24/07/2022

Oh me, oh my. How funny that in my last post I said I wanted to write consistently throughout my pregnancy to document it all.

Well, it’s already over! Our little man joined us earth side three weeks early but the whole pregnancy honestly flew by. It’s crazy that one day you have a little babe inside you and the next day you don’t. And then it feels like he’s always been here, living with us even though its only been two weeks. So, yes, it’s been a whirlwind but we are wrapped up in the newborn bliss. We love giving his little face kisses, watching his little eyes try to adjust to the world around him. I love sleeping next to him, his little hands holding my chest. When he cries and you have to figure out what it is he is trying to tell you (it’s usually that he is hungry).

Figuring out this new life has been pretty exciting. I can’t wait to create our new memories together, all the firsts that we will experience as a family. And to be honest, I expected to be a little more tired, a little more flustered. I feel like people spook you about having a child, saying you’ll never sleep again or that your house will turn to ruin. And sure, there are moments where the washing gets missed, the dishes stay dirty but honestly it’s not as scary as people make it out to be. Being gentle with yourself and remembering that everything can wait is important. But I think it’s also important to hear that you can do it, having a baby is a big change however it’s not as daunting as it may seem. A few things that really help is learning to accept the help. Take the offers to have your house cleaned or dinner cooked. And also try EVERYTHING. You don’t know what your baby will like or be willing to do. So just give everything a try, even if it’s not ‘in the books’. Take what works for you and leave the rest.

And lastly, enjoy these new moments. They grow so fast and change so much. Don’t feel like you have to do anything other than sit and stare at your baby - because that’s all that matters.

01/03/2022

If you are anywhere in SEQ or Northern NSW you would have been (or still are) affected by the most recent floods. It seemed too have just come out of nowhere, blindsiding all of us. While there are thousands still just trying to survive, watching their homes and belongs get destroyed by nature, the sunshine coast has already begun it’s clean up.

There are two things I have taken away from this latest disaster. The first is that Mother Nature cannot be controlled. She is powerful and defiant. constantly reminding us that she can do whatever she wants. I am always in awe of how this world works. How one minute it can be pouring rain and the next blue skies. It really brings our ‘worldly’ issues into perspective.

The second thing I have taken from this is how incredibly lucky we are to live in this country. There is a pedestrian bridge that crosses a river just as you exit our town. For two days, it was completely submerged as the river rushed over it, trapping debris all throughout its handrails. As the waters subsided and the bridge became visible again, I noticed that it was impassable. The railings had been bent and broke by the force of the river, logs and rubbish had been snagged and now covered the path through. Not a major issue, and I thought it would perhaps be repaired in a week or so, when the council ‘got around to it’. As I was returning from my grocery trip (an event that took over three hours), I looked over at the bridge just to have another look at the damage. Only there was none. The rubbish and debris had been cleaned up and the railings repaired. Now you may not think much of this at all but for me, it was such a sharp reminder of how blessed we are as a nation. Something that may seem so insignificant was so quickly attended to. In fact, as I drove the streets, I saw the flashing lights of repair works everywhere. Washed away roads where quickly being fixed, bridges cleared and repaired, potholes filled in. Even on the Sunday, one day after the worst of it (that Sunshine Coast got) I saw council workers already repairing what they could.

For those of you who have grown up in Australia, you wouldn’t really think twice about this. Actually, you are probably thinking ‘so they should that’s what we pay taxes for’. And yes, it is. But for a lot of countries around the world (where taxes are still paid) this would be unbelievable.

There is no perfect government, in fact I don’t actually believe there ever will be. But I can safely say we have a pretty good one. Is there room for improvement? Yes, there always is and will be in very aspect of life. But what we have, how we live is so good. We are so blessed in this country and the saddest part about it is that most of us don’t even realise it. Being an immigrant makes you recognise the abundance that this nation has and gives back to its people because you know how the other side lives.

So, in all of this devastation that is still to come when the water recedes and communities start to rebuild, we must try to remember how lucky we still are. Nothing is insignificant and that little bridge symbolises that.

15/02/2022

It is currently wet season. Summer in Queensland is usually pretty rainy however I feel like this weather has been extra wet. And when it isn’t raining, it’s hot. So hot that you feel slow, sluggish, unable to be outside for more than 20 minutes. It could be the pregnancy (most likely) or the weather but lately I have been feeling extra lazy. And I hate feeling lazy. There is a special kind of guilt that lingers over you when you know you should be doing something but you aren’t. And even when you try to do it, you can’t for the life of you remember what it is.

