Easter in Quarantine

Easter came and went so quickly and felt different being restricted to our home. We stretched out our activities for a week to make the occasion more fun for Audrey, since this was the first year she could really understand what was going on. We are slowly getting used to being quarantined and adjusted this holiday accordingly. There wasn’t a big family dinner to prep for, sadly no crowded church service to attend, and no community Easter egg hunts or activities. Instead, it was the four of us, staying home, and doing fun Easter activities with Audrey as the only participant. I didn’t want this little life memory of Maxwell’s first Easter and the first Easter Audrey understands to be put on hold due to the circumstances, so we carried on.

Easter started a week prior when our sweet neighbor “egged” our house. Her and her kids put a bunch of treat filled eggs in the yard with a note and an Easter bucket and ‘hopped’ away for Audrey to find the eggs. This is when the bribery that the Easter bunny was watching her began. (Yes, I use bribery as a parenting tool, and I am not ashamed).

Next, came the decorated Easter eggs. We cut out construction paper eggs and decorated them to hang in our front window so the bunny would be able to find our house. We did all the traditional Easter prep activities, which were fun since it was the first year we’ve done most of them as a family. We dyed eggs, Audrey made Rice Krispie treats with Jamari, we left snacks for the bunny, then put out the Easter baskets after the kids went to sleep. Easter morning was as exciting as I can remember it being as a little kid. Audrey’s excitement poured over into my excitement as she ran out of her bedroom and down the steps to find that the Easter bunny ate her snacks and left her presents. We watched our church service online together in pajamas, and had an at home Easter egg hunt after nap time. There was no schedule and no stress. We ate a home-cooked dinner using whatever was in our stockpile of quarantine food which turned out to be pork loin and sweet potatoes, and had Rice Krispie treats as dessert.

The one thing that was important for me regardless of being quarantined was to get dressed in Easter outfits and take a few photos to document Maxwell’s first Easter. Regardless of the current circumstances, I can’t recreate these milestones; and they are so important. The kids and I got all dressed up, stood outside in the drizzling rain, and attempted to take pictures until Audrey walked away declaring she was finished. Where was Jamari? He was here, but hates photos so I gave him a pass if he promised to try to take quality photos. We got 3.

These are strange times. We can’t go anywhere, we spend all day home and together, the days mesh together and it’s getting more challenging to come up with new activities. But these are special times; I can’t remember the last time Jamari was home as much as this (if ever). We are together all day creating memories and having fun at home. We know we are safe in our home, we have everything we need in our home, and there is little to no stress of the outside world within in the confines of our home. It’s oddly like our own little sanctuary in this uncertain time. Soon enough, life will go back to normal and we will be out and about like we always were; but for now I truly enjoyed our quiet holiday and this might be a new family tradition for us.