It is starting to feel like Fall

The mornings are getting a bit chiller, the wind more brisk, the blankets feel cozier and cozier, and the morning sun keeps rising later and later….

More than likely, since it’s Iowa… there will be one more heat blast… but let this weekend serve as a reminder, get your lawn guy on the calendar for aeration and an overseed! We just reached out to get on the schedule, so figured we’d give a PSA.

Gif by LandzieJoe on Giphy

Have fun this week.

Adventures Ahead📅📅

Check out some below happenings in the CR area!

Have an event suggestion? Just click here and let us know what it is.

Wednesday, 9/16
- Baby & Toddler Story Time
  - Downtown Library, 9:30-10:30 am
  - Join us for this 15-minute story and song program for newborns to three-year-olds, followed by a 45-minute playtime.
- Sensory Stations
  - Marion Library, 3-5 pm
  - Explore a variety of different sensory toys and tools in a safe environment with relaxed lighting. Some stations will include:
    Play-Doh
    Fidget Toys
    Tactile Mats
  - Due to the presence of small pieces, the program is best suited to patrons ages 5-10 and their caregivers.
  - Registration Required
Thursday, 9/17
- Toddler Time
  - Marion Library, 10:30-11 am
  - Toddler Time includes books, songs, and activities geared toward children between the ages of 18 months and 3 years, as well as their caregivers. This story time is an early literacy activity, perfect for practicing your child's social and listening skills.
Friday, 9/18
- Gallery Talk: Grant Wood Memorial Window
  - Veteran’s Memorial Building & Commission, 11 am
  - A gallery-talk style mini-lecture on the "Memorial Window" that was finished by Grant Wood in the late 1920's. It is a 24' tall, colorful stained-glass window dedicated to all veterans. Seating available.
  - Park on 2nd Avenue Bridge, and enter zone #5241 to pay for parking
Saturday, 9/19
- Downtown Farmers Market
  - Downtown CR, 7 am-12 pm
  - Mix and mingle in downtown CR, check out local vendors and eat some tasty food!
- Busse Library Branch Grand Opening
  - Busse Library, 10 am-2 pm
  - Celebrate the Grand Opening of the new Busse Branch with us. We will kick things off with a special presentation and remarks at 10 am outside the library, followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Sunday, 9/20
- Hiawatha Farmers Market
  - Guthridge Park, 10 am-1 pm
  - Whether you’re shopping for the week or simply enjoying the atmosphere, the market is the perfect place to gather, explore, and support local.
- Bever Park Bike Ride & Block Party
  - Bever Park, Red Pavilion (via Memorial Drive), 3-5 pm
  - Hosted by the Bever Park Neighborhood Association, join us for an afternoon of fun!
Monday, 9/21
- Baby & Toddler Story Time
  - Busse Library, 9:30 -10:30 am
  - Join us for this 15-minute story and song program for newborns to three-year-olds, followed by a 45-minute playtime.
- Bucket Truck Story Time
  - Hiawatha Library, 10-10:30 am
  - If exploring a bucket truck is on your child's wish list, this special story time is the perfect adventure. Enjoy fun stories, get an up-close look at a real bucket truck, and don't miss the chance to snap a memorable photo. It's a picture-perfect outing for truck-loving kids and their families!
- Expressive Arts with Tanager
  - Downtown Library, 11 am-12 pm
  - Arts, movement, and music for youth and their caregivers at the Downtown Library. This program is geared to pre-K to second graders.
- A Dinosaur is Loose in the Library!
  - Hiawatha Library, 1-2 pm
  - Join Iowa author Kelly Crull for a fun STEM storytime featuring his new National Geographic Kids book, The Chick-o-saurus! Enjoy a lively read-aloud, meet the Chick-o-saurus, discover dinosaur facts, dig for fossils, hatch a dinosaur egg, and take home a giveaway.
  - This program is for kids 6-12.
Tuesday, 9/22
- Early Learning Story Time
  - Downtown Library, 9:30-10 am
  - Join us for a fun-filled story time for children ages 2-5. This high-energy story time features stories, songs, and bubbles!
- Story Time at Stillwater
  - Stillwater Coffee Co., 9:30-10 am
  - A story time with coffee! Ahhhhh!
- Tween & Teen Sketch & Scribble
  - Marion Library, 3:30-4:30 pm
  - Join the library for a chill sketching and writing program. The library will provide notebooks and various pens and pencils for writing, and sketchbooks, drawing pencils, and coloring pencils for sketching. Relaxing or low-fi music will play during the program.
- Iowa Children’s Museum Visit
  - Marion Library, 3:30-5 pm
  - The Iowa Children's Museum is coming to the library, bringing fun, educational activities for children to learn through the power of play. This program will feature activities from Programming 101 and Space Exploration programs.