Also, we are in a weird kind of limbo stage on our property. We are waiting until March to complete all of the major outdoor renovations we have planned (oh boy is it going to look so good!), hopefully by then this rain will be dying down and the gorgeous winter weather will be approaching us.

Also, I am waiting until Autumn has started to plant my next lot of vegetables. Summer seemed to have ruined me and my garden (or was it getting pregnant??) and for the life of me I can’t seem to get myself back out there. But I will, when it’s not so rainy or hot…

Last year was my trial year I decided. I did well, I got a lot of produce out of not really knowing what I was doing but this year, this year I’ll be better. I’ll plant smarter and stay on top of it. There is no better feeling than growing and eating your own food, it really is magic.

But again, I feel lazy. Today has already slipped past me and the most I’ve done is shower and write this blog post. Why is it I wake up with the best intentions but struggle to follow through at the moment? Is it just me or are others feeling this funk?

Perhaps today is a lost cause and tomorrow will bring more productivity (although I think it will just bring more rain). Here’s hoping anyway. The next post I write will hopefully have more productive stories from all the things I have accomplished between now and then.

02/02/2022

Wow, what a break I’ve had! You know when life seems to be steaming rolling ahead and all you can do is hang on and try and enjoy the ride? Well that’s kinda how I have felt these last few weeks. It feels like just yesterday is was the lead up to Christmas but somehow we are already in the second month of the year?

So much has been happening for us! Shane and I are expecting our first child, a little boy due at the end of July. To say we are excited is an understatement. I’m so excited to meet this little guy, see who he looks most like (I hope he gets his fathers good looks tbh) and to see what his personality will be. But before all of that we have to get through pregnancy. And I’ll be honest, I’ve actually had it pretty good. There was about 4 weeks at the start where I was constantly nauseous, throwing up and just down right exhausted. But after I hit that 12 week mark I started to feel much better. I know this isn’t the case for everyone, some women really suffer with morning sickness and for a lot longer too, so I was pretty thankful even when I didn’t feel my best.

Now I am just in that awkward stage of being pregnant but not really feeling it (besides being hungry. all. the. damn. time.) and looking like I may just be gaining weight instead of growing a baby! It’s weird that you actually crave getting a belly, like the proper pregnant belly, not the weird bloated one I have now.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about what will happen to my body. Will I get stretch marks? Will my nipples ever go back to normal (those areola’s are growing!), will I struggle after birth to lose the weight? Things that seems superficial and probably won’t even cross my mind once he is here but things that I do find myself thinking about. It’s only normal to wonder what’s going to happen and how it’ll change who you are. How we look is such a big identity of who we are, whether we admit it or not. I’m not saying it’s a good or a bad thing, but it is part of who I am. The way I have always looked is going to change and possibly may never come back - it’s something I’m still processing.

I am grateful, however, for my body. For the fact that we fell pregnant relatively easily. For the fact that it can create and grow a whole other being. For my husband, who will love me and my body for bringing our son into the world. I’m excited to start our family but I am definitely enjoying these last moments of just us.

I have also made a conscious decision to start documenting our next chapter and journey on here! I have been beyond slack but I really want to remember these moments. I want to be able to read back on this time, remember my feelings, my thoughts, what we went through.

So here’s to the next chapter, being open and honest as we navigate new beginnings.

With love, The Brews x

05/11/2021

Wow. Time really is flying past me. I felt like I only just shared in here not that long ago, after looking at my last post I realise how much time has passed!

We have been so busy with the property lately. We finally got our concrete poured in the yard, it was a massive job that we are beyond happy with! Everything seems to be coming together so wonderfully. We are currently just waiting for a break in the rain so we can paint the outside of our shed, goodbye cream - hello brown!

Besides that, Shane has been flat out with work. Honestly, we are so thankful for the blessings he has had since starting out on his own. And the Christmas rush is really in full swing now. Which brings me to another topic - CHRISTMAS!

