Greetings from Cedar Rapids, IA! 
(PS I watched the movie Cedar Rapids a couple weekends ago – hilar…)
I’ve been on the go since yesterday at the crack of dawn. Whoo! Destination #1: the Farmer’s Market.
I didn’t think it was possible, but it was packed with even more colorful produce than last week, and I had to stop myself from buying a million more pumpkins. I was itching to buy a few more – they’re just so perfect. 
My favorite find were these incredible dahlias. I hadn’t even heard of a dahlia before yesterday, and my Mom, the flower whisperer, had a good chuckle when I pronounced it dahl-ee-yah, instead of dahl-ya. Hey, I didn’t know!
They had the brightest blooms I have ever seen, in so many different colors. They’d make a perfect Fall wedding bouquet.
I left the market with an acorn squash (destined to be halved, roasted & stuffed,) some flavored Pappardelle’s Pasta,
and an Oreo Cake Pop from the Sweet Cakes Gourmet Cupcakes tent!
My Mom and I were actually just strolling the market when I noticed some yummy-looking cupcakes laid out on a corner. I looked up at the woman working, and it turned out to be an old sorority friend from college!
She and a friend started a cupcake business several months ago (jelly) and I just had to buy something from her. This Oreo Cake Pop was dense, sweet and AMAZING. Muuuuch better than my failed attempt… 
After the market I packed up the car, picked Ben up from a Saturday shift at work, and we were off once again.
This time to reunite with tons of Ben’s family in Cedar Rapids, IA, about 3 hours east of Des Moines, for the Especially For You race against breast cancer 5K this morning.
Ben has 3 breast cancer survivors in his family, so the event is especially meaningful. Today was the 21st anniversary of the walk, and the 19th time one of his Aunts had participated!
It was cha-chilly at 7:30am when we arrived at the starting line. 35 degrees!
We quickly warmed up though, when the race kicked off at 8am.
Aside from the initial chill, the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. Bright blue skies and not a breeze to be felt. The streets we walked were lined with huge trees too, that were turning fall-yellow, orange and red. So pretty.
It was nice catching up with family as we walked the course.
And one hour and one minute later, we crossed the finish line!
Then promptly came home to stuff our faces. 
Covering three miles before 9am definitely calls for egg casserole, fresh fruit and a Panera Pink Ribbon Bagel for breakfast.
These bagels are my FAVORITE. I love ‘em so much I created a Pink Ribbon Bagel Oatmeal recipe that taste just like ‘em. MMMM!!!
And now that we’re all exercised, stuffed and sleepy…it’s time to drive home. D’oh!
Oh well, at least we’ve got some munchies for the road…look at all the race swag the family walked away with. HA!
Time to hit the road! See ya!
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Tell me about something fun you did this weekend!
oh my goodness. what a bunch of goods you ended up with! crazy. this weekend i had a girls night with some friends from church. we watched mama mia and made homemade pizzas. yum! the boys were not invited.
OMG! I have been following your blog for a few months now, and love it. I’m an Iowan at heart, and hope to get back there in the next few years, but for now, I’m living in Missouri.
I was so excited to see the pictures from today. Every year for the past 5 or 6 years I’ve done this walk in CR!!! However, couldn’t make it this year. I loved looking at the pics, though, and thank you for bringing that to me, stuck here at home! I need to go do my own 5K this morning just to keep with tradition.
I always hear good things about the pink ribbon bagels but I’ve always been hesitant to try one, don’t know why! I definitely will be trying one this month.
What a beautiful weekend!! The colors at the farmers market are amazing and what a great time at the breast cancer walk. Love.
Yesterday I went to an art festival near DC and had a wonderful time. The weather is MUCH cooler than last week, so it’s been wonderful being outside and spending time with my honey.
Thank you so much for walking. I’m a survivor and usually participate in 2 or 3 walks a year but this year I was blessed with a baby so I’ve been busy. It’s on my to do lost for next year though. Congrats to Ben’s Aunts! You all look marvelous! Love the colors of the flowers. Just beautiful!
I watched one of my best friends marry the love of her life!
My sister and her husband were at that race this morning! My sister’s mother-in-law has walked in it the past 13 years and was hoping to come in first for her age group today. They finished in about 40 minutes.
As for something fun this weekend, friends of ours had their first baby yesterday, so we are off to the hospital to meet the little guy.
I did the Cedar Falls Pink Ribbon 5k yesterday morning. It was chilling, but the reason made it worth it – plus the bagels afterwards.
Gushers! I loved those as a kid! Good for you and Ben for walking for such a good cause! My weekend kicked off with a lobster dinner with two of my best girlfriends on Friday night. We even wore the bibs and had a complete blast (it was the first time my friends had tried lobster)! Our server must have told the chef about us, because he came out to see us at our table and brought along freshly baked chocolate chip cookies for us to sample! And when it came time to pay for our bill, they had taken off our drinks and desserts, just cause! Such a fun night!
Love that so many of you get together for this breast cancer walk, what a great family event! I’ve been brainstorming ideas for breast cancer awareness pink cupcakes…hoping to make them sometime this week!
I had breakfast with a couple friends yesterday morning, which was a lot of fun–We were trying to come up with good Halloween costume ideas!
