you thought a quivering duck butt was weird?

Remember 3 years ago (I know you don't...its ok) when I posted about a back-ordered-red-neck Christmas present for Kevin? If you would like to refresh your memory click here. Well, I eventually cancelled the quiver duck butt order because it was taking so long. This worked out well because we found one on BIG TIME sale after the season ended. That was the strangest Christmas present I had ever (almost)purchased... until this year.

My sister, the shepherd, asked for a bat house for Christmas... and I obliged. Go ahead and let that marinate for a minute.... A bat house.... is a place where bats sleep... She wants bats to come and sleep at her barn... So much that she is going to put a little house up for them so they will feel welcome.

Turns out she is not 100% nuts... there is actually no better mosquito control in all the world than a bunch of bats. Apparently bats eat like zillions of mosquitoes at every meal. And you know how if you have a dog, you get it a dog house. If you like birds you put up a bird house in your yard. And if you enjoy creepy little blood-sucking Halloween mascots... you install a bat house in your barn! If you build it, they will come. We did it pre-fab style!

Leslie was thrilled to receive this gift. So we decided on a time to meet and get the thing installed so the winged creatures in town could start spreading the word about the new bat digs that were now available.

Now... our dad is the kind of sweet, wonderful, chivalrous (sexist) guy who thinks its a man's job to climb on ladders, drill holes and install things. So when he heard this was what we planned to do he headed out to head us off. Sometimes this annoys me... I am a doer. I love projects. I love power tools. I laugh in the face of danger. But today, it was really cold. And I was really glad he was up on the ladder getting it done quickly while we supervised.

Good job Pops!

Leah also supervised the sheep. And fed them a few snacks while we were there.
Aunt Leslie was so happy about her new mosquito control system!

I wish you could see this next picture up closer. Leah looks SO MUCH like her Aunt in this picture!!

If this works... we may build a bat sanctuary in our backyard next summer!