Ding Dong Ditchers

 I've long since joked that Doug should have been a cult leader because he has some very loyal students.  Some of his students are still very much part of our lives as friends, fellow church members, hair stylists, horse riding instructors, dental hygienist, plumbers, fellow teachers. . . . I could go on.  Some of his students are part of our memories, like when Matt was parking the tractor and .. . , or when they came to school and . . . or when . . . we could go on forever.  Several of his girls have babysat my kids.  I know their families and when I run into them in Walmart or wherever, I ask how their mom/brother/dad is. 
While I've known his students before, this group of his students I know even better because I'm around them a lot, since they are Doug's students and Andrew's friends. And I'm fine with it.  It's such a great group of kids.  They're smart, motivated, care about their communities, are involved, have interests, are well parented, and they are FUNNY.  They have a great sense of humor. 
A few months ago, a few of them started ding dong ditching us.  It started with just 2 girls.  One of the girls lives down the street from us, so it makes us an easy target.  But it has since grown to some other kids.  Let me say- I am 100% fine with this.  They mean it in fun.  They've been super respectful about it (they've never come after 9pm).  I think it's hilarious.  Especially because I have decided to have a little fun with them as well. 
It's hard to get prankers back.  I mean- 1. I am an adult- and a teacher.  I have to respect the appropriate boundaries.  Like, I can't go ding dong ditch them.  Their parents may not appreciate it and it could all go terribly wrong and they could call my principal.  (I don't see their parents doing that- but never underestimate the human race).  2. I have to be careful with how much "revenge" I get on them because I want to keep this silly innocuous fun.  3. I can't just sit out on my porch waiting on these kids to ding dong ditch me everyday.  Sometimes it's weeks between episodes.  Whatever I decided on had to be there waiting for them. 
At first I had the fake snake out to scare them.  It didn't work.  They never noticed it. 
Then last week I bought a motion activated sound machine.  They haven't come by since I put it up, I can't wait for them to come and experience it!!!! 
It drives Doug and Andrew NUTS.  They hate it.  I LOVE it.  I was able to download sounds, but it came with installed sounds already on it.  There are a variety of sounds: fart sounds (my favorite), evil laughing, a lion roaring, a chainsaw starting, a ghost moaning, and 2 super weird songs that were already on it.  Every time we open the door to let the dog out. . . she activates the sound machine.  But today I noticed that when a motorcycle goes down the street, it activates.  A bird activated it earlier.  It's pretty loud. I bet our neighbor has heard it and wonders what the heck is going on over here.  hahahahaha

So- if you go walking by our house you may hear this suddenly start playing, or teenagers running up to our house giggling, and us tearing out the front door yelling, "WE SEE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  and then laughing and laughing.