I’ve mentioned before that I’m very lucky to have the support of some pretty darn talented Pellicer cousins. It’s time to introduce you to my cousin Jay-Jay, the gift-giving goddess herself. She will be collaborating with me on Thoughtful Pinch and all I can say is, “Hallelujah!” She’s been a Pro* at giving gifts for at least 35 years and fortunately for me, I have been on the receiving end of awesome thoughtful pinches for ALL THOSE YEARS! Circa the year 2000, Jay-Jay took the pinches to the next level because ever since the kids came along, which includes our cats - Lucy and Paquito back in 2001, our dog Bruin in 2004 and our human kids in 2006 & 2008, she has given them pinches too!

At the beginning of each season, Jay-Jay sends my family a package that always contains fun things to kick off that time of the year. Last week, the theme for the package we received was “It’s Fall Y’all”. For my son, she sent a dry-fit t-shirt and we both jumped for joy. Jay-Jay has supplied almost every shirt in my son’s wardrobe ever since he could walk and let me tell you: she has this shirt-giving thing nailed! Also inside the package was a book for my daughter. My daughter and I both jumped for joy! No matter what book or dvd Jay-Jay gets the kids, somehow she knows we don’t have it already. Just in case, she always packs the gift receipt. It’s always a 50/50 chance but she has only missed once in all these years! That was the time that she sent us Elf on Shelf. I didn’t know she was giving us one but we already had an elf named Bubble Gum. So when the kids opened their gift from Auntie Jay-Jay…Ka-Pow!… just like that, we had to add another elf, Eli, to the already busy tradition of Elf on Shelf. Thanks for the gift receipt Jay-Jay, but there was no turning back the minute they laid eyes on the new elf.

This book is a treat because the parents of the author of this award-winning book, are parishioners at the same church we attend. My daughter and I will be meeting Kelly Barnhill at a gathering that she donated to raise money for our annual church f… — This book is a treat because the parents of the author of this award-winning book, are parishioners at the same church we attend. My daughter and I will be meeting Kelly Barnhill at a gathering that she donated to raise money for our annual church fundraiser. It’s awesome because we have other books that she wrote, but not this one! That’s because Auntie Jay-Jay just knows this stuff.

Folks, if you’re thinking that is plenty to get the Fall going, there is more in the Fall Y’all thoughtful pinch package. But before I can tell you what else she included, I have to tell you what she sent me in the 2017 Winter package. Jay-Jay sent me a gray plate from Coton Colors that says, “Happy Everything!” and included a velcro ceramic attachment. Yup, you guessed it! Every holiday since, she has sent me an attachment that is perfect for the upcoming holiday. Genius? Yes! Because these pinches are fun to receive every holiday and they will keep on giving. Lucky me? Yes!

I have featured Coton Colors before (click here). Jay-Jay’s 2017 Winter package included the gray “Happy Everything” plate and the truck hauling the Christmas tree. I received both on the exact day we brought home our Christmas tree! How did she kno… — I have featured Coton Colors before (click here). Jay-Jay’s 2017 Winter package included the gray “Happy Everything” plate and the truck hauling the Christmas tree. I received both on the exact day we brought home our Christmas tree! How did she know? As you can see, every holiday, she has sent me an attachment. For other **thoughtful pinch** opportunities, she sent me the bag (upper right ) that stores the attachments and magnets (lower right) to transform the attachments into magnets. The Fall Y’all package included the Halloween attachment that you see velcro-ed onto the Happy Everything plate. Adorbs!

And finally, Jay-Jay packed a bag of candy corn in the Fall Ya’ll package because she’s insightful and knows that I do not eat chocolate these days. It was very nice until…