Facebook????

At what stage did I become such an avid Facebook user????

I don't recall who introduced me to FB but I remember checking it out for the first time.... at that stage I didn't have many "friends" from the real world on there, and really I didn't get what the hype was about and was quite bored with it.....fast forward 5+ years and I now have a love/hate relationship with this thing that has people saying when you first meet them "hey, look me up on Facebook" .....

As for me, I use FB daily, you will often find me scrolling through my phone to check the latest news feeds whilst waiting at swimming lessons, dance lessons, breast feeding and standing at the stove, to see if anything has happened I may need to know about.....I LOVE FB for staying in touch with friends, and as bad as that sounds, what I mean is that (lets face it) our lives are busy and I (we) dont have an hour daily to STOP and catch up with friends over the phone (and thats just if I had only one friend)....so the convenience (eeek....did I really say that!!??) of being able to send a friend a HI message or a random <3 to let them know I am thinking of them works for me.....I can also do this at 1am if I want where I can't really ring people at that time.....its also nice to catch up with "old" friends, those that due to life moving in different directions I just dont have a lot to do with anymore, however, I still enjoy seeing what they are up to & watching their families grow.....from a business perspective it is brilliant....I have mentioned before how simply unaffordable advertising is for a small business like me and how nearly impossible it is to get an editorial or something similar, so to have friends/fans/followers of my book on FB is priceless....they can introduce friends to me and my book, they can offer advice to me and others when needed, and best of all they support me and encourage me to keep creating recipes to share.....

The reason for my FB blog today came about by my daily happenings this morning...hubby left early for work, my big girls were getting ready for school, the twins were in the high chair munching away on breakfast and I decided to make myself a coffee, when I discover that the "knob that heats and froths my milk" (yes thats the technical term of it) is broken and *GASP* I can't make my coffee.....and MY first thoughts.....OMG I MUST POST THIS ON FB......
Ok so now you can almost see the shocked look and questioning I gave myself.....WHY????? Why MUST you, Collette, update on FB that you can't make your morning coffee.....will the FB world fall apart if you dont update this....will someone come rushing to your rescue and make you a coffee or fix your machine....will people sit back and laugh and tell you to suck it up....or will people say "oh poor you".....and I wonder how many "LIKES" I would have got!!??

I love my morning coffee! Especially on the days Josh can make them!

I then starting thinking way too deeply  (another *GASP* moment I know) about the world of FB that we live in and some obsess in..... I have 218 friends of which some I haven't seen in years, some would probably pass me in the street, some have never commented on anything or 'liked' anything and probably wouldn't know it if I even deleted them, a heap of them are not a 'fan' of my COTC FB page which is interesting if they actually were a true friend, only about 4 people share my COTC page when I ask, 1 only ever comments if I spell something wrong or say something wrong, about a dozen I have blocked from seeing my photos as I don't want to be 'mean' and delete them as a friend, but hey, I don't want them seeing photos of my kids ha ha! Then there is the whole concept of "pretening" you're off line even though you're not, so people don't interupt you with "chatting", the people that update EVERY thing.....just sneezed, went to the letterbox, stubbed my toes, sneezed again.....the ones that only update negative or "poor me" statuses, the ones that have a vent and bitch about someone but wont say actually what happened or what it was but will talk in circles because they think they are being clever, but crap, I'm certain the person they are talking about knows its them being bitched about! Then there are the sticky beaks, the ones that never ring, never sms, never private message, sometimes comment on a photo but you know (or at least you think you know) that they are simply on there to sticky beak.

I get stupidly hurt with FB and it has nothing to do with me being a slighty oversensitive and sometimes hormonal female (I think my hubby just died from laughing too much) I mostly get annoyed when people don't comment when I think they should or when I think they are having their "fix" of me and my family via FB and therefore don't feel the need to see us in 'real' life, becasuse they already know what we have been upto.....which takes me back to my statement of having a love/hate relationship with FB......yet I continue to go back....I continue to post photos, update statuses, click LIKE and comment on others posts and send randoms <3 to friends.....WHY? Because there are some people on that list of 218 personal friends that ARE friends, that like to see my photos, that i like to chat with & keep in touch with & you know its not just about sticky beaking....and of course there are people that simply make me SMILE and brighten my days.....and I hope to do the same for them......

