It’s no secret that Frisco is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, due in large part to its attractiveness to young families. Frisco has some of the best schools and teachers around, there are plenty of activities to keep families busy and entertained, and Frisco’s many restaurants and shopping opportunities are second to none.

But in addition to being an amazing place to live, it’s the people- the individuals, the couples, families, and even the small, local businesses- that make Frisco truly special. Frisco is blessed with an abundance of good people who are over-the-top friendly, kind, and passionate about their community. And it’s no surprise that it’s local moms who foster those community connections, helping our growing city maintain its small town feel. I recently spoke with some local moms to learn more about them, their families, and their place in Frisco.

Meet Hillary Wysong! Hillary is married to her college sweetheart, Brian, and is an incredible mom to two precious kiddos, an 8-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son. Hillary is also a graphic artist for locally-based Tumbleweed TexStyles, of which her husband Brian is co-owner. In her role as graphic designer, Hillary creates products and marketing designs for the Texas-inspired apparel and lifestyle brand, which you can see in the TWT flagship Downtown Frisco store (7511 Main Street) or online. Between using her talents as a graphic designer and being a supermom to a busy toddler and a special-needs daughter, Hillary is also actively involved in serving others through her local church, the Miracle League of Frisco, and the Frisco Education Foundation.

Question: Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from, how have you come to live in Frisco, and what is your family life like?
Hillary: I grew up in Sugar Land, southwest of Houston, and graduated with my Communication Design degree from Texas Tech out in Lubbock. There I met my husband, Brian, at a church event. He was a marketing major and we always talked about how amazing it would be to own a business where he would do the marketing and I would create the design work. It took us a few years, but we finally got there! 

After graduating we got married and he got a marketing position at a company in Dallas and encouraged me to pursue design and photography. I started my own design and photography business, which I loved and did for about 7 years. However, it was difficult to find a work/family balance, especially after we had our daughter. By that time we had moved to Frisco, Brian had been teaching a few years, and I joined him in education, becoming a marketing, art, and animation teacher. I taught for six years before taking the plunge to go full time with Brian and Tumbleweed. It is amazing looking back and seeing all the pieces from the journey feed into where we are now!

By the time our daughter was about 6 months old, it was obvious that she was missing developmental milestones, and after visiting a geneticist we discovered that she has partial trisomy of the #4 and #13 chromosomes. Essentially, she has an extra chromosome that was causing her developmental delays and other issues that we would later discover. We were devastated by the news and felt like the rug had been pulled out from under us. The geneticist herself could not give us an idea of what to expect for our daughter’s future, since there was literally only one other recorded case that was the exact same as hers. 

Like most parents, we envisioned our child to be the best at everything - a world class all-around athlete, graduating top of her class, talented artist, and a musical prodigy (although where she would have gotten any sort of musical talent is beyond me). And like most parents, we have had to learn to let go of those things to let her be who she is meant to be. That has turned out to be someone who loves her family more than anything, who is fiercely protective of her little brother, with a talent for problem solving, a sharp memory, and a laugh that is hands-down my favorite sound in the whole world.

Question: As a mom, what do you love about raising kids in Frisco? What makes Frisco a special place for your family?
Hillary: We have lived in Frisco for six years now. For our family, one of the biggest draws of the community is the support and resources for special needs- the Miracle League, the Seeds of Hope ministry (so amazing!) at Hope Fellowship, and of course the SPED program are a few. Another thing we love is how small it feels, even though it has grown exponentially. It seems like we can’t go anywhere without running into someone we know! 

Question: What are your favorite things to do with your family in Frisco?
Hillary: We are a foodie family, so eating at local restaurants is a big thing for us. There is so much good food in Frisco! We love going for walks and playing at the parks. Hope Park [an all-abilities playground at Frisco Commons] and Limestone Quarry are two of our favorites. 

Next up, meet Ashley Miller! Ashley is a long-time Frisco resident, along with her husband, Justin, and their two darling kids. Ashley works in public relations for the Frisco-based National Breast Cancer Foundation, where she works tirelessly to help women and families going through breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. She is also heavily involved in the Frisco community, sitting on the boards of multiple local non-profit organizations and business networks. Ashley is the friendly face of Frisco in so many ways, and will always take a moment out of her busy day to encourage and inspire people in the community and beyond.

Question: Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from, how have you come to live in Frisco, and what is your family life like?
Ashley: My name is Ashley, and I’m originally from West Monroe, Louisiana. Even a true Cajun at heart finds their way to Texas! My husband Justin and I have lived in Frisco for 12 years now and we are so proud to call Frisco HOME. I relocated to Sports City, USA, for a job after obtaining my Mass Communications degree with a concentration in Public Relations. We have two kiddos- a 3-year-old daughter and a 1-year-old son, and two rescue pups.

