On a high shelf in my closet for four weeks now, a blanket has been draped over a pile of accumulated goods for Easter–bags of jelly beans, plastic eggs, bunny ears, three packages of Peeps I managed to not break into, and a large box full of carefully chosen small gifts for the kids’ baskets. Little did we know when the pile started that our Easter would be celebrated in a world that looks so different than the one that existed when I tossed those Peeps in the cart on a random trip to Target, gloveless and maskless, late February. A lot can change in a short amount of time. It’s silly how much the importance of that pile in the closet increased over these past few weeks–not because the things themselves are important but because the kids looked forward to our Easter traditions this year as if it was Christmas. A few things were different, but we were all more acutely aware of our togetherness and the invitation to slow down and enjoy each other and our simple celebrations. My dad and Gary even stopped by and sat in our driveway, appropriately distanced, and cheered on the kids for an egg hunt.

We were pleased to see that our grocery store carried the Easter Bunny’s favorite carrots–the one’s with the leaves.

Some snapshots of our celebrations:

 

The juxtaposition of Easter delights and a beautiful day enjoying each other against such uncertainty and hardship in the world is hard to grasp, but gratitude seems to be the outcome–not the hashtag-blessed kind of gratitude but the awareness kind that motivates us to do good…

Happy Easter.

 

The blog took an instrumental break since I shared the Easter Basket Guide a little while back, and for the sake of appropriately documenting for when I scroll through memories here years from now, let me make a small notation about the reason behind the instrumental break: F*$%#)’#$@&^%*&@!!ck.

There. Glad we got that out of the way.

Like the rest of the world, I have spent the last several weeks sort of aimlessly wandering around, wondering what it is that I’m supposed to be doing and how I am to feel. If there were metaphorical rooms representing all the ways one can handle a global pandemic we never imagined, just know I’ve opened every damn door and spent time in all the rooms including “Cry because life is over and we’re all going to die” (heavy childhood immersion in the Book of Revelation not helpful right now) as well as the ambitious “No worries, we’ll just make crafts every day!”.

About that ambitious route: what ever made us think that being cooped up with our hungry bored kids 24/7 for two months would actually render any time to tackle a bunch of projects? I mean, yes, I’m enjoying the strange togetherness consequence of this quarantine that has made for some beautiful memories with our family. But I’ve never felt more overwhelmed with all that there is to do, perhaps because there are no random Target excursions to ease the load and distract me from the to do list.

My friend Shannan wrote something yesterday about the “ands” we are holding right now–believing that we will get through this and yet scared for those who won’t, wishing we could venture out and also wanting to retreat further in, feeling frustrated that we can’t get toilet paper and yet knowing there are far more people who are dealing with real suffering. I’m feeling so grateful for the peace inside our home and the little things I’m noticing that make this quarantine easier while also feeling heartbroken and anxious for the world. I want to responsibly dig into the news information about how this is affecting our society so I can be aware and conscientious, and I also want to turn it off to tame the anxiety that follows. There is no either/or though. So we balance the “both” and the “ands” as best as we can. For the record, I had a “both” moment Saturday night that looked like sipping a shot of tequila while also doing an arm workout.

One thing’s for sure, we will never forget the Spring of 2020–what it felt like to drive on open streets, past parks with taped-off playgrounds and store parking lots that normally require slow circling to find an open spot, now empty. We won’t forget the knock on the door from the teacher who stopped by just to say hi and wave through the window and the tears that fell when she left. We will remember what it feels like to miss someone only ten minutes away and how a stroll by their house to wave only made the missing worse. Or the elation I felt recognizing my friend’s familiar eyes above her face mask as she pushed her cart past mine on our serendipitously timed essential grocery run, and how strangely comforting it felt to see someone you know outside of “the cave.” We will never forget the vocabulary we’ve learned these past few weeks–PPE, “flatten the curve,” social distancing, hydroxychloroquine, N95. I will remember the fear in the middle night, the “what ifs” I wondered for our own family and for those we love. And I’ll never ever forget the things that made that fear feel better–the songs we listened to, the friends I called, the memes that made me laugh, the social media stories of neighbors singing and friends paying for groceries and teachers rallying and the son who drove across town to hold his tiny new baby up to the window so her grandfather could behold her beauty.

