The Best Fall Floral Dress

Greetings, loved ones! Happy fall!

I hope you're indulging in big, fat cups of pumpkin whatevers, and jumping into all the leaf piles. While wearing your boots and plaid scarves, of course. (Let your basic flag fllllyyyy!)

I've been complaining about enjoying the 80 degree weather that refuses to let go of summer. The sun is in denial about the seasons. It's like that girlfriend or boyfriend who just will not admit that it is OVER. EL FIN. KAPUT.

I think I found a way to compromise with this California inferno when all I want to do is wear beanies and waffle-knit pajamas. And it comes in the form of this Old Navy dress.  Consider this my PSA that this is the most cozy, soft, and feminine fall floral dress. It's flowy, it's showy, and I will not be taking it off. Oh, and it's under $30 right now. Winning!

Buy the dress here. And those amazing thermal jammies I was talking about here—I bought the striped pink. Oh, and if you are looking for a pair of gorgeous investment booties you will just want to hold and caress, buy these Free People booties. I've already tried them on FIVE times and I'm finally taking the plunge. Yahoo!

The Butter Half Shop!

Hi friends! How's it going?

Life has been BIZ-AY! I've been burning the midnight oil, literally and figuratively, over at The Butter Half. Between creating and testing recipes, working on shoots and my new shop, my schedule is full. And so is my heart and soul! I love working on projects and tackling goals.

I met one of my first huge goals and finally launched my Butter Half shop! I sell punny food tees and totes, because those are my main loves in life (beside my family and Netflix).



Aren't they cuuuute? It's a good everyday tee with a little extra summin' summin' and the totes are perfect for your farmer's market hauls this summer.

Would love for you to go check out the shop! Use code MISOHAPPY10 for 10% off your entire purchase. Code valid through Wednesday at 11:59pm PST.

Happy shopping!

The Most Flattering Swimsuits For A Mom

Praise the high heavens because this mama finally found herself a flattering swimsuit!

Working out and doing the Bikini Body Guide has helped tone up my body, which obviously helps things fit better, but the cut of this suit is made for pulling in and sitting at all the right places. It is the Retro Ruched One-Piece Swimsuit in Midnight Black Stripe from Garnet Hill. I cannot recommend it enough should you be on the hunt for a flattering one piece. I have some junk in the trunk, and it doesn't cut in on my booty either.

I am thinking about getting the floral or blue paisley one, too. And they are on sale for $78 right now. It is worth every penny, and I think you get a 15% off coupon for signing up for their emails.
Also, this rose floral tankini looks like a winner.

Hope this helps if you are looking for a cute suit that helps out that post-baby body! Happy shopping!

A Random Thing Or Two-sday

Forever 21 Twisted Band Wool Fedora Hat
Forever 21 Relaxed Chambray Blouse
H&M Giraffe Print Tank Top
Zara White Denim
Forever 21 Round Sunglasses
Forever 21 Black Ankle Booties
31 Bits Gold Bracelet c/o

1. Being a mom means jumping for joy when you find the perfect everyday button up to wear. And it means you probably shouldn't wear white pants if you like them to stay white. Just sayin'.

2. Fact: Bubble wrap was originally designed to be used as wallpaper (source). That is hilarious to me. It would actually make great wallpaper at our house since we have a certain one-year-old who crashes head first into the walls at least three times per day.

3. I guess the emoji powers that be WERE listening to me when I requested new ones last week (see #3)! (Insert winky face and smug face emoji.) How are we feeling about the update? Love seeing that they have all races in there for the people. Still no unicorn or bacon, but I guess Rome wasn't built in a day.

4. Speaking of bacon, we went to Sidecar Doughnuts in Costa Mesa today with our favorite lady crew and it was everything it was cracked up to be. Bacon maple! Strawberry buttermilk! Girl Scout cookie Samoas! And peanut butter chocolate banana! Oh, there were more, but I will save those for another time. All things in moderation, yes?

5. Would you rather watch a movie with a picture but no sound, or a movie with sound but no picture?

A Random Thing Or Two-sday

Sheinside Embroidered Dress
Target Sandals

1. I love a good embroidered dress, especially one from Free People. Buuuutttt, those are a little pricey, and I heard a tip from a fellow friend and blogger about how Sheinside basically makes the knock-off versions. Naturally, I thought I'd try it out to see if it was worth it because I am always down for a deal! Here are my two cents: The dress photographs beautifully and is great for a few wears, but the quality is not that great. The material is cheap and I had to trim loose threads on almost all of the embroidered flowers. (Yeah, that's like, 150 flowers.) I have a Free People embroidered dress to which I am comparing it (and I got mine for a steal at TJ Maxx) and I would definitely say save up your pennies for the real deal if you are wanting one for spring and summer, and you plan on wearing it more than four or five times. But, the cheaper version might work for you if you want it for family photos or for a specific occasion. Either way, you will have to twirl in it, because what's a dress good for if it doesn't have twirling capabilities?

2. Fact: The odds of having twins are 1 in 33. The odds of delivering triplets or other multiples shoot up to 1 in 539 (source). Call me crazy, but I would LOVE twins.