So, I'm off to post on FB that I have blogged & incase your worried about the coffee situation, its ok, I am happy to say I was quite inventive & made myself a black coffee & simply heated the milk like the "old days " aka the microwave! ha ha he he!

Take Care Of You,
Coll x

WOW!

WOW! Well it seems I opened a "can of worms" with this recent photo I posted on Facebook......

I bought Lamb Shanks for dinner last night....came home from the butchers to find this....hair! Now posting this on FB was for one reason only.....not to cause a debate as to wether we should be killing animals or eating meat....and not to make people turn away from eating meat.....but merely as a "OMG could this be worse timing" after my recent blog of being in a mentally "bad" place with not wanting to eat meat......Now I KNOW what a Lamb Shank was before it lands on my table....Im not that naive, however, lets face it, if your struggling as it is with eating meat....this is not going to encourage you! I had NO hesitation in still cooking it....never was I going to waste it and I certainly didnt plan on offending people by posting this photo....so...I bravely asked hubby to cut the hair off (whilst I was rocking back and forth in the middle of the kitchen floor! ha ha he he) then marinated it for 5 hours and slow cooked it for 3 in the oven before plating up a scrumptious meal......which was SSSSOOOOOOOO good that you are going to have to wait for the recipe! ;-)

We are having friends over for dinner tonight and I am wondering at what time in my life did I stop doing a BBQ with salad on the side when friends came over and start spending almost 2 days creating recipes and cooking for it.....tonight I am serving Soup for starters, 2 mains and dessert and a delish treat for coffee! I know the answer to this questions and it comes along with the encouraging emails and messages I get from people loving my book "Cut out the Crap" ....and the people that can't wait for "Cut out the Crap for Kids" ..... and not to forget the BUZZ i get myself from creating these meals and being able to eat such wonderful food still even thought I have so many allergies! Fingers crossed my Guinea Pigs, oh, I mean friends, love my creations of recipes tonight and that they will get safely popped aside for my "recipe testers" to try out and then wait in anticipation to be photographed for COTC3! It really is a long process creating a recipe book like these......but the daily encouragement from people still buying my book keeps me going.....I simply want to reach out and share this beautiful food with the world and have them know that you can cut out all this "crap" and still enjoy nutritious and mouth watering meals.

Take Care Of You,
Coll x

A VERY Chilli Sauce I made with a touch of sweetness!

Bubbas asleep so I take 10 minutes to stop and sit out the front with a cuppa and peice of freshly iced Date Slice from COTC! Mmmmmmm......

Got to love this....my little man trying to walk in my Ugh Boots! Too cute!

Fighting with myself!

So it seems I am in a battle with myself at the moment.....one part of my mind fighting with the other part, such a typical Gemini.....if you don't know me all that well, you are about to learn more about my crazy ways....and for those that do know me, I'm sure you will have a wee little giggle to yourself, and hopefully you will say "yep that's the Collette we know and love"

So....for the last month I have been battling with not wanting to eat meat....which includes chicken....but funny enough not fish.....
Why.....well its insane really....(I don't want to be locked away for saying this out loud but I must for you to understand).....I was watching TV and cow looked deep into my eyes and was not impressed that I eat him (or her!?) he he ha ha.....after a month of dealing with this in my own mind, it really is funny to say out loud.....I suddenly had a strange connection to animals and the thought of eating meat or chicken literally turned my stomach and made me sad....now I'm not the smartest person around, but I am smart enough to know that there are benefits of eating meat, especially for someone like me that already is so limited with what I can and can't eat....I have also said for a while now that I think I could easily be a vegetarian except I can't eat tomato, mushroom, corn and lentils only in moderation.....and these are a huge part of vegetarian meals.....sorry I'm side tracking.....so I know it's great for Protein, Iron etc......

Anyway...my battle.....overly emotional and slighly wacky side of me saying NO don't eat these animals that are getting killed.....verses the slightly less emotional (!!) side that is often black and white that says "thats what they were created for" and "your body needs it" .......

Ahhh....so last night I took a deep breath, bought Scotch Fillet for the BBQ and asked hubby to make mine BLACK! and I ate it.....and look I'm still alive ha ha ha ha!

