Help!

I need help with Donovan. I love the kid, and he is so sweet and fun, but I am getting so frustrated when it comes to clean up time.  He whines and moves like a sloth when it is time to clean up toys. Lately, I have resorted to cleaning up toys by myself after the kids go to bed so I don't get frustrated and yell. What do I do? I want him to learn that it is important to clean up after yourself and take care of your things, but it is so frustrating trying to get him to do it!!!  Anyone have any tricks?!?

Last Days of Summer-Donovan's birthday and first day of Kindergarten!!!

 Donovan turned 5 on the 13th!  I woke up early and went to the store to get him a special birthday balloon and donut.  He was so excited and told me a few times that it was the best day ever!

We let him open the gift from Grandma Mindy.  Can you tell he loves Angry Birds?  Just wait until I post pictures from his party on Saturday!!!

 Donovan is a Kindergartner!!! 

 Chamae really wanted to be in all of the pictures...

 ...but I did manage to get one of him on his own:)

I am so excited for this new adventure in our lives!  We are so blessed to have our little Donovan.  He truly is a special boy.  He has such a kind heart, is so compassionate and always wants everyone to be happy.  He is so good at making friends and he is very loyal to those friends!  He is the very opposite of shy and will strike up a conversation with anyone that will talk to him...and sometimes even when they don't talk to him!!!  He is obviously not perfect, he has his meltdowns and he doesn't like to clean or leave his friend's houses...or have his friends leave our house, but in general, he is just a good kid!  He still loves to give us hugs and kisses.  Even when he is grumpy or crying, I can get him to smile just by telling him not to.  He thinks it's so funny to do the opposite of what I'm telling him, but usually only when he knows I'm teasing him:)  We are so lucky to have such a sweet, awesome, fun, crazy, handsome, active little boy!!!  I look forward to this next year, it is going to be so fun watching him learn and absorb new things!!!

Last Days of Summer-Wildlife Park with cousins and the pool

 "Doat."

Donovan loves all of his cousins, but he has a special spot in his heart for Addi:)  It's probably because she has spent the most time at our house!

 Cute girls

 Mason did me a favor and carried Chamae a little ways on our little "hike" to see more wildlife.

Brad had a team building exercise where he had the girls build boats out of cardboard in teams and then they had to race from one side of the pool to the other and back.  It was fun to watch, and when it was over, they all threw Brad in the pool:)

He invited me and the kids to come along.  We had Crew sleep over for a couple of nights because his parents were out of town on a youth trip, so he came along with us.

Chamae loved the water!  She is going to be a water baby, just like her brother!

Mason slept over the night before as well, so we had him come with us too.  It was the perfect pool for kids!  Deep parts for the kids that wanted to jump off the side and slide in their lifejackets, and a shallow end to just play. It was a fun, exhausting day!!!

Last Days of Summer-Boating

 Our friend has a boat, and we get invited out to deliciously clean Lake Manawa quite a bit.  It's pretty gross, but it's fun, and not very deep so it didn't make me too nervous with Donovan being out on the kneeboard.  He had so much fun learning to kneeboard, however, the only trick he will try is "no hands".  By the last trip, he and Crew (adorable red head on the right) were out on the boards at the same time.  While Crew was swerving in and out, Donovan would only lift his hands in the air and do dance moves.  No swerving for him!  Maybe next year:)

Last Days of Summer-Zoo with cousins

 We took a trip to the zoo with the Hiatt's a couple of weeks ago.  The kids got to feed the birds, do some fossil digging, among the usual things we do at the zoo.

Chamae found a stick that didn't have anymore food on it, but managed to get a bird to sit on it anyway. 

 Donovan got to feed a few different birds on his stick, and it was exciting everytime!

 Donovan LOVES the fossil dig.  We took his friend Crew a few days later and they spent most of the time digging and pouring buckets full of rubber pellets in their hair. 

 This is not an illusion, Chamae really is almost a head taller than her cousin Corbin...and she is only about 3-4 weeks older.  Such a tall girl!!  I think she may end up taller than me, or at least the same height!

 Chamae loves to watch her brother:)