A Day In The Life of Angi Martin
When I think of momma Angi Martin, the phrase full of life immediately come to mind. I came across her instagram a year ago when I was waiting for Brody's arrival. The joy, truth, and love she shares about family and motherhood often bring me to tears. She has mastered a way to appreciate the chaos of motherhood, to celebrate the little things, to love big. Her mantra "making the memories I want them to have" rings loud and clear on a daily basis. Between raising seven children, homeschooling, and juggling soccer practices, art lessons and more--Angi rocks at motherhood. I am so excited to have the sweet Martin family sharing a peek into a day in their life in Westerville, Ohio.
By The Numbers
The Daily Grind
8:30 am The Blonde Ambition tour arrives in my bedroom for a wakeup call in the form of a trio of little girls. There's usually a fair amount of loving and cuddling before we begin our day. If their small bodies need a spark to start, this is it. And it's mine too. (I'm lying. Mine needs caffeine.)
9:01 am My husband takes the kids downstairs and performs breakfast magic. I don't really know what goes on and that's the magic part! I'm left to pull myself together in a bit of peace which is so good because it's likely the last time I will be alone for the next 12 hours or so. (A busy mother's "alone time" is quite like a magical unicorn lost deep inside a grove of fruitful money trees.)
9:58 am Since he worked from home this morning, I was able to do some extra tiding upstairs, picking up the rooms a bit and unloading the laundry baskets that are forever mocking me from their lineup in the hallway.
10:00 am While I cleanup the breakfast magic, my older kids begin their school day. I shift back and forth between each of them as they need help, dump out copious amounts of toys and manipulatives and puzzles on the floor for my preschooler and toddler and I pray no one scribbles on the couch with a Sharpie or gets stuck in the chimney or swallows a quarter. I work and I pray. Pretty much the sum total of motherhood.
11:45 am Just in time, a delivery of fresh fruit and produce from Door to Door Organics! I've begun using this company to help me do a mid-week restock of the things we are quick to run low on and fruits and vegetables tops that list. This saves me a trip to the grocery store which is like putting time in my pocket to spend somewhere else. (I also utilize Stitch Fix to pad my wardrobe, Rocksbox for amazing accessories, and Amazon Prime for everything else. I don't have much free time for errands and I would rather have my eyes removed than to take five little kids shopping. NO. NEVER.)
12 pm Lunch time! There's always an air of pandemonium during the lunch hour no matter how hard I try to keep it at bay. But whenever you pack a kitchen full of little helpers, you're bound to wade into an ocean of organized chaos.
And if I'm honest, that's kind of what we do best.
12:40 pm While the kids eat, I try and pull the kitchen together as best I can before leaving for my daughter's art class. I've cut it too close, I'm late (I'm always late), but the older kids know the drill. My 14-year-old cleans up the baby and puts her down for a nap while my 10-year-old begins the breakfast and lunch dishes. (We try to do two big clean-ups a day and this is one of them. The other is after dinner.) Together they wipe down the table and kitchen counters, sweep the floor, pick up any miscellaneous toys, and then they may have free time until I come home.
1:00 pm Car schooling with my 8-year-old while my 5-year-old attends art class. We spend 45 minutes taking turns reading aloud from books. I enjoyed this hour so much---I'm always looking for little pockets of one on one time.
2:11 pm I'm home and the house looks amazing. The dishes are done and the kitchen and family room have been restored to a reasonable glory. I say hello to everyone, scoop up my three-year-old, and whisk her off to bed for stories and a nap. Nine minutes later, she's sound asleep. It's free time now for the two kids that had come with me and already I can hear snacks being opened. So much for that cleaned-up kitchen! The older two start their afternoon schoolwork. I use some of the quiet time to write this post.
3:30 pm A quick text exchange with my oldest son who's off at college. A mother never stops mothering, even with those that have flown the coop. There's nothing so special as making and keeping this connection.
4:00 pm Finished up bookwork for my Kindy, 2nd, and 5th graders. All that's left are early readers and chapter books at bedtimes. Though to be honest, I can't get my 5-year-old off of Reading Eggs so anytime there's an iPad available, she's working independently on her reading skills. It's been such a tremendously helpful resource for us! My 8th grader wraps up his day on his own, making sure he's completed the required hours (we use an online school for him) and closing out any lingering assignments.
4:45 pm I'd normally spend the next 30 minutes getting my 5-year-old ready for soccer practice and heading out the door until just after 7pm but it was canceled tonight! Happy dance because I have just been gifted a chunk of time back at home with everyone and we use this time wisely---everybody outside!
6:30 pm Dad's home and we all gather in the kitchen to prepare dinner. Cooking together is a huge way for us to reconnect after a busy day.
7:15 pm I take the two littlest girls for a bath while everyone else finishes up making dinner and sets the table. Lucky me, this is also when I (re)clean the bathroom they cleaned over the weekend and fold a load of laundry. Strike while the iron's hot and all that jazz.
8:00 pm Dinner's on the table, everyone is bathed and jammied and all rooms are tidied for the end of the day. It's been wonderful but I'm so ready for bed. For THEIR beds.
8:45 pm My husband and two older kids tackle the dishes and the substantial kitchen cleanup, run the vacuum, and close up shop while I brush three sets of tiny teeth and read 378 stories. There's no way this tuck-in is it, but we're on our way. Only nine more tuck-ins and 17 empty threats to go!
9:14 pm I can still hear them cleaning downstairs so I sneak into the shower. I don't have time for this during the day so the night-time routine works for me. I am absolutely ignoring the giggles I hear in the hallway. Literally. I HEAR NOTHING.
10:05 pm The rest of everything is done and everyone is finally in bed. Charlie and I sit down at the table with decafs and a few topics to discuss. The end of day is often the only time we get to really communicate about the kids and us, schedules and important to-do's---our family's various needs. It's quiet and cozy and we're both really filled up from a long, beautiful day.
We won't make it to bed before midnight most likely but this part we don't rush because it's our time, together and alone, talking and reading, scrolling social medias, watching tv.
I'm always exhausted in a hands full, heart full kind of way when I climb into bed but too, already anticipating the dawn.
Brand-new days bring brand-new adventures.
And I love mothering this big brood of mine.
This time we have together growing as a family, it's forever my favorite gift.
Connect With Angi
Instagram @angimartin
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