Friday Fives: Favorite Gifts

Y'all know I love a list, and I haven't done a Friday Fives in a while. (You can see others here, here and here.) Today's topic is favorite gifts you've given or received. Let's get to it!

Probably my all-time favorite gift, which I still have today is...

...Crickett Marie! Isn't she so cute?! I received a 2-lb. dog as my "big" gift six years ago. Until then I wasn't a dog person; I casually mentioned to my parents that IF I ever got a dog, I'd want a miniature dachshund. My mom's best friend was at WalMart just before Christmas and saw mini dachshunds for sale. Somehow, she thought that I really wanted a dog and chose Crickett out of the litter. I was shocked when I received her, but I'm so glad that she's mine. Well, now she's ours. It took her about a year of dating to warm up to Husby, but now she's crazy about him.

I've already received a gift this year, and I'm so excited to use it. Husby came on Monday night and announced he needed to give me an early Christmas present. Since I'm not one to squelch the enthusiasm of others, I agreed to receive the present early. And do you know what it was? Tickets to a concert to see...

That's right! Willie Nelson! Don't judge me. I've liked him for years. And I'm super excited to see him in concert. I would have put this concert on my Bucket List, but considering he could be more likely to kick the bucket first, I didn't think it was a good idea. It'd just be setting myself up for disappointment.

Okay, now one of my favorite gifts I've given was to Husby a couple of years ago. We had a ski trip planned, and I wanted to do something a little out of the ordinary. Husby loves experiences more than things, so I knew that I could hit it big in the mountains of Colorado. We went dog sledding!

It was so much fun! The picture above is Husby driving the sled with me in the passenger seat. These dogs were so amazing! We both had so much fun. I'd highly recommend it!

Okay, this wasn't a Christmas present, but I just checked the rules (that don't really exist), and so I feel fine posting it. The first birthday present Husby gifted me with was a hot air balloon ride. (He really is all about fun experiences!)

Although I'm terrified of heights, this was so much fun. The balloon doesn't move very fast; it doesn't have jerky movements. It's very serene. Just a side note: don't wear a dress or skirt when hot air ballooning. There is no way to modestly climb into the basket wearing such an outfit. But I looked cute. Which is important.

Oh, my goodness. I have the best husband ever! He's such a good gift giver. (I'm breaking the non-existent rules again.) Last year for my birthday, he gifted me with tickets to see:

This is my all-time favorite musical. (Sorry, Les Miserables.) It was playing in San Antonio, which is quite a drive for us. He found a wonderful bed & breakfast and booked two rooms since we were still engaged. We walked the Riverwalk, toured the San Antonio missions--including the Alamo, ate amazing food, drank fantastic margaritas, bought way to much chocolate to eat in one night, and saw Wicked. It was such a good weekend, and most importantly, he liked Wicked, too.

Okay, I could go on and on with the boom box/CD player I received in 7th grade, my American Girl doll, Kirsten, the super cute wool hat Husby gave me last Christmas. I think I should stop. And as much as I love telling you about the gifts I've received, I do love giving gifts even more!

What about you? What's a favorite gift? Do you hand-pick presents for people?