OMG… I planned our ski vacation in Lake Tahoe end of January (I am so excited. Hyatt Incline here we come! Then I went to Nordtroms and walked straight to a handbag that I had to have. That never happens. I usually look for hours, but this one just had my name all over it. So tired of my Coach bag, everyone has them now. Ugh!
But the travel plans were the funnest part!
I worked in South Lake Tahoe this summer – such a fun place! Have a good trip
The Hyatt is on the North Shore, a little quieter than the South, but OH.SO.Lovely!!!!! My daughters first time in skiing. I wonder if she is gonna wanna board instead! Probably!
Thanks!!!
what a fun weekend! love the pink ribbon panera bagels. your pictures are gorgeous as always, kristin, and that farmers market looks spectacular!
Where did you find the adoreable spider planter? I must have it!!
It’s from a vendor at the Farmers’ Market!
This is wonderful, what a great thing to do on a Sunday
You are so hilarious with getting all of that race swag, I do the same thing with free stuff like that!
Great weekend for you!
We have had a football weekend with our school’s Homecoming game on Friday, we went to ISU to watch them get clobbered on Saturday
, and my son played in his 6th grade game today. It’s been a beautiful weekend………….sorry to see it go but so glad that it happened!
My sister and I attended our county’s first Farmer’s Market!! It was amazing. I walked away with pork tamales, granola, and vegan baked goods (a cinnamon roll & double chocolate chip cookies!). The weather was amazing and it made October 1st truly feel like fall. Live music too!
OMG! I thought the women in my family were the only ones who said “hilar” …. I love it!!!!!!
Geez!! I was there too!! This was my 8th year walking – it is always great to see the wonderful turn out. And ya gotta love the big pile of goodies!!
This must be the weekend of races! Josh and I went to the Poconos this weekend and they were hosting an Iron Man competition. It was cool to watch!
Congrats on participating in such a great cause! That is awesome how many survivors his family has, obviously they’re warriors!
Ahhh! You were in CR?! I didn’t do the race, but if I had, I would have freaked out if I had seen you! So…maybe it was best I wasn’t there.
Hope you had a great time in my stomping grounds!
wow, that’s a lot of swag!!!
fun times this weekend: we took our dog to the pet walk! he loved it!
That movie is really funny, very different from your average comedy, but funny.
I love races like that, that have a purpose! I’ve run the Ronald McDonald House 5k in Iowa City the past few years as a grad student and it feels good to participate in. This past weekend I went to an Oktoberfest celebration with my mom and we had a great time eating apple struesel and drinking German beer!
That is so much swag, like I don’t even know what to say! I love that you guys were out there supporting the women in Ben’s family! This weekend we decorated for Halloween, it was hilarious – I thought the husband was going a little overboard, but every time he put something else up, the little kid across the “street” in our complex squealed in delight!
I headed WAY up north, nearly in Canada, to the Gunflint trail and hiked all day Saturday, enjoying solitude, beautiful fall leaves, fresh air, and so many lakes. The scenery was breath taking. Best. Weekend. Ever!
Hello….Oktoberfest, Amana Colonies!!! No IowaGirlEats?!?! Maybe next year?
Looks like you had a great weekend! Mine consisted of orchards & pumpkin patches, with amazing peach cobbler and raspberry jalapeno jam! mmm!
OMG, that is some SERIOUS swag!
This weekend = I had pilates, dance practices, and abs/core classes. Always fun to me
Oh how fun!! Cute family
We went on a long hike with our dogs on the trails and then had a hearty dinner at a Mexican place with tons of gucamole and a fresh magarita!
In honor of October Breast Cancer awareness month I cannot wait to try the Panera “Pink Ribbon” oatmeal! I look forward to the Susan G. Komen race every year strictly to taste the delicious bagel!!!!!!!!!! Is there a better way to remember your loved ones who have battled this disease? I think not…..:)
Glad you had fun in Cedar Rapids this weekend! Sorry I missed you at the Especially For You Race (I of course was there handing out 8,000 Pink Ribbon Bagel samples)! That’s great that the family has such a strong tradition of attending the race – such a wonderful event for an amazing cause (which is why our money in CR goes to support it!). I can’t wait to try the PRB Oatmeal!!
On Saturday, my Mom came into town and we hung out all day. Then on Sunday, I did a 5 K walk in another town too! I went with my “boyfriend” ‘s Mom. We came in in just under an hour and it was a pretty cold walk.
I got engaged last night too!
Ahhh! That is amazing!! Congratulations!
Please tell me you’ve gotten tacos from Tacopocalypse at Farmer’s Market! They’re SO good. (SW corner of 2nd and Court.) If you haven’t you must go before the dtfm ends!
Try the Hot Apple Latte from Fresh Cafe (the wheatgrass stand) at the downtown Des Moines Farmer’s Market! YUUUummEE!
I had my 10 year school reunion on Saturday night – and in the middle of all the festivities, my boyfriend got up on stage and proposed in front of everyone!It was amazing!
That is fabulous!! Congrats Juani!!
Is there a time warp on your trips to CR from DM? When I drive from CR to DM or back it takes about 1 1/2 hours, not 3.
