my prince and his castle.

After a crazy morning and lunch at River City Eatery, it was time to pick up my now 2 year old son, Henrik from day care.  We usually then go back to the Eatery to have supper together.  Since the weather has been nice, Henrik enjoys sitting at the tables outside in the front to watch the cars go by while he eats. As he was eating his peanut butter sandwich and chips, his little pudgy pointer finger turned toward the Courthouse and he said with a sticky peanut butter grin, "Let's go to the castle, mama."  I couldn't have been more delighted by the invitation.  I've never been invited to a castle before.  He grabbed the 3 chips he had left on his plate and said, "I want to bring my chips with too." "Okay, let's go," I said. We crossed the street together and ran towards the steps after reaching the green.  "I wanna go to the steps," he screams and points again with 2 year old energy while trying to keep his 3 chips safe.  We reached the stairs and sat down.  "Take a picture, mama." He layed his chips down on the cement, sat up and faced me making a little camera with his little fingers. "Cheese, mama, cheese." He took at least 4 or 5 pictures of his mama sitting on the steps of the courthouse, I mean, castle.  Then he sat next to me again.  We watched the cars go by, walkers pass, and pointed out the birds in the sky.  It couldn't have been a better place to sit and enjoy the surroundings.  "Okay," I said, "Mama has to get back to the Eatery to work for a little bit before we go home." "No, let's just stay here mom." Yup, I think that's a great idea, Henrik, let's just stay here, for a long, long time.

happy community pride day!

Yesterday was the 2nd annual Community Pride Day held at Windom Area Schools.  I couldn't be more excited that this wonderful event successfully took place on the last day of school for the second year! My hats go off to Claire Warner and Meredith Hentges for putting in countless hours to see the event happen--their teachers, peers, and community should be very proud of what they accomplished this year. 

Community Pride Day's mission is to teach our youth how important community service is, while giving back to a community that supports the school all year long.  And also, to show our youth the beauty and success that the community of Windom holds. 

As the new chamber director, Kelsey Carlson, said to hundreds of students yesterday during the Community Pride Day lycuem, "Our hope is that this room is full of future Windom business owners."

Thanks to everyone who not only helped and supported Claire and Meredith in planning the 2nd annual Community Pride Day, but to the community members who understand its importance and support its mission and efforts.  Long live Community Pride Day!

things are turning green!

With the arrival of spring, I get excited about all the wonderful opportunities and possibilities there are around Windom.  It's time to get outside and make our surroundings beautiful, and I couldn't be more excited to tell you that the Hillside Greenhouse is open again.  I want to extend my blessings, support, excitement and amazement at all the hard work new owners, Erin and Adam, have put into this spot.  WELCOME TO WINDOM and especially, WELCOME TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.  I can't tell you how exciting it is to have these young, ambitious people, with the perfect vision for Hillside Greenhouse, right here in Windom.  Living the dream, my friends, living the dream, in this small Minnesota town.  Go check it out people--it's real and it's green!

grand opening shindig and flying pigs.

So all month, okay, for a little bit longer, I've been planning a Grand Opening Shindig for River City Eatery.  I think it is finally the right time to do it, I'm feeling a little more comfortable being an owner, entrepreneur, employer, mom, wife, friend, and active community member all at the same time.  What a learning experience it has been and continues to be.  We are finally settling into a good groove here at River City Eatery, my employees or should I say, team is amazing here at River City Eatery, and we are throwing a huge bash to celebrate RIVER CITY EATERY.  Set for tomorrow, April 28th, ALL DAY LONG.  Hope to see you all there!

Here is the itinerary:

7:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m

All you can eat French toast for $6.  Check out a plethora of baked goods.  Rolls, scones, muffins, cupcakes...mmmm...

11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Check out some new menu items like our Chicken Brushetta Wrap, Chipotle Chicken Salad Wrap, and our Chips with Fresh Salsa new Shareable.

Get FREE chips and fresh salsa with your meal to jumpstart its addition to the Shareables portion of the menu!

2 p.m. -5 p.m.
Registration for EATING CONTEST begins at 1 p.m. Contest begins at 3 p.m. Enter the Spaghetti Eating Contest to win TWINS TICKETS or enter the Pie Eating Contest to win STEVE MILLER BAND TICKETS! And of course you’ll get the opportunity to brag to all your friends that you are the champion…must be at least 13 years of age to enter.

FREE Cookies

River City Root Beer Floats for $2

Bean Bag Toss, guessing games, door prizes, and oh so much fun!

Your coffee will come with a Wildflower Garden!  Our new coffee sleeves (while supplies last) are made with 100% recycled materials and come with seeds, so you can plant your coffee sleeve and watch a garden grow.  How cool is that?

For the kiddos:
Face painting, Noodle Necklace Makin’ Station, Ice Cream Samples (for big kids too).

6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Live music by Betty and Ocho from Mankato, Minnesota—good stuff!

All you can eat Appetizer Bar for only $6.

And try a Prairie Stone Wine Float for only $3…must be 21 years of age to experience this float made with ice cream and, you guessed it, Prairie Stone Wine from Fieldstone Vineyards in Redwood Falls. MN.

I CAN'T WAIT to celebrate RIVER CITY EATERY.  The pigs are flying high, folks...I love flying pigs...

a good meeting.

I can’t believe it has been a month since my last post. I’m so sorry that there is so much to do around here that the weeks have slipped through my fingers. There are a million posts brewing in my head, so much to do, so much we’ve done and River City Eatery…just let me tell you, my love for this place keeps growing. I’m really looking forward to these upcoming warm months. Warm months unveil even more possibilities in this community, so exciting!


I was reading the Citizen this afternoon and was pleased to read about our City Council meeting with other entities within our community. It is so important to communicate with each other, so you can imagine my excitement when reading about this much needed collaborative meeting. Not only was this much needed meeting exciting because it shows the Council is acting on goals set in 2011, but the topic of how to attract younger people into our community and also reaching out to Windom Alum came up during the meeting. My hats go off to you, Windom City Council and Kelsey Fossing, for addressing this topic—a topic I am very passionate about. Cottonwood County has one of the highest outmigration populations in the country, a very serious matter, so it is wonderful that council members are bringing this subject to light and willing to try some new things to see younger people move to our wonderful community. I’m looking forward to seeing more!