I’ll never forgot what it feels like to have life stand still in our homes while we wait for the world to turn the page to a chapter we all want to end.

From the pages we’ve written in our home through this chapter…

Family movie nights in the pool.

Gathering around the computer to wave to a teacher during an e-learning session.

Watching my dad jokingly walk to our car virus-protected when we surprised him with a wave-through-the-window visit.

The gratitude I’ve felt for every little corner of our home for the love and comfort it’s provided during this time when we can’t leave.

Overreacting every time I see the kids do something potentially dangerous (“Let go of that chandelier, Dash!”), followed by “This is no time to go to the E.R.!”

The heaps of toys in the driveway from all the times I kicked the kids out of the house.

The way family huddles never felt so good.

Slowly balancing our love/hate relationship with Friday so that love’s in the lead (Brett’s not there yet…ha)

My kids’ anticipation of a holiday like I’ve never witnessed. They’ve been so wonderful about all the sacrifices they’ve had to make and have, for the most part, gone with the flow beautifully. This weekend’s Easter celebrations will definitely stand out among all the Easters of our past. You’d think it was Christmas.

Feels good to be back in this space–a little normalcy among what is hardly normal.
Love, safety and wellness to all of you while we push through this. If you’re out there working on the front lines, thank you, thank you, thank you. Everything good we are trying to make in our homes right now is due to the sacrifice you are making to keep the world going.

I admit, I went for overachiever on this list; but if you’ve checked out any of my past stocking stuffer or Easter basket gift guides, you know these are my favorite things to make, and I put my heart and soul into them. Heidi called me the other day and asked what I was doing.

“Working on the Easter basket guide,” I answered.

“Oh my God, you’re still working on it? Weren’t you doing that three weeks ago? How long does it take?” she laughed.

She’s not wrong. I dig into the Internet and find all the secret tunnels that lead to the sweetest unique treasures kids will love. This year, I kept finding more tunnels, so 55 treasures it is. We have a few Easter basket traditions in our home–staples that always go in: a new bathing suit, a few artsy supplies, a new book, a plush. The girls get hair accessories. The rest is filled with fun extras and a few candy must-haves (Peeps, chocolate bunnies, Reesee’s peanut butter eggs). I love the treasures we found this year and cannot wait to fill the kids’ baskets and watch them open them.

Happy Shopping!

1. Ooly Magic Puffy Paint Pens
Ooly’s one of my favorite makers of art supplies for stockings and Easter baskets, and these puffy paint pens are super fun. Paint a picture, blast it with the hair dryer, and watch the paint puff up into a 3-D design.

2. Kids Insulated Rabbit Thermos
Dreamy Easter pastel shades and the cutest subtle bunny design.

3. Bunny Keychain/Backpack Charm
Clip this little guy on backpack, lunch box or jacket zippers.

4. Wood Slingshot & Rainbow Felt Ammo
This has Dash’s name all over it. The slingshot is handcrafted from pine (and made in the US), and the rainbow felt balls are safe for flinging at sisters. Win.

5. Fuzzy Bunny Slipper Socks
Hoping the Easter bunny slips in an extra pair of these for Mom.

6. Kids’ Bunny Toothbrushes
Nothing says spring like a pastel line-up of bunny brushes.

7. Hand Carved Bunny Jumprope
Have you ever seen a prettier jumprope? I think not. Hand-carved wooden handles, cotton roping and so many good reviews!