It is definitely my favourite time of year, so much so that I already have my Christmas tree up. We have a wonderful time planned too for this year. We get to host Christmas Eve Dinner with our family, although we were hoping to have Shane’s sisters up from Melbourne to join us, that isn’t the case. However, we do get to go down (fingers, toes and everything else crossed that we actually can) and see them a few days after Christmas!! We fly down with Shane’s parents too, which means the Brew clan will be back together again, something that hasn’t happened since Christmas last year! We couldn’t be more excited to visit them all, bonus points for there being a new puppy in their lives that I will smother with love (minus points that my niece Ava might actually be taller than me at only NINE years old - how is that even happening!).

We have so much to look forward to before the year is up. But before then we also have SO much work to get done on the property. We are going to be building our bar area soon, super excited to see that all come to life. And I am currently waiting on a load of stone to be delivered that will be covering my vegetable garden and around our outdoor fireplace / dance-floor!

It is not m usual practice to add photos to this blog, but the concrete we had poured a little while ago deserves so much love and attention so I will be placing images below.

And on the note, I think it’s time to get back outside to work!

15/08/2021

Last week we lost our dog Chester. It has been a hard week, coming to terms with it all and letting go. He was such a massive part of our lives and had been there through so any significant parts. It’s hard to explain, especially to people who don’t own pets, just how much they can impact your life.

Chester was the best dog I could of ever asked for. He was so well behaved, like he truly understood whatever was asked of him (except ‘shake’ and ‘roll-over’ those were beneath him). He was also the cutest looking boy, with his little hidden ears and smiling face. Everyone who saw him or met him fell in love instantly. He gave us ten years of love and joy, and for that I’ll always be thankful.

His passing is a harsh reminder of how fragile life can be. How it can be taken away at any moment, for any reason. How we are never guaranteed tomorrow. And yet as humans, we constantly seem to forget this, letting anger linger too long or stubbornness get the better of you. Having death constantly on your mind is no way to live, but taking that extra second to give your pets a cuddle before you leave the house could be the last time you touch them. I know it was for me.

I will always be thankful for having such a loyal and loving companion who stuck by me through everything. I have reminded myself that he lived a blessed life with so much love, that many animals don’t get. Even though I didn’t get to say goodbye to him, I hope he knew in his final moments how much I would always love him.

Even as I write this, tears burn hot in the back of my eyes. I think animals make us realise how flawed we are. They show us unconditional love, instant forgiveness, constant joy over the smallest things. These attributes of selflessness are what make dogs truly a man’s best friend.

So, to my sweet boy Chester, you will forever be in our hearts. We loved you more than you could ever know, and would do anything to have one more kiss from you. We take comfort in the thought that you are up in doggo heaven, having the best time and waiting patiently for your owners to meet you up there too.

We love you so much Chester. To ‘The Goodest Boy’ that ever lived.

Chester Heathcote-Brew 26.10.2011 - 09.08.2021

05/08/2021

Coming to you live from another lockdown. Queensland has been very lucky when it comes to restrictions. In fact, we haven’t actually had a lot during this whole pandemic. Nevertheless, it has been a global struggle as we navigate this new era in our history.

There is a lot of information out there right now. It’s really hard to know what to believe, to not let the fear drive you and to be thankful. So, in saying that I am going to list some things that I am thankful for.

I am thankful for my husband. I feel so blessed to be doing this current lockdown with him. As cheesy as it may sound, he really is my best friend. So being unable to see anyone else besides him actually hasn’t been hard. Sure, we drive each other crazy sometimes but honestly could not imagine doing this with anyone else.

I am thankful for where I live. We are extremely blessed to live on some acreage, which has really helped. There is always something to keep us busy, something to look at, room for the dogs to run around. But I am also thankful for the country we live in. There are so many places in the world that have suffered HORRIBLY during this time and I think as a collective nation we take our country for granted.

I am thankful for the first world luxuries that we have access too. Internet, streaming services, food deliveries, heating, the list could go on. Coming from a country that has such a high poverty rate (South Africa), I am constantly grateful for all the things we have available to us. I understand how tough these times have been, I am a Wedding Planner and this pandemic has really destroyed a lot of our industries. People are angry and upset. People are frustrated. And I get it. But we can’t live in it. We have to acknowledge our feelings (they are validated) but we have to also have some self-awareness. We have to recognise what we have, that so many people around the world do not. It’s so easy to forget how lucky we are here in Australia. Is the government perfect? No, heck no! Is it better than most other governments out there? Yep, yep, yep. Centrelink, Jobkeeper, Medicare - these things are a luxury that I will never not be thankful for.

