The Annual LSN Week

If you're a faithful blog reader and have been for quite some years, you know about our annual LSN week. Or perhaps you know it better by the week every spring when Dad has a convention in Chicago, Mom goes with him and us kids spend the week in Princeville. Mom and Dad have also taken each of us when we were age 6-8 on our own little trip with them. Read about other years here, here and here.

This year, it was Kenan's turn and he couldn't have been more excited. However, instead of the rest of us spending our week in Princeville like normal, Grandma and Grandpa came and spent the week here to help keep things up and running. We missed all the time we usually spend at the Herrmann's making music, setting up for the plant sale, and playing games, but it was nice to be able to stay here and keep up our work schedules :).

Here's a peek at one very great week! (from Kenan)

Dad, Mom, and I left Tuesday around lunchtime. It was a lovely day, which is unusual for the windy city (Faith told me that Chicago is called that- I didn't believe her but now I do although its really not any windier than home).

I remember the tulips from when Lily went 

I got to go to the Lego store, which I remember from pictures of when Jared went

You can see we had time to walk on Michigan Avenue like all the other kids got to, but this time, Mom and Dad went further than ever before: we went all the way to the lake!!!

                                 We got to walk along the water on the beach in our bare feet!

                                    Then we walked home (our motel) all along the beach.

Of course, Mom loved all the pretty flowers everywhere. She said I did not complain too much about all her picture taking.

The next morning wasn't as nice out, but we still loved our walk to Navy Pier- this time just me and Mom because Dad was at his meeting.

We spent the day at the Chicago Children's Museum

the art room- I had never used powdered paint before- we sprinkled it out of salt shakers

digging for dinosaur bones

we played a game of checkers

building my own sky scraper- I remember when Jared did that

We spent quite a bit of time in the motel relaxing. I got to pick out a Lego set at the Lego store and I loved putting it together!

The next day was even colder but we walked to Maggie Daly park- I've been here before and it was fun to go again.

Mary went with us too. 

I still like to take pictures in front of the Bean

One of the best parts of being in Chicago is all the gooooooood food. I was reading the kids' menu at the first restaurant we went to and saw salmon on it! So that is what I got!

Rain Forest Cafe- I liked it at first but then I got sick of all the noise

More food!! The Embassy Suites breakfast can't be beat. I got LOTS of bacon!!!

 

  

I wish I could go back! I liked sitting on the window sill watching the cars and looking at books. I got to spend a little while in Lila's room playing games while Mom and Dad took a walk (I was sick of walking)- that was really, really fun! I swam a couple of times. It was a great week and I wish I could go back again next year! - Kenan

Back to life on the home front... As I mentioned earlier, we were able to keep up our work schedules and part of our daily routine, yet having Grandma and Grandpa here (+ Elise!) we a nice little break from normal.

The times Mom leaves the house without leaving a list are few and far between :). We love you, Mom!

Grandma gave every one a job and they got the windows washed in record time in assembly line fashion! 

Squeezing in some fun, too - fresh cookies and Blurt! 

We loved having Elise here for the week, too! As lily said, 'it was a nice group' :)

It's always great to be reunited as a family again though, too! We enjoyed our break from normal, but have also been enjoying our normal the past few weeks, too. Hopefully there will be more posts coming soon of some spring happenings around here! That is if we don't blow away before we get it accomplished...