Fourth of July at the American Village

So, this was a first for us.  We went to the American Village in Montevallo for July 4th.  We went with our friends from church, the Crouse's (Lisa Bowen and her family of 2 boys and 2 girls), and had a great time.  As we came in, we ran into Pee Wee, the juggling giant.  He was great, and we got to see him several times (Note for Magan:  I want some juggling bowling pins).  We later learned how the armies during the revolutionary war fired their muskets at the amazing speed of 2 fires per minute. 

 

In one of the activity areas, Belle was playing croquet with the other girls when it was overheard that there was a dress up area inside...Croquet was no more...she disappeared in a flash to go play dress up. 

 

We also then got to meet George Washington and listen to an interesting (dear me, I am lying here...so boring...falling asleep...really need to show more appreciation for history) speech about his life and times.  I think the kids really liked it.  After George, the rain started, and we ran across the entire village to get back to our car...yes, soaked, but we were ready to go home, and I think George was still blabbering about electricity and his friend Ben Franklin.  

 

Then we shot a few fireworks, and I was very excited to finally find the AIR CALVARY...little army men that go up with the firework and parachute back down.  Each of the kids got to catch theirs while it slowly fell to the ground.  Ruby's (or it became Ruby's) got stuck on the roof of our house. 

 

So side story of about 1 week later...Davis wants me to get the army man, and I decide, yeah, I am up here painting so sure I can take the step ladder and jump up on roof to get this army man.  When I jump up from the top step and hang for a bit trying to get up, I realize this was probably not the best decision, but once up, I was ok and on a flat part.  So I grab the army man, then realize I must get down.  So I told Davis to just move the ladder and I could just jump down to the porch area...only about 10 feet down.  As I was about to jump, I realized that I was 35 and probably shouldn't do this, but I had committed forward...so I pivoted slightly, and reached out to grap the roof on my way down.  I caught the roof but momentum took my legs for a swing directly through one of the screens I had just put back in then back out of the now badly damaged screen...and safely down to the porch...where I realized that the roofing had tore my arms up pretty badly.  So...if an army man is on your roof, just leave him be.