8. Mon Ami Vanilla Scented Plush Doll
The sweetest little doll with pretty details…and she smells like vanilla!

9. eeBoo Spanish Flashcards
eeBoo is another brand I love for kid gifts–we’ve never been disappointed. Dash has been asking what the Spanish word is for so many words, so he will LOVE these beautiful flashcards.

10. Baby Chick Puzzle Erasers
You can never go wrong with miniatures. Bonus–they’re functional erasers too.

11. Janod Scratch Art Masks
A great rainy day activity, these masks have magic built in. All you need to do is scratch away with the included tool to create detailed colorful designs.

12. Jaq Jaq Butter Chalk
I’m always on the hunt for new kid brands when I visit shops on our travels. I recently discovered Jaq Jaq, and this butter chalk is divine. It’s smudge-proof, writes on all surfaces (windows, mirrors, plastic) and wipes off with a damp cloth. See #13 for the perfect writing surface to complement:

13. Jaq Jaq Chalk Coloring Book
Reusable and great for travel (the Easter Bunny told me he got the DaVinci one).

14. Affimators! Family Deck
I love the Affimators! regular deck and was so happy to see they have a family deck, perfect for Lainey’s basket. All the affirmations are powerful messages delivered in a funny way–not cheesy at all.

15. Kids Round Flower Sunglasses Pack
Kids need to head into spring with some fashion. This 8-pack gives you enough pairs to plop a couple in each basket for multiple kids or share some with friends.

16. Chronicle “50 Cool Things to Do in the Car” Pack
Not too early to start thinking about summer travels. Use the Easter basket excuse to stock up on some fun games you can save until then.

17. Aaron’s Scoopberry Scented Putty
Slime and putty is always a win for my kids, and Aaron’s putty is the best–so many different kinds. This fluffy scented (smells like strawberry vanilla) putty looks like spring and smells like heaven.

18. Cat Blind Box
My kids love any collectible with a blind box. These Kitan Club cats are the cutest. I mean cats in macaroons, cats in teacups! They work as keychains, so you can snap them on a backpack.

19. Le Toy Van Wooden Bunny & Guinea Pig Set
The quality of Le Toy Van toys makes them a fun save-forever gift.

20. Fur Bunny Phone Case
(for iPhones 7 & 8) That tail though!!

21. Smith’s Strawberry Lip Balm (2-pack)
We’re big fans of Smith tins, and this one reminds me of the little slide-top strawberry lipbalm tins my sister and I got in our stockings as kids.

22. Plush Bunny
If you’re looking for the perfect Easter basket plush, these come in so many different cute outfits to choose from–both boy and girl versions. This is the 16 inch plush, or for the same price you can get a pair of 12-inch ones (the ones with the little tie-on bunny hats!).

23. Insulated Water Bottle
Want to make a tween happy? Buy the water bottle, and then buy #24 to go with it.

24. Water Bottle Stickers
So VSCO girl!

25. Bunny Sleep Mask
Brett loves sleep masks and recently influenced the kids, so they’re all into them too (I love walking into them sleeping with a mask–cracks me up). This soft sweet bunny one is so cute!

26. Linen Hairbow Set
I buy these for Nella–the price is amazing for 5 pairs of linen bows! And we use Easter baskets as a good excuse to stock up on needed hair accessories.

27. Bunny Airpod Case
If your teen has Aipods, you know that switching out the case is a favorite event.

28. Schleich Rabbit Hutch l
Gah! How cute is are these little baby bunnies?! A great toy for the restaurant/travel entertainment bag.

29. Candylab Vintage Woodie
If your kid is into collecting, this is the brand for cars, and this vintage woodie is where you want to start.

30. LED Light-up Gloves
Dash will LOVE these. Slip them on, turn off all the lights, dance, make funny videos!

31. Scratch-off Magic Paper
These are a great staple for the art supply bin–fun for any age!

32. eeBoo Beautiful World Puzzle
I’m very particular about puzzle designs, and this one checks all the boxes. I’ve found 100-piece puzzles are the sweet spot for our family. We like to finish a puzzle in one sitting, but we still want a challenge (100-piece puzzles are fun for setting a timer and trying to beat the clock). I love the design and layout of this one (makes hunting for pieces fun and less frustrating).

