Obamas plan visit to Chicago home

CHICAGO, May 25 (UPI) -- President Obama and his family will travel to Chicago to spend the Memorial Day weekend in their hometown, White House officials say.

The first family planned to arrive Thursday and stay until Monday, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The president will participate in a Memorial Day ceremony at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Ill., which is about 50 miles south of Chicago, before heading back to Washington.

It has been more than a year since the entire Obama family returned to their home in Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

The Sun-Times reported Obama envisioned frequent visits back home when he was first elected but few have materialized.

Instead, the family thought it was better to remain in Washington so daughters Sasha and Malia could get settled in their new school and make new friends.

First lady Michelle Obama said the girls' schedules are among the reasons they haven't returned more often.