Images: The Week in Pictures

  Pawel Gogola, of Algonquin, holds his daughter Natalie while watching his wife Wioletta, of Poland, receive her citizenship during a special naturalization ceremony at the Schaumburg Township District Library, when over 70 individuals received their citizenship.

  While waiting for the start of the annual Good Old Days festival rubber ducky race in Winfield, I spotted this rubber ducky sporting a sailor's hat and a mischievous look on it's face. Shallow depth of field and framing help it stand out from more than 350 others. I don't know where this duck placed in the race, but I do know the winning duck did not have a sailor hat. Better luck next year my friend. This photo was published in the weekly Perspective column in the print edition.

Jackie Hart, 8, jumps off a mini trampoline during an after school obstacle course challenge at Mill Creek Elementary School Monday in Geneva.

  A 1939 Nimbus motorcycle is reflected in the chrome gas tank of another Nimbus parked at the Scandinavian Festival in South Elgin. The Denmark made bikes did not have valve covers, so the inner movements of the 4 cylinder engine could be seen as it ran. An estimated 250 still exhist in North America, with 50 of them registered in the Chicago area. This photo was published in the weekly Perspective column in the print editon.

  A praying mantis occupies the sidewalk outside the Hampton Inn Suites at Randhurst Village in Mount Prospect. I had just finished taking a photo of the Mount Prospect Chamber of Commerce board of directors when I saw the 6-7 inch long insect. I remember reading about these usual insects as a kid growing up in the early 1970's, but this is just the third praying mantis I recall seeing in my lifetime. This photo was published in the weekly Perspective column in the print editon.

  Teacher Elise Redfield and her 4th grade students took advantage of the great weather and held class in Adams Park in downtown Wheaton Monday.

  Anthony Passannante, 60, of Arlington Heights, zooms around Lake Arlington Tuesday, taking advantage of the cool weather. He runs around Lake Arlington three times, totaling six miles.

  Sydney and Ben Freed, of Vernon Hills, don construction helmets before taking a ride on a street sweeper during the Vernon Hills Public Works open house.

  Students from St. John's School in Elgin hold flags as the Wall That Heals travels east along Division Street with a motorcycle escort.

  Bill Plumb, of Libertyville, plays with his German Shepherd, named Kate, after successfully tracking a piece of fabric during Schutzhund training Tuesday at Lakewood Forest Preserve near Wauconda. Plumb is a member of the United Shutzhund Clubs of America, which stresses training that involves tracking, obedience and protection by German Shepherds.

  The Warren Township High School marching band performs during an event called Fill the Drum. Bands from Woodland Middle School, Viking Middle School and Warren Township High School performed at the O'Plaine Campus stadium on Wednesday. Cash donations went to raise funds for the Warren Township Food Pantry.

  Charles Fox, of Elgin, who served in the Army 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry, from 1967-68, looks for the names of some of the 18 friends that were killed on one day during his service. Fox was there also for the opening ceremony for the Wall that Heals at The Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin Thursday.

  Two-year-old Nalani Alvarez, of Waukegan, dresses as a flying monkey while she walks by Dorothy and the Wicked Witch as Gurnee Mills celebrated the 75th anniversary of "The Wizard of Oz" movie Thursday. The event featured crafts, stories, pictures with cutout characters, and children dressed in costumes.

  Dino Pillizzi, left, of Libertyville, and his 13-year-old son Rees, check out the interior of a Pontiac GTO during Car Fun on 21 Wednesday on Church St. in downtown Libertyville. This is the 9th year that MainStreet Libertyville has hosted the car show.

  Left to right, Sean Zenawick, Autumn Lynn, and Marcus Busch, third-graders, plant their pinwheels for the Pinwheels for Peace event at Indian Knolls Elementary in West Chicago on Friday. The event coincided with the International Day of Peace on Saturday.

  The sun sets as the sophomore game is under way at St. Charles North High School on Friday night.

  A slight mist falls as morning breaks at the Wall that Heals in Elgin.

  Three-year-old Clara Keith rides her mom Rebecca's shoulders as they dance to the music of the Vertical Church Band at Harvest Bible Chapel 25th anniversary celebration at Boomers Stadium in Schaumburg on Saturday. They are from Barrington.

  Pat Meyers, of Glen Ellyn, finishes the last few yards of the half marathon Sunday morning with his daughters Annie, 15, and Maggie, 9, at the Fox Valley Marathon in St. Charles.

  Runners start at sunrise on First Street Sunday morning at the Fox Valley Marathon in St. Charles.

  Iwona Narolewska, of Bridgeview, enjoys the sunshine while selling her jewelry at Warrenville's Art on the Prairie/Afternoon Jazz Festival.

  Jack Wehrenberg, of Naperville, tries to pick out a pumpkin at Marmion's Abbey Farms Pumpkin Daze.

  Olivia Slezak, of River Forest, runs through the Monk's Mega Maze of Corn at Marmion's Abbey Farms Pumpkin Daze.

  Jim Kaiser, of Wildwood, right, talks to Chuck Czaplewski, of Buffalo Grove, as he sits on a 1953 McCormick Farmall tractor during the 21st Annual Farm Heritage Festival Sunday at the Lakewood Forest Preserve near Wauconda.

  Veterans Rick Grimm, center, and Jack Darr, help erect the traveling Wall That Heals display at Civic Center Plaza in downtown Elgin Wednesday morning. The half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a traveling exhibit. Grimm served in the U.S. Air Force from 1963-1967, and in Vietnam in 1965. Darr also served in the Air Force, from 1969-1973, and was in Vietnam from 1971-1972. Both men live in Elgin.