Thanksgiving in Santa Barbara

You know those photo shoots in catalogs or magazines of a fantastic dinner party where everyone seems way too happy? The kind where everyone is having a great time, the guests all look great, and the scene is just way too ideal? Well, this is what my Thanksgiving felt like this year. It was a delicious meal set in a beautiful backyard surrounded by family and friends, old and new.

Jeff and I drove down to Santa Barbara for Thanksgiving. I don't mean to brag, but California is awesome. We ate dinner outside under the stars in our friends' Teal and Jamie's inviting backyard. The weather was perfect and everything we ate was delicious. Teal barbecued the turkey (I don't think I ever want turkey any other way now for Thanksgiving), we sat around a bonfire afterwards, and had an unbelievably pleasant night.

I don't need a holiday to remind me of all the things I am thankful for. I just have to think of the really great people in my life and I feel really lucky and humbled. Life is good.

Photos from top:
1. The dinner table in the backyard
2. Teal, Jamie, and Austin getting stoked for the barbecued turkey
3. Moo Shu the cat watching Jeff prepping for dinner
4. Austin and Jeff
5. Teal and me
6. Too many cooks in the kitchen!