What. A. Day.

It seems like just yesterday that we had no plans for this weekend, letting us look ahead to some post-party down time. Then Tuesday night rolled along, Dad learned he had won four free passes to LEGOLAND Discovery Center in the suburbs, and voila - the heck with down time, we said.

"Let's go Saturday morning, right after the party!"

You may recall we went there, for the first time, on Mom's last birthday. So we upped the ante and decided to add the Chicago Botanic Garden to our Saturday adventure. It's another suburban attraction, we'd never been there, and who cares that it's in a different direction than LEGOLAND.

"Let's spend the whole day in the burbs!"

And we did. We returned home around 8:30 p.m. and enjoyed it to the fullest.

Here are a few shots from LEGOLAND, where Dad also won a session in the Master Builder Academy class (for Dad and Levynn) and the first kit in the Master Builder Academy series (for the kids to share).

But we have a lot of shots from the botanic garden, which Dad does not hesitate to say is one of the most beautiful places he has seen.

"We'll meet you over there!"

"Chipmunk!"

And there it is.

"Is that a pear?" (It is.)

"Frog!"

And there it is.

"Bonsai!"

"Rabbit!"

That sign...

... is referring to this.

"Crane!"

And goodbye.

Wow.