But most importantly, I am thankful that my immediate family has not had Covid. If that is the only thing you can be thankful for, I think that’s a pretty great one. I know so many people have brushed it off, and to be fair so have I. “If I got covid I would be fine”, sound familiar? But what if you weren’t? What if your mother, father, brother, sister, child or grandparent wasn’t ok? I think we forget that, as much as we talk about it being ‘just another flu’, a lot of families have lost loved ones because of it. And if you haven’t, well that’s a pretty awesome reason to be thankful.

This pandemic has taught our generation so much. For so long we have only ever heard stories of the struggles our parents and grandparents had to live through. Civil Wars, The Great Depression, World Wars, The Holocaust. This is the first time in our life time that something has truely stopped the world. And as horrible as it has been, I can tell you that I am so thankful to be going through it in this time of history. Where we can Facetime loved ones, order whatever food we want, watch whatever shows or movies we want, have access to electricity. It can be hard to look at yourself and be objective. It can be hard when you are angry and hurting and losing money to have a grateful mindset. But it is imperative that we do. Everything happens for you, not to you. The sooner you realise that the quicker you can change how you view everything.

So, what are you thankful for today? Big or small there is always something in your life to be thankful for, let’s not forget it.

16/06/2021

Where has this year gone? I feel like we should still be in March… not June. I honestly can’t believe how quickly time has gone. We have only been on our little farm for about 6 months yet it feels like a lifetime already.

Today, we have some landscaping getting done in the yard. I can’t wait for this to be completed because it is going to look so awesome! We are also giving the inside of the house a paint touch up. Currently we have deep pink and blue walls (not at all our thing) so just going over everything in white to freshen it up until we can renovate. I can’t wait to one renovate our house, although I fear that may be a few years away now.

I have been really focusing on enjoying the small things in life. I have filled my days with family, gardening and playing with the dogs. Life is often too short and this world that we live in applauds the ‘burnt-out busy’. I don’t get it. Sure, I love when work is flat-out and we are creating magic. But no sleep? So busy you can’t even see family? Working yourself sick? Not for me. I think we should bring back the culture of slowness. Not laziness, don’t get me wrong. But just removing the guilt if you want a day to walk on the beach, drink coffee and read a book.

We are going away camping with the family this weekend for my brothers birthday. I can’t wait to have this precious time with the family, making new memories. I’ll be sure to report back on the campsite. It, unfortunately, isn’t dog friendly so all the family dogs (six in total) are going to have a holiday at the Grandparents house. We have a dog sitter coming to stay with them but they will have 4 days of river swims, running, sleeping and general dog business. They will love it.

Then when we get home we have to repair a broken pipe in our septic tank, will keep you updated on how that goes as we have never done anything like it before!

I really am going to try be more consistent on here. I have just let life get the better of me, but not anymore (see above about slowness not laziness….)

Until next time!

17/04/2012

This last week has been a roller coaster. It’s funny how when tragedy strikes, you really reassess what is important in life. You realise your job isn’t really that important. Money isn’t really that important. Social engagements aren’t really that important. All that really matters is the health and safety of the ones you love. It also reminds you how wonderful family and friends are. We were once again reminded of all the incredible people we have in our life.

Our family, on both sides, being willing to stop anything to help us out. Our friends, who checked in on us daily and offered us a place to stay and a warm meal. Everything else just feels like white noise. It’s so un-important, but it can be all consuming. And it’s sad that it takes something big to make you realise what you value most.

Shane got burnt pretty badly in a fire gone wrong. There was so much on top of it once he got to hospital that just added to the stress and severity of it. After a week in hospital, I have him home and in the end that is all that really matters. And even though he still has a long way to go in his recovery, we are both just so thankful that it wasn’t worse.

Life is short, it’s never guaranteed and it’s so fragile. It can be ended at any moment, for any reason and yet we all try to ignore that. It’s scary to think about, and I pray that I have many days ahead of me but I’m going to try and live more fully. I don’t want to take for granted everything that I have, even when I feel like it’s not much. I want to start loving more, fighting less with my husband, letting the little things go quicker. It’s much easier said than done, but being reminded of it helps.

