The Stockings Were Hung and the Creatures Were Stirring . . .

Race car drivers Spencer Hatch, Andrew Hatch, Jackson
Hatch, Cutter Laramore & Bode Laramore

Sunday we celebrated Hatch Family Christmas with all our children and grandchildren that could be in Seattle to join in the festivities.  We missed Ken's daughter Liffy, and my son Justin and his family, but otherwise everyone else was there for a total of 19 including baby Campbell.  Though Campbell's seat was in a high chair, everyone else was able to sit at the dining room table looking through the forest of silver and crystal reindeer and trees.

We began the evening with a toast of the specialty cocktail, "A Partridge in a Pear Tree" and by allowing the five grandsons ages 2 through 5 to open their plasma cars.  

All the other adults thought I had lost my mind and I think they were probably right.  I rolled up all the rugs in the long hallway between our back door and the living room and let the boys race on their cars back and forth until it was time for dinner.  The noise level was brutal for those that don't normally hang out with young boys!  It turned out to be great fun for the boys though.  Jackson Hatch, the eldest at age 6 was having the best time followed by his brothers Spencer (4), Andrew (2) and Cutter Laramore (4) and his little brother, Bode (2). Little princess, Campbell, in her baby walker stayed off the race track and held court with

Nikki Hatch with Campbell Laramore

her aunts and grown-up cousins, Kylee & Nikki Hatch.

People found their places at the table with their photo ornaments that they were asked to hang on the tree before they sat down for dinner.  The menu included caviar pie, our traditional Black Tie Tomato Soup with Parmesan Cheese Trees, Silky Syrah Short Ribs, a Christmas salad of shaved brussels sprouts and kale with craisins, tiny brie and fresh cherry preserves tartlets that Katie Laramore brought, delicious crusty scalloped potatoes with carmelized onions and fennel that Troy Clark and Sean Hatch brought along with baked macaroni and cheese from Teresa Hatch, fennel with lemon crumb topping from Alicia Hatch and pumpkin and apple pies courtesy of Renee Newitt.  

Bode and Katie Laramore, Alicia Hatch

We ended the evening with a gift exchange that

Troy Clark, Sean Hatch, Kevin Laramore

turned out not to be a white elephant exchange, but with desirable gifts that people actually jockeyed to take home.  And of course so we didn't all grow faint from hunger, there were Christmas cookies, Grandma Lee's fudge and homemade Caramel Pop passed during the exchange.

What a special time with family.  Merry Christmas everyone!