I've been working hard to lose the baby weight that I gained while pregnant with Claire and I've been pretty successful. To date, I have lost 44 lbs. (I gained 40 so I now weigh less than I did when I first got pregnant)!! For about a month now I've been walking the neighborhood instead of walking on my treadmill. It seems to be a better workout and it's certainly not as boring. The girls go with me so I'm pushing around 63 lbs. PLUS the weight of the stroller! And the heat here is unbearable--today it was 85 degrees while we walked but the weather report said it felt like 96! (Memphis humidity is horrible) And it's supposed to be in the 100s later today. Uggh! Needless to say, we walk in the morning and drink LOTS of water!
Like mother, like daughter!
ready for our walk
one quick picture of the 3 of us
Our walk from my perspective . . .
. . . and from Ally's!
There is this HUGE hill in my neighborhood that I insist on walking--it's quite the challenge--especially while pushing both girls in the stroller.
While on our walk Ally decides she wants to walk, too!
It doesn't last too long, though. She can't keep up with my pace--I walk about as fast as you can without actually running.
And the highlight of our walks--finding a sprinkler to walk through! Ally is always on the lookout for one and boy do they feel good in this heat!
Today we wrapped up the Summer Reading Program at the Arlington Library. We took our books back to the library and turned in Ally's reading hours (we've been keeping a reading log since the beginning of June). I was amazed as I counted her hours--a whopping 24 hours and 10 minutes!! She was given several prizes including stickers, pencils, erasers, bubbles, (and her favorite) a coupon for a free ice dream at Chick-fil-A! Ally's name will also be put into the grand prize drawing 3 times (not sure what the grand prize is) and will be displayed on the wall at the library.
My little bookworm
giraffe
Roll Tide!
She's already created both her birthday list and her Christmas list (it certainly makes shopping easy)! Here she is showing me the new Bitty Twins. . .
. . . and the new Bitty Twin kitchen!
Here is all the new Kit and Ruthie stuff!!
She so badly wants a "big" girl doll--particularly Kit. The past month we've been reading the 6 books in the Kit series and the new Ruthie book in preparation for the "Kit Kittredge: American Girl" movie. We read one chapter a night until we were done. I was amazed how Ally clung to every word and how she comprehended each story. She was so excited when we finally were able to go see the movie last Sunday afternoon after church. Daddy and Claire dropped us off so it would be just the two of us. Or should I say THREE of us! Ally brought her Bitty Twin, Emmy, who pretty much goes everywhere with Ally. (Ally takes being a "mommy" very seriously) 
I highly recommend the Kit movie. It was excellent! It was such a clean, family-oriented film and that's rare--even for a G-rated movie. We laughed, I cried (several times--take those tissues!), and everyone clapped and clapped at the end. Ally's already asking when it will be out on DVD!! Oh the joys of having girls! I wouldn't trade it for the world! 
floating on her back
swimming to Ms. Natasha 
and back to Mrs. Kristi
Ally showing her prize
the proud sister
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