Cathi Hatch: Christmas Eve at the Barrier Home

Katie Laramore, Cathi Hatch, Patty Barrier

The Barriers and the Hatches take turns hosting Christmas Eve dinner each year and this year Patty & Jimmy were the hosts. It was a beautiful party! Patty had worked very hard to plan activities to keep the Hatch grandchildren happy and occupied and at the same time planned a fantastic party for the adults too.

Kevin and Bode Laramore

The children's table was next to the adult table and Patty had thoughtfully seated the parents and nanny closest to the children. Plus, the table had been covered with butcher paper so the children were allowed to draw directly on it and there were markers and crayons and stickers and activity books. The children received a separate menu than the adults and the biggest hit was the snowman shapped finger jello. Spencer and Jackson Hatch knew just what to do with it, while Cutter Laramore was not too sure about it.

JJ McKay joined us for cocktails and held each of the younger babies, Andrew Hatch and Bode Laramore while the other adult dinner guests included Kjell Schei, Pat Wallace and her daughters Christy and Nancy, Alicia & Michael Hatch, Katie & Kevin Laramore and Ken and me.

Michael & Alicia Hatch

The menu was delicious which included tomato basil soup with a creme fraiche Christmas tree pattern garnishing the soup, beef tenderloin cooked perfectly with a delicious horseradish sauce, garlic mashed potatoes and crisp tender green beans. There were many dessert choices including Patty's special homemade sweet potato and pecan pie. Yum!

Pat, Christy & Nancy Wallace with Kjell Schei

Katie & Kevin decided to leave after dessert because their children were getting restless so they were loading their car when Cutter accidentally hit the door lock with his foot and locked himself into their Barrier Audi alone. And of course the keys were inside in the diaper bag. Being at the Barrier home had the decided advantage of Jimmy and Kjell getting on the phone with the dealership to figure out how to get the door unlocked. They all decided that the most time efficient way to get the door unlocked was to convince two and one-half year Cutter to unlock it. Between Jimmy, Kjell and Kevin, they were able to explain to Cutter what to do and it actually worked!

LtoR: Patty Barrier, Kjell Schei, Ken & Cathi Hatch,
Nancy, Pat & Christy Wallace, Jimmy Barrier,
Alicia & Michael Hatch

After the car drama, we participated in a white elephant gift exchange where the Sumo Wrestler made his yearly appearance and Patty happily opened the "snuggie" outfit. She was happy to pass it on and ultimately Kevin Laramore ended up with it, which I took to him the following evening.