Making Your Life at Home Easier
Hello and welcome to my blog! At One Happy Housewife you can find simple solutions for making your life at home easier. Here you will find simple, no-fail recipes that are delicious and family-friendly as well as easy to follow organization and cleaning tips to help you maintain a clean and tidy home. I’ve even sprinkled in some family travel tips to help you enjoy your time away from home. I can’t wait for you to look around!
Meet One Happy Housewife
I’m Valerie and I’m One Happy Housewife! God has blessed me with an amazing husband and five wonderful (most of the time) children. I am originally from Honduras but have called beautiful Texas home for the past 8 years. My husband of 18 years and my children are my life. I love cleaning, organizing, baking, home decorating, going on dates with my hubby, and planning out and making lists for everything! I’m lucky enough to be a housewife and stay-at-home mom and do what I love every day.
I Wanted to Be Just Like My Mom
Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to be a housewife and a stay-at-home mom. I remember always thinking I wanted to be just like my mother. She kept the house immaculate, and always decorated to perfection. She was always an amazing hostess, serving such delicious and tasty looking things every time we had company. My mom never rested it seemed. She was always doing something around the house. I can’t remember a day that she wasn’t waiting for me at the door when I came home from school. I was lucky to have grown up with a mom like her. So in my eyes, there was nothing better for me to be when I grew up.
I Also Wanted to Be Like My Dad
The thing is, I also wanted to be like my dad! Successful businessman and ever so organized! My father also got me started playing tennis, which for my teenage years was my life. I constantly traveled to play tournaments. I was lucky enough to visit some great places and meet some amazing people along the way. At the age of 16, I made the tough decision to leave home and go live in Florida at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. It was tough leaving my family, but it was the perfect decision for me at that time. My 2 years at the academy taught me to be independent and reinforced my dad’s teachings of hard work. So with the thought of following his footsteps, I finished high school and went on to study business and economics at Southern Methodist University, in Dallas, TX.
I Met My Best Friend and Soul Mate
With hard work and determination, I graduated with honors in 1998. More important than that though, I also met my husband Ryan two weeks before school started our freshman year. It was love at first sight, and I was lucky enough to go through my 4 years of college with my best friend and soul mate. Ryan and I got married the summer after graduation, and thus started my life as a housewife!
We Started Our New Life
We lived in Dallas for a short while as newlyweds. It was tough being away from both of our families, but we were thrilled to be starting our new life. Ryan worked long hours to support us and I was at home being a housewife, but feeling a little lonely. We went for a month-long visit to Honduras and it was then that we experienced the joy of being close to family and the much more relaxed pace of life down there. Immediately, we were hooked and knew that’s where we wanted to be.
We Made a Move to the Tropics
After only a short year in Dallas, we decided to move to Honduras and work in my father’s construction business. We lived in Honduras for 10 years. Our two oldest children were born there. We were blessed to work with my dad, which made it ideal for raising our boys. They would either come with us to the office or they’d stay with my mom in her house, which was 30 seconds away. I learned so much working with my dad. He was always so organized. His office was an impressive display of organization and lifetime achievements. Everything had a place, and he always had a to-do list on his desk, always! He would say “You can’t forget it, if you have it written on your list!” One of my favorite tasks while working with him was taking his half crossed out lists and making them into his new list. To this day, he and I still make lists everyday, with the items we have completed perfectly crossed out.
Heading Back to Texas
In 2008, we decided to pack up and move back to the US. Since the boys were of school age, I thought I’d go to work and give teaching a try. I worked as a substitute teacher for a little while and they soon offered me a full-time position teaching high school Spanish. As luck would have it though, God decided to send us a little surprise, our third boy! Ryan and I decided it would be best for me to once again stay at home so we could raise our new baby the same way we had our older ones. I don’t regret that decision one bit!
God Calls Us on a New Journey
Last year, God led us on another journey. He was calling us to adopt a child. We always talked about adoption, but never felt it was the right time. This time though, God was being loud and clear. So we decided we wanted to adopt one older girl. Of course, as is always the case, God had other plans for us, and we adopted not one child, but two, a 10-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy. Add these two to our 15, 13, and 5-year-olds and here we are with 5 children! What an adventure it has been. It has not been an easy road but things have finally begun to settle down.
Taking the Plunge Into Blogging
For many years now, I have wanted to share so many ideas, tips, and recipes that I’ve learned in all my years of being a housewife and a stay-at-home mom. I felt like there was no better time than now! I hope with this blog I can help you make your days at home a little easier and happier. Join me as I share some of my favorite things and tips on all things home!
Thanks for visiting and I hope that just like me, you can also be One Happy Housewife!
Quick & Easy Recipes
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Hello Valerie. It is so great to come.across your website. I found it as I have been searching about Honduras. Like your father I work in construction as a project manager. I am moving to San Pedro Sula for about 3 years to build a project. My wife and 4 girls, ages 7-12 will be moving with me as well. We are all so excited. Our plans have been delayed because of Covid-19 otherwise I would already be there making plans for the rest of the family. I love to cook and so I enjoy seeing your authentic Honduran food. I’d love to learn more about Honduras from you as I make plans for our family. We also lived many years in Houston so your posts about traveling to and from San Antonio are fun reminders of rhe same places our family loved to visit.
