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It’s Easter time in Atlanta, and while this typically means palms, events, Easter egg hunts, pastel ties, and white dresses, brunch mimosas, and a Sunday service – this year is shaping up to look a bit different. Restaurants and churches have temporarily closed their doors, and all events are canceled. So how will you spend your Easter Sunday social distancing style?
Below we provide a few ideas to make your Easter as normal as possible during these uncertain times:
Easter egg hunt
Whether you have kids, dogs, or a playful partner – Easter egg hunts are an age-old tradition we can all get excited about. If you don’t have plastic eggs on hand, get creative! You can hide real eggs and assign different colors to different prizes. For example, if you find an egg with blue polka dots, you get a Reese’s. An egg with a yellow star – a Hershey’s Kiss. Adjust the reward system based on the age of the participants. You can hide eggs throughout your home, backyard, or both!
Play a little Easter prank
We could all use a laugh these days, and this Easter-themed prank is sure to deliver just that. Parents with teens – this one is for you. Executing this prank is simple – start with a raw egg (one for each person you want to prank), melt chocolate, and coat the egg with the chocolate. Sprinkle with Easter-themed sprinkles and place in the refrigerator for a few hours. Serve the chocolate covered egg and watch them bite in. You can guess what happens next. Don’t forget to record for Tik Tok!
Paint eggs
Another classic Easter tradition and the perfect #stayhome activity for the holiday? Egg painting. Start by hard-boiling the eggs, setting up the paints and craft supplies, then gather everyone around for a little family time. Make it interesting for your older kiddos with a competitive twist. Have prizes for “Funniest,” “Most Creative,” “Most Disturbing,” etc. When you’re done, after pictures and as long as the little ones won’t be too crushed, crack the eggshells and make some deviled-eggs to serve as an appetizer.
Create little Easter bundles
If there’s a quiet, secluded place outdoors you like to go for fresh air or a walk, take your family there Easter weekend to collect pine cones, twigs, berries, and leaves. Forage for supplies while getting in a little exercise, then when you go back home – create little bundles with hemp and twine. These fragrant little creations are perfect for decorating your table settings for Easter brunch.
Enjoy an outdoor meal
Many of us have sacred Easter morning traditions. Some of us attend church, some gather at a family member’s home, and many of us enjoy a meal with loved ones. While large gatherings are off the table for this year’s celebration – that doesn’t mean you need to neglect the meal. Whether it’s just you at home, or you have a large family – enjoy a meal outdoors – if the weather permits. Set-up your outdoor dining on your patio and fire up the grill to make a traditional Easter feast. If you have a grassy backyard, grab a blanket and a little picnic and escape to the greenest patch. Have fun setting up your dining experience, and don’t forget to display your little Easter bundle.
Set-up a virtual gathering
Not seeing family members for this extended period is trying – but there are still ways to connect in this digital age. Houseparty app, for example, allows you to play board and card games with friends and family in a digital game room. It’s free to download, easy to use, and you can play for as long as you’d like! Download the app, invite your friends, and let the games begin. If your family typically attends a church service on Easter morning – these are now digitally available to participate in as well. Below are some live streaming services available on Sunday morning.
Easter means something different to everyone, and we all have different traditions and ways to celebrate. Whatever you typically do on Easter Sunday – try to bring a bit of that into your quarantine Easter experience too. There are creative ways of finding normalcy in these, not normal times. However, you choose to spend your day – we hope you enjoy it and we thank you for staying home.
LWith COVID-19 dominating the news, it’s easy to get bogged down in the fear and anxiety brought about by this historic time in history. However, there are glimmers of hope—true stories of positivity—out there helping to bring light to the incredible strength our communities have in times of trouble.
One such story is about a group of sewers called Tree Tops Needlecrafters, who have banded together to provide masks for Atrium Health. The original group consisted of six seamstresses who live in Lennar’s Tree Tops community – designed for active adults in Lancaster, SC – and has now grown to include volunteers across three states.
The Tree Tops Needlecrafters club worked with Atrium Health to create a pattern acceptable for use in hospitals and other organizations in the community. Additionally, the masks have pockets for filter inserts, which can add an extra layer of protection. The initial game plan is to use the masks for patients who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, but they could also be used for medical professionals if necessary.
This is just one example of how homeowners in Lennar’s Tree Tops community are uniting for a common cause. These neighbors unofficially started with just a few women who met regularly in Tree Tops sewing cabin, just one of the many amenities offered by Lennar. As friendships formed, the Needle Crafters have gone on to make quilts for the homeless, hats and blankets for babies at the Levine Children’s Hospital and 200 placemats to support HOPE (Helping Other People Effectively) in Lancaster, S.C. The group has also assisted Days For Girls, a nonprofit that provides DFG kits for menstrual health in Kenya.
To learn more about the contributions the Tree Tops Needlecrafters have made to Atrium Health, read the full article in The Charlotte Observer.
“Being military, we moved here from Germany a couple years ago. We didn’t know the area very well so we rented a home off the internet and loved the area, so we were trying to find something over the past two years that we felt was worth the money we were going to pay,” Amber said.
After one of Tom’s sailors suggested they check out The Village of Escaya masterplan, they toured a few models from other homebuilders but then found their dream choice in a new Lennar home.
“And so we came over one day and met Sam with Lennar, she showed us around and then showed us this house and I fell in love with it,” said Amber.
“They initially showed us some of the other homes in the neighborhood, we knew our timeline was pretty tight if we were going to make the move, and when we did see this one we loved it – loved it, loved it,” Tom agreed.
From the cute cottage exterior-style, to the brand-new finishes and the interior floorplan – they knew instantly that this was the perfect home for them and their daughter to settle in. With four bedrooms, they could have a space for their two older children when they come home to visit. And their daughter, who’s finishing her senior year in high school, would have the perfect bedroom downstairs.
“We’ve moved around a ton, it’s always hard on military kids,” Amber said. “She loves it. To her the house is worth it. So I think that’s a lot. That’s huge.”
Amber loves the expansive kitchen. They both love the open-concept layout. Located just a hundred or so yards away from the recreation center, they say their daughter is there every night using the fitness center facilities.
“The huge kitchen you can entertain in, you feel like you can all be a part of it,” said Amber. “That was probably my huge seller, until we went upstairs and saw the master bathroom – the bathtub is huge and the shower you can fit a football team in.”
But the home wasn’t the only thing they loved – but also the easiness they encountered during the homebuying process.
“I will also say that Lennar has been really good – they were really quick about coming over for anything,” said Tom.
“This is the fourth or fifth home we’ve bought and no kidding, Lennar is the easiest,” Amber said.
But that’s not where their family’s journey ended. A few weeks after settling into their home, family came in from out of town to visit. So, they showed them around the neighborhood.
“The whole family came in and while they were coming and going around to all the model homes, they not only fell in love with ours they fell in love with the neighborhood,” Tom said. “My nephew who is also getting stationed here, they were adamant about living in the area.”
And so – their nephew bought another home in the community, located up on the same street of their own.
“We actually have two other friends in the area looking so we do, we try to promote it, we love living here.” Amber added. “I love the size of the community. I’m a big walker, I go out walking and I can get as many steps in as I did in my older one,” said Amber.
“And the value for the money – is awesome,” Tom said.
