5 Vinez Monkeys Blog

I came to know Angie in March 2009 and have enjoyed working with her ever since. Her blog is all about her experiences raising her 5 children and I learn a lot from reading her posts. I wonder how she does it all – raising 5 kids, home schooling them and maintaining her blog! I am sure she must be great at scheduling and managing her time. This interview will give an opportunity to our readers to get to know Angie and learn more about her blog.

Interview with Angie Vinez

1.    What is the name of your blog? What do you blog about?

My Blog is 5 Vinez Monkeys which is named for my 5 little monkeys. I blog about a little bit of everything: Life with a large family, photography, living in a rural area, and I host lots of product reviews and giveaways.

2.    What do you most enjoy about blogging?

Being introduced to fantastic products that I haven’t ever heard of before. I absolutely love finding new businesses that are run by other moms. As a mompreneuer myself, I love getting these moms in the spotlight.

3.    How did you get into blogging?

My very first blog, as pitiful as it was, started as a way to keep family updated on my pregnancy with Lucy (my 4^th). I loved it so much, that I started other blogs – one for my business, and one to keep track of the funny things my kids say, among others. When I found out I was pregnant with Parker, and we were hundreds of miles away from family and friends, I wanted to keep them all updated on the pregnancy and the kids.

4.    What are the challenges you face as a blogger?

Saying No. I love writing product reviews and finding out about new companies, but it gets to be a lot of work. As a mom of 5, finding time to sit and write the posts for these reviews is difficult. It means I’m awake, working, when I should be sleeping.

5.    How would you describe yourself in one sentence?

Easy-going, fun-loving, caring, devoted wife and mother who loves her family and her God.

6.    What do you do for FUN?

Lots of things. But, my absolute favorite thing to do is walk the trails in our beautiful mountains.

7.    Are you a full-time mom? What else do you do other than blogging?

I am a full time mom, definitely, especially since my 1 year old still isn’t sleeping through the night. Aside from blogging, I run a photography business, a web, graphic, and blog design business, and I am super active in my church and my community. I obviously love to be busy!

8.    How would you describe your children?

My kids are awesome. It’s funny how different they are from each other. Ashley is super shy and ultra girly. She loves math, and she loves making things with her hands. Zander is my little artist. He’ll sit and draw for hours. Jace is my daredevil. He’s not afraid of anything, and he’s had the broken arms to prove it. Lucy is not shy at all. She loves to sing to anyone who will listen, and she’s my rough-and-tumble kinda girl. She loves to get dirty and play right along with her brothers. Parker is my baby, but he is quickly showing his independence. He still snuggles with his mommy, but he wants desperately to keep up with all his older siblings.

9.    What are some activities that you enjoy with your children?

My absolute favorite activity is reading with them. We also love playing outside, hiking through the mountains, and, of course, playing the wii.

10. What is your proudest moment as a mom?

I can’t pick just one moment. I am so proud and so lucky to be a mom to these wonderful kids. Every day, they all do something that makes me proud to be called their Mama.

11.  What are the challenges you face as a mom?

The biggest challenge is dinner time. Finding something that will make all 5 kids (and my husband!) happy, is almost impossible. I get so tired of hearing the “I don’t like that!”s before they’ve even tried the meal! I really dread dinner time, unless we’re ordering a pizza!

12.  Do you have any parenting advice for other moms?

Don’t ever be afraid to ask for help. Being a mom to 1 or 10 can be exhausting, and it’s ok to need to take a break. Asking someone to keep the kids for an hour so you can nap can make all the difference in the world. Just make sure that you actually NAP during that hour. The dishes will still be there when you get up. Sleep is a precious commodity when you‘re a mom.

13.  How do you balance your busy life?

I schedule everything. Because I homeschool and work from home, I have to plan my day to the minute. Now, anyone with kids knows that schedules don’t always get followed, but I sure try. My day starts at 5:30, and doesn’t usually end until around 1. I’ve learned to live on little sleep, but it allows me to get plenty of time with my kids and my husband.

14.  Have you made any friends through your blog? Have you met any of them in person?

I’ve made so many friends through blogging, it’s almost unbelievable! There are some amazing mom bloggers out there! While I haven’t met any of my blogging friends in person (YET!), I have gotten many of my real-life friends hooked on blogging.

15.  What advice do you have for other busy mom bloggers like you?

Just remember that family comes first. Always. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to blog that you forget why you’re doing it. (Hopefully for fun, right?)

Thanks to Angie for sharing her thoughts and experiences which will help other moms and mom bloggers like her. 5 Vinez Monkeys blog was chosen as the 2009 winner of the MagnaPlay Best Mom Blog Contest. Do visit Angie’s blog for some great parenting tips and giveaways!