Morning rituals + a giveaway
I absolutely love my mornings with Livi. She’ll wake up happy as can be singing in her crib, and I’ll go upstairs to get her. Usually she’ll hand me whatever doll she slept with last night and we’ll sing the “Good morning” song before going downstairs to begin the AM rituals. Breakfast is probably our favorite meal, and we’ll have a mix of fruit, eggs, and oatmeal or pancakes most mornings. While I make our meal, I’ll usually pack up our snacks and water if I haven’t done so the night before. This way, as soon as we’re done, we can get dressed and set off on the day’s adventures. This is usually our routine, unless groceries are getting low… then we’ll have a little breakfast date together. 
Panera is one of our standard options. We frequent there for lunch – especially on the days they have black bean soup – but we also love the breakfast menu. Bagel and smoothie for the little miss: 
and egg sandwich for me.
We share everything. 😉 
I especially love the fact that the ingredients are fresh. The breads are baked that morning by a baker and they crack the eggs as the breakfast sandwiches are ordered. (No microwaved eggs!) Even though I love the food, the company is even better. 
Looking around the restaurant most mornings, you’ll see many types of people. Families, students, professionals, grandmothers, athletes, and in our booth: a mom and her baby laughing with some friends.
Panera was kind to offer a $100 gift card to a lucky reader. Here are the details for this fun giveaway:
Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
Leave a comment with your usual morning rituals. What is your favorite way to start the day?
Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 11/13/13 – 12/8/13.
Be sure to visit the Panera Bread’s page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!
<3 xoxo Gina
Thank you to our friend Matt (Sasha‘s husband) for taking these photos!
This post was sponsored by Panera through a campaign with BlogHer. To learn more about the fresh meals at Panera, check out Panera’s head baker backstory. You can also enter The Panera Breakfast Backstory Challenge, which allows you to learn about Panera’s passion for baking while you gain chances to win great prizes, including a chance to win an all-inclusive, culinary experience trip to New York City for two. Thank you so much for supporting my blog and the sponsors who help make it possible. xo
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Our morning routine is pretty similar to yours. I *try* to get up at 6 so that I have an hour to myself before Tripp calls for me. My favorite part is when I open his door. He smiles at me, holds out his arms and says “mamaaaaaa, hold you” haha. After we read our morning prayer, we go into the kitchen and decide what to cook for breakfast – he LOVES to help cook. After we eat, he plays for a little bit while I clean up and pack for the day. We head off to the gym for my workout/shower and then we’re off for adventures!
My morning rituals include waking up early, working out and spending time in my Bible while drinking my coffee. Then, typically, a smoothie on my hour-long commute to work.
Coffee first. Always!
I recently changed companies, and my morning routine has had to change as well. I love to start by making coffee and drinking that while my dogs run around the back yard, sniffing the trails of whatever wildlife moved through the night before. I don’t have that luxury on my work days, but coffee is still involved!
Panera has great soups and smoothies!
I always work out first, then come home, pour myself some coffee, and start making my breakfast. Perfect morning routine!
I love to drink black coffee and read blogs and then go for a run!
Love this! My babysitter takes my daughter to Panera every week. This would be a perfect gift for her for Xmas!
My morning always begins with walking Laverne. I’m usually exhausted but my pup runs around outside with enough energy for the both of us. After that, it’s coffee time!
I wake up, shower, drink coffee and eat breakfast (oatmeal) while I read the paper, then head out for the day!
My mornings start early, 4am, so absolutely coffee first, reading and and checking email an dif I have time a quick workout.
I get up anywhere between 5 and 6, depending on the day. I prefer to workout in the mornings, but right now at the end of the semester, I’m usually either heading into school early or choosing some extra sleep, finding other times during the day to get in a quick run or whatever. I drink Celestial Seasonings Fast Lane tea every day, and breakfast is usually 3 scrambled eggs and two pieces of toast with PB. If I don’t eat a solid breakfast, the whole day is shot…
Now that my husband has returned from Ana way rotation, we wake up at 5 and head to the gym together. He heads straight to work after, but I come home and have coffee & breakfast while browsing blogs and internet! Weekends are a later start – often a breakfast out on Saturday.
Loooove your tights!
I am a breakfast person to the max, so mornings always include eating something.. Eggs are my favorite, and I HAVE To have coffee. My boyfriend is a swim coach, so he often has to get up early in the morning for practice. On the rare occasion that he actually gets to sleep in, I love going out for brunch with him or staying in and cooking up something of our own in the kitchen while coffee brews.
Not a morning person at all! Hit snooze a couple of times first. Then stumble to the coffee maker and let the dog out while I wait for it to brew.
A couple yoga stretches and then a big mug of coffee! 😀
My morning ritual always starts with a glass of warm water followed by coffee and some grub, and ends with writing 10 things I am grateful for that day. It’s a great way to start the day off on a positive note!
My morning ritual is to check e-mails and pinterest…
Terrible ritual for the weekends considering I SHOULD NOT BE WORKING!
Then of course comes coffee and playing outside with the dogs.
My morning breakfast ritual usually involves some combination of half a banana, apple and peanut butter, strawberries, and/or blueberries with yogurt, cereal, or if I’ve really outdone myself and thought about it the night before…overnight oats! 🙂 I recently tried Panera’s super fruit smoothie. Yum! (P.S. I love that Livi’s smoothie straw is about the same size as her!)
My morning ritual is a workout, followed by a homemade egg sandwich!