Hi Matthew! I appreciate you stopping by the blog and reading! How exciting about your move! Please stay safe! I wish you and your family the best in Honduras and do let me know if you have any questions. Happy to answer anything about living down there. You can use the contact me form as well. Thanks again for stopping by!
Hey There, Valerie. It’s Memorial Day Weekend and along with ribs, Boston butt and various brats- cooking chili. Was going to do your recent email recipe. However, the chili is really for a working young friend with no time to cook. Will opt for an older recipe on the site we’ve done a doze times. Bless you. Have a wonderful weekend.
The Alabama Boy,
Jerry Crowder
Hi Jerry! Hope your friend enjoys the chili! Have a great long weekend!
Hi Valerie, My husband is from Honduras and we live in on the east coast! I never would have imagined I’d marry a hispanic but God always has the best plan for us:) I have never travelled there but I’m sure it’s a beautiful country. I would really love some quick recipes—where the ingredients are minimal and easy to find. Thank you for your wonderful story may God bless you continually!!
Hi! Thank you for stopping by and reading! It is a beautiful country indeed! Most of my recipes are very easy and use simple ingredients. I hope you find something you love! I have several Honduran recipes here: https://www.onehappyhousewife.com/honduran-recipes/ Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!
Hi Valerie, my daughter and I travel to Honduras in the summer on a missions trip, this will be our 4th year. We have a passion for Honduras and her people!❤❤ I enjoyed your story, too bad I live in PA, I would ask you to come and speak at our moms group at our church.
Can you share any more Honduran IP recipes?
Many thanks!
Julie
Hi Julie! I miss Honduras and its people! Unfortunately, it’s too dangerous to live there now. It makes me sad. I have a great list of Honduran recipes, you can find it here: https://www.onehappyhousewife.com/honduran-recipes/ Hope you try some and enjoy them! I’ll be creating more this coming year. I appreciate you stopping by the blog. Happy Thanksgiving!
At 78 years old I decided that I want to start cooking something other than routine or mundane meals. I bought an instant pot and taking a cooking class and I’m also doing a lot of research in YouTube and Google looking for interesting and tasty recipes to try. I ran across Valerie’s recipe for flan and decided I had to give it a try. I went out and bought all the things she recommended and tonight I made my first flan. I put it in the refrigerator (did not peek) and tomorrow morning I’m going to see if at my age I can follow directions! I found her recipes very detailed and easy to follow. I intend to look for more of her recipes.
Hi Chuck! I’m so proud of you for trying something new and jumping right in! I hope the flan turned out amazing. Do let me know. I appreciate your kind words and hope you find many other recipes to try! Thank you for stopping by.
Now I see who I want to grow up to be like looks like! Wonderful! Beautiful!
God Bless you and your beautiful family!
From a fellow Honduran, stay at home mom of four living the dream in Key West, FL.
Manny blessings!
Hi Iris! Thank you so much for your kind words! I appreciate you stopping by the blog and many blessings to you!
Hi VK,
I’ll never get tired of reading your blog and telling you what a beautiful experience it is to read its content, it surely makes my day when I come across your writing!! As you mentioned, today is Independence Day in Honduras and your publication of great Honduran recipes!! Thanks, Val. WW
Thank you WW!! It was fun posting Honduran recipes! Hugs! VK
Hi Valerie, It took me forever to visit your blog. Very professional. Look forward to trying all your great ideas I my new home. God bless, Marge
Hi Marge! I appreciate you stopping by the blog! Congrats on the new home and keep in touch!
I am ever so thankful I found your site and more thankful that you take the time to make these Monthly plans with fabulous recipes! Please know that your efforts and hard work are not for nothing! I appreciate you.
Hi Kim! Thank you so much for your kind words! I really appreciate it. It makes me very happy to know my content is helpful to you! Thanks for stopping by the blog!
Valerie, I’m so glad I discovered you! I recently bought an Instant Pot–it’s still in the box!–and tonight found your helpful video, which led me to your website.
I loved reading about your and your family and your faith journey. Don’t you love the adventurous and unexpected ways God leads us?
Blessings to you and your family!
P.S. Have you ever read the book The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer? I enjoyed it when I was a young mom raising my three sons, and I think you would appreciate it.
Hi Judy! Thank you so much for your comment! I’m so glad you found me too! God definitely has unexpected plans for us, every step of the way. I appreciate the blessings, and I’m sending them right back to you. I have never read that book, I’ll have to look it up. Thank you so much for stopping by the blog and I hope your Instant Pot is out of the box and getting some good use!
So wonderful to hear from you, Valerie–thanks! Unfortunately, my Instant Pot is still in the box, since other things have been more pressing lately. And I’ve been distracted by the fire down the canyon from where I live in the Sierras–still a long ways away, thankfully–but I know several of the people who have lost their homes in Paradise. I’m praying that God will bring beauty out of the ashes, as only he can.
I do look forward to enjoying the use of my new purchase soon! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Prayers for your safety! Happy Thanksgiving Judy!