Fremont's Lenin

Have you seen the statue of Lenin in Fremont? This statue is from the former country of Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia). Lewis Carpenter, a resident of Issaquah, Washington, was teaching English in the former Soviet block when he found the statue lying in a junkyard. Convinced this statue was a work of art and an artifact that should be saved, Carpenter mortgaged his home in order to bring the statue to Washington. In the midst of the uproar over bringing such a statue to Washington, Carpenter was killed in a car crash. His family has been trying to sell the statue since his death in 1994, but so far no takers. In the meantime, Fremont has been happy to keep the statue.

Current price: $250,000

Find the statue of Lenin here.

Oregon Coast

Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, Oregon

I've been out of commision here for a little while, but with good reason—I've been exploring one of the areas further afield! My husband, baby, and I were able to spend a wonderful extended weekend on the Oregon coast! It was a vacation I would highly recommend, and at only 4 hours from Seattle, it's a drive that is possible to do with kids in the backseat.

My husband and I rented a beach house a block away from the ocean. Since winter is the down season, we were able to negotiate a lower rate than normal. But even though it was winter, we got lucky. The weather was beautiful, despite a couple small rain showers.

Tillamook Cheese Factory, Tillamook, Oregon

One of the places we enjoyed visiting was the Tillamook Cheese Factory. If there was ever a place for kids, this is it. With all the choppers, conveyor belts, and packaging machines, if you have a little boy into machinery, he could spend a long time looking at this stuff! I think I spent long enough as it was. But the best part was definitely the tasting area—cheese, cheeseburgers, and fresh ice cream and waffle cones were the highlight of my trip.

Crabs!

If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, and you happen to be on the coast in the fall or winter, rent a boat and some crab pots. Although I'm guessing your kids might not touch or eat crab, who could resist seeing one of these? My husband's family used to do this every fall when he was growing up. Apparently fall is the better time to catch them, but we got a few this time of year as well.

Other great coast activities:

Ecola State Park: Beautiful views of Cannon Beach. We arrived in the late afternoon, and I don't know if I've ever seen a more beautiful beach scene in my life.

Seaside: The downtown of Seaside is a tourist's paradise. There are games centers for the kids, antique stores for the momma (you ought to see the pair of old earrings I bought), and all sorts of little shops, not to mention a beautiful beach. While some of the beaches had such large waves that I would be a little scared of letting my children wander very far into them, Seaside's seemed a bit tamer.

Various State Parks: Seriously, this area is teeming with them. And there are hikes galore to be found. I didn't get to go on those on this trip (I was walking the beach instead—do you blame me?) there are lots of options available for families. Also, if you are campers, there are also plenty of campsites.

Sitting on the beach: my favorite.

Be sure you teach your children about the ocean and water before attempting a beach vacation. The Oregon coast does have some perilous "sneaker waves" and rip tides because of the large waves that form here. Keep your traveling safe!

Looking over Cannon Beach

Fremont Troll

If your kids haven't see this Seattle site yet, they are in for a big surprise.

Found under the Aurora Bridge (otherwise known as the George Washington Memorial Bridge) in Fremont is the biggest troll your kids will have ever seen. If they are at all familiar with the story "The Three Billy Goats Gruff," this giant figure will spark their imaginations. If they don't know that story, check it out from your local library before making a visit.


The troll has a real Volkswagon Beetle in his hand like it swiped it from the road. You are even allowed to climb on the statue, which might make it less scary for the kids.

Find directions here.