Grown-Up Getaway… 99 problems and a kid ain’t one.

BrewNost

📍 National Czech and Slovak Museum, Friday, September 18, 6:30 pm

Upgrade your usual "What do you want to eat?" routine with BrewNost at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. It turns the museum grounds into Cedar Rapids’ best riverside date night combining unlimited bites from top local restaurants with endless samples of craft beer, wine, and spirits. Throw in live music and a stroll along the Cedar River, and you’ve got a high-end food festival and a romantic night out rolled into one.

Even better, your night out supports the museum's educational programs. You can also test your luck in the silent and live auctions or grab a raffle ticket to win a trip for two to Prague—the ultimate way to flex your romantic potential. Grab your partner, book a sitter, and lock in your tickets.

Photo by Bohdan Stocek on Unsplash

Knee-Slappers😂🤣

Kid Tested & Approved

Why did the pony get sent to his room?

He wouldn’t stop horsing around!! 😂

What did the ocean say to the beach?

Nothing! It just waved.😅

Knock knock…. who’s there?

Atch…. Atch who?

Bless you! 🤧

🥁ba-dumm, tsssst…. 🥁

Cracking Up Lol GIF by Rodney Dangerfield

Gif by rodneydangerfield on Giphy

Bon appétit! It’s time to eat!

Mini Meatloaf Muffins

ANOTHER READER SUBMITTED RECIPE. LFG!

Take a meatloaf recipe and miniaturize it! Make it fun-sized for tiny hands and craveable bites for the big kids (including the adults!). When it is all said and done, this should take ~45 mins (tops) from start to finish, prepping, cooking, and cleaning. Perfect for those busy school night evenings.

Ingredients

1.5 lbs. ground beef (or turkey)
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp. barbecue sauce
1 Tbsp. mustard
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. each, salt & pepper (to taste)
1/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup ketchup
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Mix the sauce. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, ketchup, Dijon mustard, and nutmeg. Set aside.

3) Mix the meatloaf. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, BBQ sauce, mustard, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and egg.

4) Press into muffin tin. Divide the mixture evenly among the 12 cups, pressing meat down to fill the cup.

5) Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and use a paper towel to soak up any grease on the meatloaf. Generously spoon meatloaf sauce over each mini meat loaf.

6) Return to oven for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.

7) Serve and enjoy!

Easy to make and one of our kids got 3 helpings!

Willing to share a family recipe? Let us know!

Need to know Nuggets

Weather Report ⛅⛈

Wednesday, 9/16	70^℉/63^℉	🌦
Thursday, 9/17	76^℉/65^℉	🌧
Friday, 9/18	79^℉/68^℉	🌦 ⛈
Saturday, 9/19	80^℉/63^℉	🌦 ⛈
Sunday, 9/20	72^℉/60^℉	🌦 ⛈
Monday, 9/21	70^℉/56^℉	🌦 ⛈
Tuesday, 9/22	69^℉/56^℉	⛅

It is going to be wet…. we should see some breaks in the rain throughout the next few days. Be sure to have a rain jacket or umbrella on standby though.

Weather courtesy of KCRG.com