My morning rituals are to….sleep? Haha I don’t really have any. I just get up and get ready for school as fast as possible. 🙂
LOVE Panera, it’s like a second home to me. I absolutely get a salad/soup combo every time I go, and their little sourdough rolls are so tasty. Acai berry iced tea on the side!
Morning ritual… always coffee, whether it’s a work day or not. On a work day, get up, throw on scrubs, get to work, get a cup of coffee, start patient care, then get breakfast (if I’m lucky) about nine or 9:45. Not a work day? Sleeeeeeep! And then coffee. 😉
Panera is one of my favorites! My morning ritual consists of hot cocoa and walking to classes right now. Even though the walk seems long some times, it is nice to clear my mind before starting the day 🙂
https://twitter.com/HelloKaileyG/status/401139105104265216
I like to make healthy muffins for my kids and keep them in the freezer. It can make busy mornings much easier!
Morning ritual is listening to the radio while I get ready and COFFEE to get me out the door 🙂
Our mornings are super busy on school days. Dress, breakfast, coffe out! All in 30 min
I absolutely love mornings. I get up, write in my gratitude journal and then make coffee or tea. I’m loving green tea right now and then I switch to Italian Roast. I usually make eggs with kale or broccoli, toast and fruit and watch the Today show in my pjs before anyone else is awake. It really makes me feel good
My mornings usually consist of doing yoga and sit ups before my coffee!
i wake up at 6 am, shower and get ready while listening to akon 🙂 then i make my oatmeal and a cup of coffee… by 7 i’m out the door…ready to tackle the day at the hospital 🙂
I always work out, do a crossword puzzle while eating breakfast and enjoying my cup of green tea, and take my dog for a walk!
I love Panera!! On weekdays I wake up at 5:18am. I know it’s random, but I find I need exactly 12 mins to get out the door to the gym for my morning workout. I usually take spin or go for a run, and then alternate upper vs lower vs abs for strength. I leave the gym by 7:15, rush to work at 830, and sit down to my oatmeal (different mix ins all the time!) and coffee. I feel rushed prior to work, but
Love getting in a great workout at the start.
Our morning ritual is wake up, shower and get dressed. Then, go get my son to get him dressed for school. Breakfast for him and coffee for me while I get his lunch and snacks ready for school. We usually talk about school and what he’s going to do that day. When breakfast is over, get in the car and head to school.
As soon as my alarm goes off I spend 15 minutes snuggling with my basset hound Heidi! Then I head downstairs to make a green smoothie.
My morning rituals involve walking to the gym and getting a good sweat on and then a protein shake and coffee afterwards.
Spending time with our two year old golden doodle. Taking him for a walk with a coffee.
Wake up at 6:00 to work out. Followed by an apple as I head out the door for work, and a CLIF bar and Chobani pineapple yogurt when I get there. Every morning. I met a friend for breakfast the other day on the weekend and we went to Panera. It was so nice for a change of pace. I had the power breakfast sandwich and it hit the spot.
It changes everyday depending on what’s going on but they ALWAYS include coffee!
I usually get in the shower, then get ready for work, go downstairs and take (my 4 year old) puppy for a walk, come back and eat breakfast, get my lunch bag ready, and off I go!
I always try to wake up earlier to workout, but it doesn’t happen that often.
In terms of breakfast, it depends on lunch. If I pack a sandwich, then I’ll have your cookie dough cereal for breakfast. If I pack a salad for lunch, I might make a breakfast sandwich. Smoothies are always a go-to when I run late. I never skip breakfast!
PS: Love your tights!
My morning ritual is sitting on the couch watching the news and sharing a couple of waffles with my dog. If I forget the “doggie tax” I’d probably end up slipping on a puddle of drool on the floor haha!
I wake up at 5, study for the day’s classes, then head off to med school at 8 with coffee in hand 🙂
Love Panera! My morning ritual is a cup of hot water with lemon while I read the news and my favorite blogs… like yours! 🙂
Weekday mornings are busy for me, but we just got a new pup! So I’ve been up a little earlier to play with her. Several days a week, morning is also my only chance for a workout so I always work in a good sweat!
My two year old and I always start the day the same (though I’m sure it will change as he grows). He gets up way early most mornings so I grab him, some herbal tea (he prefers chocolate milk in his cup 😉 ), and we head to my bed. We curl up and cuddle to Curious George for about a hour before we have to start the day. He’s usually a wild little boy so I cherish that cuddle time when he’s so sweet!
My morning ritual includes the gym and when I get back it’s coffee and Feedly to visit my favorite blogs.
I love Panera! It was my first job in high school and then I went back to another location when I was working multiple jobs in college, and I eat there all the time still and never get sick of it because there’s so much variety!
My morning ritual on normal days is to wake up, get ready for work (throw on whatever clothes I grab, brush my teeth, tame my hair beast, add some tinted moisturizer and fresh lip color), blend a protein shake to sip on my commute, and head to work. Traveling for work for about a month right now and it usually involves a 20-60 minute AM sweat session first thing in the morning…it energizes me for the day, tricks my body awake to fight jet lag, and it may be the only chance I get to workout (a 20 minute workout is usually more energizing than 20 extra mins of sleep anyway!).
My morning ritual is to wake up, sometimes even on time! I then immediately check my e-mail and Facebook because I’m Generation Y and am addicted to technology. The one calming force of my morning…brewing pre-driving to work tea. Yummy yummy spiced chai with vanilla almond milk and some type of spice…cinnamon and/or nutmeg and/or pumpkin pie spice. When the tea is brewed the morning calm may begin. 🙂