OConnor Tracy - Everyday chic: my secrets for entertaining, organizing, and decorating at home

TO THE SUPERSINGLES,

SUPERMOMMAS, AND SUPERMOMMAS-TO-BE...

Trust the journey and embrace the happy mess.

TO MY FAMILY, TO SCOTT,

AND TO MY TRIBE OF FIVE...

You are my magic and my everything.

AND TO MY GIRL TRIBE...

You are my village. You keep me sane,

you keep me smiling, and you keep sh*t real.

How I went from a single girl who stored cashmere sweaters in her oven to an entertaining expert, organization guru, home chef (sort of), and blessed mother of three! Ive been lucky enough to learn from the expertsa group of incredibly talented chefs, interior designers, party planners, and home stylistsall of whom have taught me so much. Ive mined their best advice, and Im going to share it with you in this book! My team is your team.

Feeding my family of five is no small task. I fully acknowledge that putting healthy meals on the table, day in and day out, is a lot of work! But after lots of trial, error, and study, Ive got an arsenal of time- and sanity-saving tips, tricks, recipes, and techniques up my oven mitt.

At this point, Ive planned more dinner parties, birthday parties, and baby and bridal showers than I can count. An elegant printed menu or a beautifully set table makes my heart melt. Entertaining takes effortbut Ill give you the tools to make it look effortless and to entertain like a pro.

Your home is the heartbeat of your family. Kick cluttermental and physicalto the curb and have a family plan for keeping things organized and Zen. As a wife, parent, mother, and friend, Im always a work in progress, but as I earn my stripes, Id like to share some of the wisdom that comes with it with you.

Id rather buy a dresser than a dress. I tear up at the sight of a sconce. I am obsessed with interior design. So lets get down to the brass tacks and discuss the essentials for putting together a functional and stylish home that you and your family will love.

Lets support one another and recognize once and for allthere is no such thing as perfection. Perfection is a unicorn! Work hard, do your best, and shoot for the stars. But most important, focus on what matters most: have some fun, live with heart, and build meaningful, honest relationships with yourself and others.

H ello, everyday supermodels and supermommas! Do you remember your single days? I know I do, and how things have changed! Its actually pretty incredible how fast life moves. Let me bring you up to speed on mine. (Are you sitting down? You might want to be.) Over the past five years, Ive gone from being a singleton with more free hours in the day than Carrie Bradshaw has high heels, to a mother of three who takes thirty-seven-second showers. Whether you have kids or not (but especially if you have kids), you will immediately relate to how drastically life changes from your twenties to your thirties and beyond.

For me, this change has been rapid fire. In five years, I got engaged, then married, then I had baby #1 (boy), baby #2 (girl), and now, baby #3 (boy), all while still caring for my three original canine babies. In that same time, I also started a blog and a YouTube channel, hosted television shows, and published a bestselling book. Ive celebrated my career achievements and cheered on my husbands, and Ive walked the red carpet (usually while pregnant, good times!). Ive also changed more diapers than I care to count (pretty sure I need to change one right now); made kiddie Halloween costumes by hand; (sort of) planned a wedding, baby showers, birthday parties, and dinner parties; and designed, renovated, and even built a house from the ground up. Phew! Girls Night Out has suddenly become Moms Night In (aka Come on over and lets drink wine and talk about the insane preschool application process). My titles and responsibilities have grown exponentially (as did my waistline during pregnancy #1seventy-two pounds for those of you who didnt know), and the learning curve has been steep. As in, Brian Atwood stiletto heel steep. Now thats steep.

Gia Canali

Brian Wright

Gia Canali

Erica Hampton

Nothing could have prepared me for the 24/7 marathon/roller-coaster ride known as motherhood.

I like to think that Im always up for a challenge, but nothing could have prepared me for the 24/7 marathon/roller-coaster ride known as motherhood. My acting/hosting/modeling schedule has often been grueling, but it did nothing to prepare me for sleep deprivation, temper tantrums, and the insane, out-of-this-world, heart-bursting L-O-V-E I have for these eating, sleeping, pooping mini-people with big, beautiful eyes that stare into your soul (but usually just want a snack. Right?). Daily, its a mental, physical, and spiritual ropes course, harder than Barrys Bootcamp and Bikram yoga combined. One minute Im headed out the door for a meeting and the next Im cleaning projectile vomit off my floor. And my blouse. And shoes. Inside, Im ugly crying. Like really, really, really ugly crying.

All this has changed me, and you know what? I wouldnt change any of it for the world. I am happier. More capable. More loving. More forgiving. More patient. More kind. And more open. I have to tap in and dig deep often. It is truly the hardest job in the world, but the most meaningful one, and somehow I feel more me than I ever have. As my roles and my joys have grown, I feel more complete. Im inspired to do more because I want to be morefor my baby boys and my baby girl. They are my number-one priority. I absolutely continue to chase my professional goals, I nurture close friendships, and I strive be a great partner to my husband and to be the best daughter I can be to my parents. I take pride in all that. But being a supermomma and nurturing our superfamily is my absolute favorite gig. It is deeply satisfying and rewarding, if at times traumatizing (and I mean that in the best way possible).

Gia Canali

As my priorities have shifted, home has truly become my happy place. It is Grand Central Station, St. Peters Basilica, Disneyland, and the Grand Canyon all rolled into one. I love my tribe with every last vessel in my trying-to-age-gracefully body. I feel so lucky and so blessed to have them, which is why I put so much energy and enthusiasm into our home. A home is about so much more than wood, steel, paint colors, fixtures, and floors (though I love all those things too, and well get to them!). The way a home functions, the way it feels, what we do in it, and how we care for itthese things are truly important.