So, on that note - go and hug your loved ones a little tighter, slow down and just be. Everything else can wait.

16/03/2021

The weather outside is probably my favourite right now. It’s rainy and grey and there’s a chill in the air. It’s the kind of weather that makes you want to stay in bed all day, reading a book and drinking multiple cups of coffee. It’s the perfect napping weather. It’s the perfect weather for watching movies all day.

I don’t know why this kind of weather makes me so happy but it does. I think it’s because it forces you to take things a little slower. You can’t do as much outside, because of the rain. It makes me feel like I’m in the movie Miss Potter or Pride and Prejudice. Those period movies are my favourite. I romanticise the idea of living back in those era’s.

Anyway, I just wanted to write a little appreciation for the weather outside. Now I am going to curl back into bed.

18/02/2021

What a busy time it has been since I last posted here. We have been working on our beautiful little property and every night I go to bed exhausted from the days work. In saying that, I wouldn’t change it for a thing.

There is honestly nothing greater than gardening, in my opinion. Something about the earth between your fingers, the sweat on your forehead and the heat from the sun, it’s addictive. I have been busy planting my vegetable garden (not yet completed) to try and be as self-sustaining as possible. I cannot express the joy I get from seeing a seedling emerge or noticing your first vegetable sprouting. If I could encourage one thing, it would be to grow your own food. Even if it’s just a few herbs in pots on your kitchen window, there is just something so unexplainable about how it makes you feel. In touch with Mother Nature perhaps? I’m not sure, but it is euphoric. So, at the moment, I am growing Cucumbers, Zucchini, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Pumpkins, Butternut, Capsicums, Chilli’s, Beetroot, Red Onions, Celery and a mixture of herbs that I use the most. I know no one asked (or probably cares) but I just love it.

Besides my food gardening, I have also been planting a mixture of trees, bushes and succulents to really fill up the property. We want lots of trees for privacy and when’s the best time to plant a tree? 5 years ago, when’s the second best time? Right now.

Whilst I have been doing that, my incredible husband has been busy building our retaining walls. His workmanship is perfection and, even though it can sometimes drive me insane his perfectionism, he has really done the best job. I honestly count my blessings to have a man that can build things. Men and women out there, learn a life skill such as building things or growing things. You will be forever thankful that you did.

With all this being said, we have definitely taken our time to enjoy ourselves. Shane has been able to go surfing most mornings, we have spent many hours just sitting outside talking about our future plans and we have rested when we felt we needed too.

I have always questioned this “busyness equals successfulness”. Are we so busy being busy that we forget to actually enjoy life? We are so conditioned to be constantly busy, as if that is a measure of a well-lived life. But life is so short, every moment not a guarantee but a gift. When did we lose sight of the important things? Like spending time in the mornings to watch the sunrise or read a book. Or to have that afternoon nap, or spend a few hours in the afternoon with your family instead of always trying to be the last one in the office.

This year, besides taking on this new business venture, I want to spend more time enjoying life. Not on my phone or only on weekends, but every single day.

And with that said, it is time for me to go and water my gardens.

05/02/2021

Seeing as this is the first of what I hope will be many posts, I suppose I should give some background content. This is not going to be a blog as you know it. I like to think of this more as a collection of short stories, of our life. Sometimes I might try to add some photos to go along with it but in all honesty, I’m not the best at remembering to capture images. So, instead, I will be taking you on a written journey of our life.

Who are we? We are Shane and Jayde Brew. We have 4 fur babies. Two dogs, Bambii a Rhodesian Ridgeback and Chester a Keeshond, Honey and Pepper are our two cats. We have recently moved the the Sunshine Coast after living south of Brisbane for three years. We met in Sydney, where we had a wild romance full of highs and lows. After almost 7 years together and coming up to 2 years married, we have finally found our groove. Sure, there are days (weeks, months) where we want to rip each others heads off but generally, we are very happy.

We now own a beautiful piece of land in North Arm, that we are hoping to create something beautiful on (details to come). So I will be sharing our journey of living together, working together and basically doing everything else together.

It’s not easy and it really can challenge your relationship being so close all the time. But I can honestly say, we are best friends. We have so much fun together even if we can fight like cat and dogs.

So welcome to our life. We are so blessed to be living where we are, doing what we do and we can’t wait to share it with you.