33. Everyone’s Awake
Newly published, this hilarious rhyming picture book tells the story of night time madness where no one’s sleeping and everyone’s having fun.

34. Girls’ Knee-high Tube Socks
Nella’s into accessorizing her skirts with fun tube socks. These pastel pairs add a touch of spring to any outfit.

35. Nursing Mama Bunny Plush with Magnetic Baby Bunnies
I cannot with the magnetic baby bunnies!

36. Magnetic Bookmarks
Great for chapter books!

37. Pom Pom Bunny Pens
The Easter bunny only signs his name with these pens, of course.

38. Meri Meri Doll Necklace
There is nothing Meri Meri makes that wouldn’t be perfect for an Easter basket. This necklace is the sweetest touch to any outfit and like having a little pal with you all day.

39. Bunny Oil Diffuser/Humidifier
I love diffusing oils in my kids’ rooms and love a cute diffuser that fits in with a kids’ room vibe. This one is the sweetest!

40. Egg Splat Balls (2-pack)
A kid favorite (or adults who still feel like kids)

41. Jellycat Plush Bunny
Jellycat makes the sweetest plush toys, and this bunny has just the right amount of old-fashion “floppiness” (plus, it’s super soft!).

42. Ooly Metallic Colored Pencils
Another Ooly favorite–all the colors, but with sparkle!

43. Meri Meri Hank in a Bag
The bag itself is darling–leather handles and lined canvas. And then they took it to the moon by putting a little dachshund inside–and he has a leash! And a striped t-shirt!

44. Sculpting Play Dough Soap
Is it play dough or is it soap? It’s both! An easy fun way to get your kids in the bath. Play while you clean.

45. Hello Nature Activity Book
We loved Nina Chakrabarti’s Fashion book; this one’s even better–an interactive nature scrapbook with loads of information ad nature activitites.

46. My Best Friend
Newly published picture book–the sweetest story of friendship (I had bought this for our Easter baskets and was so excited to walk in a charming Savannah bookstore yesterday and see it front and center on a shelf in the children’s section).

47. Scribble Scrubbie Bunny & Hamster
These little critters come with markers to decorate them–throw them in the wash to start over.

48. Bunny Gel Pen Set (16 pens!)
What’s a good time to stock up on pens? When you find them this cute–those little scarves!

49. Knot Tying Kit
This has Dash’s name all over it–and will keep him busy to boot! This set comes with picture instruction cards for 20 different knots and two ropes for practicing.

50. Zip-up Bunny in an Egg
They remind me of 80’s Popples! (they have chicks too!)

51. Bunny Jump Home Game
This cognitive skill-building puzzle game requires kids to help rabbits hop safely to their home, sliding foxes and mushrooms to get there. Great for travel (ages 7 and up) with 60 different challenges testing logic and spacial recognition.

52. 32 Ways to Dress Baby Animals
Another great one for the restaurant/church/travel bag

53. 50 Ways to Draw Your Beautiful Life
Lainey got this for Christmas, and it’s beautiful! Anything Flow publishes is beautiful. It is packed FULL of so many lovely things–postcards for painting, tear-outs, watercolor paper, etc.

54. Paint-a-Bunny Garden Stone
I love this because it’s a save forever Easter gift–put it in the garden or by the front step. (This one’s going in Lainey’s basket, and I can’t decide if we’ll want to keep it or give it to my dad for his gardens up north.)

55. Wee Society Celebration Journal
We LOVE Wee Society journals for kids and have almost all of them. This celebration one is so fitting for our family. We love our traditions and celebrations, and this gives kids a great invitation to write about them and document their own versions.