This year, I wasn’t able to take my kids to see Santa.

But Kevin did!!

My wonderful friends, Tony and Julie-Ann, again had Santa Claus himself come to their house, and then they took amazing pictures of our kids and sent them to us.

Aren’t they the best?!

(Yes, yes they are!)

Now, I set out their outfits the day before, and told Kevin to remember to brush their hair — and he did great!

I couldn’t be there because I left at 7 a.m. to drive through the pouring down rain, so then I could run in the rain.

Of course I did.

Wet!

So back to the photos — I was nervous about not being there, but I needn’t have worried.

For the first time ever, Alice sat on Santa’s lap.

But not without help.

It seems that her big brother did everything he could to get her to laugh and smile and have a good time.

Ohmygoodness, he’s the best big brother.

He seriously is.

Kevin told me all this, but when I got the photos this morning, I could absolutely tell that’s exactly what happened.

I couldn’t be more thrilled that Tony captured all these photos — I feel like I was there!

(Thank you, thank you!)

Want to see the story unfold for yourselves?  Because it’s the best.

Sweet, right?

Kevin said that Tom asked Santa for a “Power Rangers combiner,” and that Alice asked for “a big present and a little present.”

I’m pretty positive Santa will be able to deliver on those requests, sweet ones.

LOVE.