Do you eat meat? Do you not think of where it is coming from? I have put out there in Facebook world the question of Kangaroo....do you eat it? It is something I have NEVER been able to bring myself to even taste....especially seen as though its best served medium.....oh no......

Would love to hear from you....join me on FB.....or log in to become a follower of my blog so I know who I am talking to......and don't forget to do something everyday that makes you smile.....and CUT OUT THE CRAP!

Take Care Of You,
Coll x

A few recipes to share :-)

Hello! We had a friends Cocktail 40th Birthday Party on Saturday night! I helped with the setting up (and packing up at 1pm!) and I also helped by making 200 finger food peices.
I made 100 Chicken and Dill rounds and 100 Bruschetta Cups. I dont have "exact" recipes but I will put them here for you and then taste as you go.

Chicken and Dill Rounds (this made 100)
1 kg Chicken Breast Fillets - boiled until thoroughly cooked
2 servings homemade Mayo (from COTC page 34)
2 bunches dill
1 bunch chives
Juice of 1-2 lemons
good pinch of salt
5 telegraph cucumbers - each cut into 20 peices

Make Mayo and set aside in a medium bowl.
In a large food processor place the chicken, dill, chives, and salt and process until "shredded"
Mix the chicken mixture in with the mayonaisse and add lemon juice to taste.

Serve on top of cucumber rounds. So fresh and delicious!

CHICKEN AND DILL ROUNDS

Bruschetta Cups (this makes 100)
5-6 loaves of bread
2kg tomatoes
2 bunches of basil
6 french shallots
juice of 1-2 lemons
good pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 190c.
Using a rolling pin, flatten each peice of bread. Using a large scone cutter, cut round out of each peice. Place bread rounds into a muffin tray and bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes. The result will be cute little "bread cups"

In a large bowl place the diced tomato, finely shredded basil, diced shallots, salt and lemon juice to taste. Mix well.

Just before serving, place spoon fulls of tomato mixture into the bread cups.

Tips: I made 2 lots of the Guacamole from CUT OUT THE CRAP (PAGE 22) and dolloped on top also. Another option it to add diced avocado to the tomato mix.

PREPARING BREAD CASES

BRUSCHETTA CUPS

JOSH AND I ALL DRESSED UP FOR A CHILD FREE FUN NIGHT!

WITH 2 OF MY BEST FRIENDS - ALLY AND JANE

Hope you enjoy! Im sure you will!

Take Care Of You,
Coll x

Happy Easter and School Holidays!

Hello! Happy Easter to you all (even though it is a few days late) and I hope this finds you all enjoying your school holidays. I know that I am one of these Mums that LOVE school holidays....the sleep ins, the Pyjama days, the quality time with my girls when they are growing up way too quickly!

We had a beautiful Easter long weekend, going to the Easter Show Good Friday and seeing family and friends at different times over the next few days, and of course remebering the whole reason behind Easter.

My big girl danced at the Easter Show and I was a SUPER PROUD MUMMA!!!!!! She does BJP Physie and at 5.50pm on Good Friday they (almost 300 of them) did a performance in the main arena, it was just amazing! My sister did it also, which was wonderful for them to be able to share that experience of running onto the main arena together!

I am beside myself with excitement that the printer has my Artwork for my book and I have paid the deposit......so CUT OUT THE CRAP FOR KIDS is a matter of weeks away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope this finds you all well, and you enjoy seeing these photos of my last few days.......

Take Care Of You,
Coll xxx

My big girl is there somewhere!

My big girl is in the front row on the grass......a Mum always knows her child!

My one and only ride (at 10.30pm) and it was 'only' a giant slippery dip and still I was scared! I dont like heights! Lucky my girls were there to hold my hand!

My baby girls first ever ride (once again 10.30pm!) She LOVED it!

My baby boys first ever ride - with the help from Nan x

I love it!   "Take my Easter Egg Dad and you are in HUGE trouble!"

My twins - growing up ever so quickly - Easter night. My little boy is now walking!

Joshs dinner one night - fresh salad topped with Zucchini Fritters, egg and Chilli sauce :-)
Zucchini Fritters are in COTC

Snuggles with my baby girl at the Easter Show