fall) and needle pointer.  I love spicy margaritas, romantic comedies and I love to host parties. 

Sarah: What’s your favorite thing about motherhood and what has been the most challenging thing about being a mother?

Lizzie: It’s so fun to watch the personalities of my different children emerge and blossom. Each is so unique and requires parenting in a different way, which also makes motherhood  challenging, but I think it’s so cool.  Forming an individual and unique relationship with each of my kids is really special. On a fluffier note, I love things like planning parties with them, working on crafts, outings to Six Flags, watching sports games, baking, lemonade stands, trips to the Ranch – every day is an adventure and the silliness and carefree nature of their childhoods is something I cherish. 

Sarah: Okay, fellow moms want to know…how in the heck do you get dinner for seven on the table after work every day?

Lizzie: I know why you asked this! It’s my constant struggle and you’re tired of hearing about it! Ha! I talk about this incessantly – I really can’t figure it out. We eat lots of ground beef: tacos, spaghetti, hamburger patties, rinse and repeat, plus buttered noodles, chicken nuggets and the occasional broccoli stock. I’m not a cook and don’t enjoy it, so I think dinner is really challenging, and I’d love a hack on how to have easier, more well rounded meals at the ready!

Sarah: If you could offer one piece of mom advice, what would it be?

Lizzie: I have three: 

1. I really appreciate what my Mom did for me: feed their interests and let them have unique perspectives. Encourage them. Let them be who they are. 
2. Listen. Your child will tell you what it is that they need, when they’re hurting, or areas to focus on in daily conversations if you ask questions and will spend time letting them talk. 
3. Take care of yourself and invest in your partner. When I prioritize this, the house hums in harmony, and my kids feed off the energy and find security when Seth and I feel fulfilled, settled, and aligned. 

Sarah: How do you plan to celebrate Mother’s Day today?

Lizzie: I love Mother’s Day!!! Breakfast in bed and handmade cards followed by post-church cheeseburgers at Maple and Motor, my favorite. Sunday afternoon naps are a ritual at Casa Duplantis, and in the evening I bet we turn on music, swim and cook out.