3. I've been thinking about emojis a lot lately. (I know, such a deep and complex thing to ponder!) Mostly I have just been thinking how it is time they released a whole new arsenal of emojis. Emoji makers, if you are reading this, please include my wishlist for consideration: unicorn, fingers crossed, middle finger, cupcake, pregnant lady, more clothing and shoe options in general, running girl, bacon, hot dog, CHEESE, a legitimate high five, and a Netflix one for good measure.

4. Yesterday I saw a lady wreck a brand new Lexus. A brand new Lexus that she was TEST DRIVING. She literally was about to make a left-hand turn back into the dealership and then basically totalled the whole front left side of the car. Thankfully nobody was hurt (besides that poor car). But could you imagine? That is always the one thing I have always freaked over in my mind when test driving a car. What if I crash it?! Will I have to pay for it? Will they make me answer phones until it is paid off?! Honestly, though. Would you have to pay for it, or does your insurance cover it? Or does the dealership have insurance? I don't know these things, but I suppose I should educate myself on the matter. Be safe while driving, folks!

5. Would you rather have cotton candy for hair or have licorice-dispensing fingertips?

A Random Thing Or Two-sday

Old Navy Striped Shift Dress
Forever 21 Paint Splatter Cap
Converse Chuck Taylor Low Sneakers

1. This is my soccer mom outfit. Meaning, this is the outfit Luke, Wes and I played soccer in with a 2 inch ball. Luke is fantastically talented at kicking the ball in a straight line. He was more accurate than I was! Not sure that is saying much, but I think the boy has a future in the sport. Also, this outfit is comfy and good for mom duties in the heat. (Yes, it has been in the 80s here! Phoooey!)

2. Fact: By the age of two, a baby has had their diaper changed an average of 7,300 times. With the average speed of each diaper change at around two minutes, that would add up to three 40 hour work weeks (source)!

3. I went ahead and looked to see who won The Bachelor before watching it. I feel like it got a little boring toward the middle anyway, and I am WAY more excited about the next Bachelorettes! Yes! Plural! I am #teamkaitlyn for sure.

4. Today we are headed to Ojai for an overnight trip with some friends! It's going to be three gals and four babies out exploring! I've been wanting to go to Ojai for years now, and we are finally making it happen. You can follow along our quick adventure on Instagram!

5. Would you rather have silly string fly out of your nose whenever you sneeze or squirt orange juice out of your mouth whenever you yawn?

Antelope Shoes Giveaway!

Hooray! Today is the day for long-awaited Antelope Shoes giveaway!

You have probably seen their boots lining the shelves of Anthropologie and I am here to vouch that they are AMAZING. The quality, the design, the brand—all of it. I give them five gold stars!

Today one of you lucky gals is going to win a pair of boots or shoes of your choice! Any pair!! I had a hard time choosing between my clog ankle booties, and these leather ankle booties with the beautiful cutout, so good luck on deciding which ones are your favorite ;) In a dream world, I would like one of everything, but I think I am going to treat myself to a pair of these platform wedges for the spring and summer. (Also, you can see how I styled my clog booties last week for a boho look!)

If you can't wait for the giveaway to end and you absolutely must have a pair of boots or shoes immediately, be sure to sign up for their newsletter at the bottom left of the Antelope Shoes homepage and you will get 5% off your order. Oh, and they have free shipping which is another reason to love them.

Okay, go enter the giveaway in the widget below! I'm crossing my fingers for you! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Random Thing Or Two-sday

Ronen Chen Tunic
LOFT Duster Vest
LOFT Distressed Boyfriend Jeans
Antelope Ankle Clog Booties c/o
Anthropologie Hat
Make Pie Not War Necklace via Mommy Mailbox
Gorjana Twist Cuff via Rocksbox (use code ABBEYBFF3 for a free month!)

1. The 70's called, and told me they love my outfit, but that they want it back. And then I told them no, because this is probably one of my newest favorite outfit creations. Do you ever get in those funks where you just have no idea how to piece together new looks with the same clothes that have been sitting in your closet for years? I've been going through a major one (hence the absence of these posts for the last two weeks) but inspiration decided to strike at 2 am on Sunday night, er, Monday morning technically. I think I need to get a big Polaroid camera like Cher Horowitz and start photographing all of the looks I put together in those moments. Anyway, these Antelope clog booties are absolutely fantastic. You've probably seen a selection of their boots in Anthropologie. Everything they make is beautiful, so I am happy to announce we will be giving away a pair of any Antelope shoes or boots of your choice next week! Stay tuned!

2. Fact: The "ma" sound is one of the first things babies are able to vocalize, and it is found in almost every language. It's mom in English, maman in French, mamī in Punjabi, me in Vietnamese (source). They all have the same sound, so that is where the word mom or mother got its name. I love that motherhood is truly a universal thing, united in its love and purpose.

