Anna's Eras Tour Party

This past weekend, Kristin and Skylee headed to Vancouver to see Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Originally, they planned to take Anna along, but they realized big crowds and the overstimulation might be too much for her. So, Anna got to spend the weekend with us instead—and we made it one to remember by throwing her an Eras Tour party at home!

Kristin and Skylee dropped Anna off on Friday as they headed out of town. I was still finishing up a hectic workweek, trying to tackle my to-do list before going back on parental leave on Monday. Between emails and meetings, Alison and I whipped up grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner. Anna and Alison settled in for a cozy evening watching Frosty the Snowman and Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town—a Christmas movie double feature. Later, we read a few books before tucking Anna into the guest room, though we weren’t entirely sure if she’d stay there or wander into our room in the middle of the night.

She surprised us by sleeping in the guest room all night! When I peeked in around 7:15 the next morning, she was already awake and said, “Finally!” I set her up with some Mickey Mouse shorts while I went for a quick run. When I got back, Anna and I made breakfast together—waffles, eggs, and Canadian bacon.

After breakfast, the Eras Tour fun began. I brought out a new friendship bracelet kit, and Anna and I dove in. We spent hours making bracelets with phrases like “Karma is a Cat,” “Key Lime Green,” “Wicked,” “Meet Me at Midnight,” and “Christmas Tree Farm.” My favorite moment? When Anna surprised me with a “Cornelia Street” bracelet she made just for me. We even made matching “Paper Rings” bracelets for Alison, Anna, and me. It was the perfect way to channel our inner Swifties.

The day wasn’t all crafting, though. Anna had her winter dance recital, which meant I got a crash course in being a girl dad. I helped her get dressed and brushed her hair—a task requiring extreme caution to avoid any “ouch” moments. Alison stepped in to curl Anna’s hair and do her makeup while I held Madeline and watched. At the recital, Madeline napped briefly in her car seat before waking up and being completely mesmerized by the dancers. Anna did great—she knew all the moves and had so much fun performing!

After the recital, it was time for our Eras Tour party. We grabbed dinner from Chick-fil-A, then dressed up in our own Eras-inspired outfits. We queued up the Eras Tour movie on Disney+ and sang, danced, and made more bracelets. Anna wanted to start with the movie since the Vancouver concert livestream didn’t begin until 9 p.m.—a bit late for her. We watched the Eras Tour movie and then started the livestream of the Vancouver show. Anna made it through the first few Eras but was fast asleep by the time All Too Well came on. We carried her to bed and promised to show her more the next day.

Sunday was a slower-paced day. We had waffles for breakfast again, ran some errands, and played endless rounds of “hospital” in the loft. In the afternoon, Anna and I walked over to the neighborhood Taylor Swift House, which is always a highlight this time of year with its Merry Era decorations. Anna loved holding Tex’s leash there and back, and we exchanged friendship bracelets with the Swift-inspired house owners—such a sweet moment.

That evening, we wrapped up the weekend at the Johnson family’s annual Jingle and Mingle party. Hosted by my Aunt Ardis, it’s a tradition on my grandma Pat’s side of the family that’s been going strong for years. Navigating the party with kids was a bit tricky—Madeline wasn’t thrilled with the crowds, and Anna stuck to me like glue since she didn’t know anyone. We found a quieter spot in the basement, caught up with a few cousins and my uncle, and grabbed some food before making an early exit. Anna was such a trooper, and Mads handled the chaos surprisingly well.

Back home, we ended the night with Anna’s favorite Christmas movie—The Grinch—before calling it a weekend. It was a whirlwind couple of days filled with laughter, creativity, and memories we won’t forget. Anna might not have been at the Vancouver Eras Tour, but she certainly got her own magical Eras experience!