I am the Director of Public Relations for the National Breast Cancer Foundation headquartered right here in Frisco! I am proud to serve as Mayor Cheney’s Campaign Manager, on the Board of Directors for the Frisco Chamber of Commerce and on the Board for Melody of Hope [a local non-profit organization that uses the power of music to bring people together regardless of background or beliefs]. You can find me around town most weekends emceeing local events, concerts and volunteering to bridge gaps in our community.

Question: As a mom, what do you love about raising kids in Frisco? What makes Frisco a special place for your family?
Ashley: Frisco is the ideal place to raise a family. We have so many kid-friendly restaurants, parks and community events. We are blessed to have city leaders that understand and appreciate the importance of a strong school district relationship, affording us outstanding education pathways and a bright future for our children. This was a must for our family! Wa are also proud to raise out children in a city that thrives and attracts world class talent across the board. They will have the opportunities to live, work and play alongside the best of the best as they grow personally and professionally.

One of my favorite Frisco gems is the mom tribe and community that so openly welcomed me when our first child blessed our family almost 4 years ago. It could be a Mom group at our church, Hope Fellowship, an after naptime gathering of moms in our neighborhood or even a hyperlocal Frisco Moms Group on Facebook. They all operate to empower one another and to act as counsel when it is needed most- when our coffee cups are empty and our wine glasses need a refill. These ladies have saved me countless times and for that, I am forever grateful.

Question: What are your favorite things to do with your family in Frisco?
Ashley: Our family thrives in all things sports, music and food. We spend most of our time outdoors as our daughter is actively engaged in sports and other activities to keep her moving and learning. Although he’s only 1, our son has overwhelmingly decided he is an outdoor boy. He loves stroller rides at local parks, watching his big sister score goals on the weekend and busting a move to local music on restaurant patios. We seek out restaurants that have kid-friendly environments and live local music. Some of our greatest memories have been made watching our children discover the art of music. We love finding new adventures and areas to explore at area parks as well as attending local professional sporting events as a family while we cheer on our home teams. Frisco provides so many opportunities to create safe and timeless memories we won’t soon forget.

And finally, meet Amy Kryzak! Yes, yours truly- I’m a local Frisco mom, too! I have been married to Jeph for 11 years and we have two kiddos, an 8-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son. In my before-kids life, I held a variety of roles in higher education, including advising undergraduate and graduate students, as well as editing theses and dissertations for doctoral candidates. I became a stay-at-home mom when my daughter was born in 2012, then decided to brush off my writing skills and start my blog, Frisco Mom Life, about two years ago. I love being involved in the Frisco community through my church and local non-profit organizations, and am also a freelance contributing writer to Frisco Style Magazine, the Collin County Moms blog, and the Visit Frisco blog. Basically, #iheartfrisco.

Question: Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from, how have you come to live in Frisco, and what is your family life like?
Amy: I grew up in Conroe, north of Houston, and graduated with a Masters degree in English from Texas Tech University in 2008. While at Texas Tech, I met my husband, Jeph, and married him in 2010. Jeph and I moved from Dallas to Frisco in 2011 and have lived in the same house here for 10 years! We’ve gone from waking up to the mooing of cows in an adjacent field to seeing our immediate community and infrastructure change and expand to meet the needs of a growing and thriving city.

Our kids attend our neighborhood elementary school, where our daughter is in 2nd grade and our son is in kindergarten. Despite neither Jeph nor I being particularly sporty (I was in marching band, he was the high school mascot), our kids are nuts about sports, particularly soccer. So you’ll see us carting them to and from practices several times a week, and cheering at the soccer fields most weekends as they live out their soccer star dreams, and us vicariously through them.

Question: As a mom, what do you love about raising kids in Frisco? What makes Frisco a special place for your family?
Amy: As a mom, my top priority is the welfare of my kids. Frisco goes above and beyond offering our family a safe and healthy place to live; it provides us with vibrancy, diversity, and excitement! We love attending our local church and building community there. I also volunteer with the Frisco-based National Breast Cancer Foundation and have been able to introduce my kids to NBCF’s very important work and mission as well. I love that there are so many opportunities to help others and to learn about people and cultures different from our own here. Frisco also keeps up on our toes. Between dozens of local parks, playgrounds, and adventures, life in Frisco is never dull. I appreciate being able to offer my kids so many fun and unique experiences without having to leave our “Frisco bubble.”

Question: What are your favorite things to do with your family in Frisco?
Amy: We love being outside! The aforementioned super active kids spend hours on their scooters at the Northeast Community Park skate park. We also love a good Rail District patio in the spring. When the Texas weather doesn’t cooperate, we like to visit Frisco museums, like Sci-Tech Discovery Center, the National Videogame Museum, and TrainTopia.

Moms are so special. We may all walk different paths and have different life experiences, but our love for our families and our communities connect us all together. Happy Mother’s Day to my fellow Frisco moms!

This Mother's Day Blog was compiled by Frisco Mom Life in partnership with Tumbleweed TexStyles.