3. So, what did we think about the Oscars? Here are my thoughts ... a) Neil Patrick Harris tried his best, but I didn't really think he was all that great. I was mostly bored during his bits. But hey, that would be an incredibly stressful event to host, so kudos for attempting it, Neil! b) Lady Gaga CRUSHED. IT. I was not much of a Gaga fan before, but after her mind-blowing tribute performance of The Sound of Music my heart changed. c) Ole' Goop a.k.a. Gwyneth Paltrow's dress was absolutely my favorite of the night. It reminded me of her 1999 dress—pale pink is totally her color. d) Eddie Redmayne, I love you and want to kiss those darling freckled cheeks of yours. I love it when actors are genuinely surprised and thrilled and gracious.

4. Upon waking up from my weekly nap on Sunday, I thought to myself, Are Sunday naps a Mormon thing? You know, like weird obsessions with Diet Coke and dirty Dr. Peppers, or Cafe Rio sweet pork and Pinterest? Just peruse your Instagram or Twitter on Sunday and 50% of the posts from your Mormon friends are about naps. Am I right? I'm just gonna give myself some credit here and say I am. But the question is why? Have we performed a mild hypnosis on our brains and circadian rhythms to fall asleep right after church? Do all of the emotions associated with church take a physical toll on our bodies? Is it sheer boredom? WHAT IS IT?

5. Would you rather have to walk down the red carpet naked or vomit all over the place during your acceptance speech?

P.S. Heel clicks, because it's a rite of passage when you get your first pair of clogs.


P.P.S. I was sneaky and captured Matt the Fashion Blogger in the wild! Mwaahaha! Also, I desperately want to reenact Sia's "Elastic Heart" video, but Matt won't agree to it. I am telling you, it would be hilariously AWESOME. I really think we could have an incredible parody YouTube channel, but it is just going to take some stealth and convincing. Send me your good persuasion juju, k?

A Random Thing Or Two-sday

Vintage Overalls
LOFT Striped Top
Anthropologie Hat
LOFT Round Sunglasses

1. I am up in Heber at my parents' house and my mom and I have been rummaging through old suitcases containing my grandma's clothes. My mom found these overalls and immediately thought of me. And since overalls are oh-so-trendy, I thought I'd give my hand at the farmer-chic thing. These vintage babies are from the 1940's and they were my Grandma Nellie's working overalls. See the shed I am standing in front of? She more than likely wore these while she toiled and labored away in there (and to clean the chimney, according to my mom), so it was a fun blast of nostalgia bringing them back to life.

2. Fact: A group of cats is called a clowder (source).

3. False nostalgia, or having a nostalgia for a time we never lived in, is an incredibly fascinating concept to me. The definition of nostalgia is "a sentimental longing or wistful association for the past, specifically for a period or place with happy associations." So how is it we can intensely long for something that has never personally happened to us? We don't truly know what it was like to be in that time period. I guess it is simply another case of the-grass-is-always-greener, but in reverse. (Am I making any sense? It's more like a Rambly Thing Or Two-sday! Hardy har har.)

4. So I almost literally peed my pants the other day. I had a 30 minute drive before I made it home, and I thought I was going to LOSE. IT. By the last five minutes I was sweating profusely, had the A/C on full blast, and was doing Lamaze-type breathing. The funny thing is that I had just gone to the bathroom right before I left! Having babies has straight up wrecked my bladder control. I often wonder if it worse because of my c-section, or if it is just having kids in general? Please tell me I am not the only one!

5. Would you rather trade bodies with your significant other for a week or trade places with one of your children (or niece or nephew) for a day? Take note that your mental capacities are still the same, so beware!

A Random Thing Or Two-sday

Vegan Leather Jacket (similar)
LOFT White Cotton Tee
LOFT Modern Skinny Jeans in Black
Vans 'Classic' Slip-On Sneaker
Target Knit Beanie

1. These photos are probably some of my favorite "style" photos I have taken. It is an honest portrayal of motherhood and what it looks like behind the scenes. Kids with no pants on crawling up your legs and a lot of goofiness. I like it. In other news, these slip ons have been in my closet since I was 16. Another way of putting that is they have been in my closet for over a decade. When did I get so OLD?! Either way, I am glad I held onto them, but still slightly weirded out that I officially have items in my closet which are old enough to have gone through the cycle of going out of fashion and then back in again.

2. Fact: A baby is born in the world every three seconds (source).

3. I know I mostly talk about The Bachelor on my Facebook and Twitter, but I just have to spill it on here, too. This season is driving me bonkers. I had high hopes for Prince Farming, but the cheese factor on this season is through the roof. Like, someone set a rocket into space through the roof. Again, this can probably be attributed to the fact that I am getting older and am now older than half of the girls. But, still. It seems so staged! And I haven't watched last night's episode, so no spoilers!

4. As I was driving home today, I pulled up next to a guy at a red light. At first it looked like he was head banging and jamming out to some funky music all by his lonesome. I was thinking, Whoa this guy likes to party! It brought a huge smile to my face. But then I saw some tiny hands flailing in the back seat and rolled my car forward a couple inches to see the cutest little boy intently copying his dad's dance moves. Even though there were lots of people who could see them, it was just the two of them in their own father-son world, and it reminded how precious that bond with a dad is. I love witnessing small, yet powerful, human connections like that.

5. Would you rather age only from the neck up or age only from the neck down?