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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We are still getting into the groove of a morning routine around here since getting my husband back last week. My favorite part is making coffee for two.
My ritual is: 6:15 wake up, start a pot of coffee and then hop in the shower. I love sipping on a cup of coffee while I get ready for work. I pack my gym bag, as well as, breakfast, lunch and snacks for the day. I’m out the door, headed to work by 7:30!
Most days, I make and share waffles with my puppy! Now that I have a little girl and am back to work, our morning routine is definitely in transition!
I usually pack breakfast to eat at work, so my morning ritual doesn’t start until I sit at my desk with my cup of coffee from the break room and a yummy homemade breakfast to get me through that first onslaught of emails.
A good run, followed by a cup of HOT coffee and snuggles with my tot.
On weekdays, I start the day with an intense workout. On the weekends, however, you’ll find me being lazy in bed and working out a bit later.
My favorite way to start the day is with a hot cup of tea and a warm scone! I have not done anything special for myself recently but seeing my children enjoy their lives is special enough to make me happy every day.
Letting my girls help pick out their outfits! Love to see what they come up with!
Tweeted
https://twitter.com/mummytotwoboys1/status/401438710220066816
I love to start the morning with a hug from my boys and a diet coke! 🙂
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/eathardworkhard/status/401438740020604928
coffee, check email and FB, work out, shower, wake up my little man and get the day going!
My morning ritual is taking my rescue dog for a walk. It’s good for both of us, and a great way to start the day!
Coffee, morning news and oatmeal!
I like to start most of my mornings with a warm cup of coffee and a banana. Then I usually go for a nice jog or walk to greet the day. After that I come home and eat my breakfast which is usually oatmeal. Then shower & off to work. 🙂
Put my coffee mug in the freezer (to cool off the coffee so I can drink it right away), load the coffee maker and turn it on. Take my 17 year old puppy out to do his “business”. By the time we come back in, coffee is ready. Fill my cup and cook up some eggs for breakfast. Sit on the floor next to my canine and have breakfast. I save him one yolk, add his arthritis pill to the eggs and let him clean off the plate. It’s a ritual I may not have forever so I savor every second of it.
Thanks for a great giveaway,
Mo
I love waking up to my dog licking my elbow and the two of us walking into the nursery to get my 9 month old. The dog is always so excited to see her!! And the baby always has big smiles for both of us!
Waking up with my sweet cat sleeping on my chest always puts me in a good mood for the rest of the day.
Get dressed and take the dog for a quick walk before morning. It’s nice to have a few minutes outdoors before going to the office.
My morning ritual Get up at 415/430 to make it to the box by 5, come home shower, make the kids breakfast, wake the kids up, eat breakfast while making lunches and helping the kids get dressed then off to drop everyone at school.
I am a PT so I wake up at 4 to be at the gym at gym. My routine usually involved just rolling out of bed, making breakfast and getting ready quick. I do enjoy breakfast and my cup of tea in my car on the way. If i had my way every morning would start with my own personal yoga practice! No better way to start the day!
My husband has taught me the art of taking it slow in the morning. So we get up at 5:15am have a nice breakfast, watch some dvr’d jon stewart, brush up and leave around 6:30am me to the gym and him to bike to work.
I start my day waking up early, working out and enjoying my coffee before being joined by my sweet kiddos!
I looove Panera – what a great giveaway! My morning ritual is to wake up, immediately wash my face, drink a big glass of warm lemon water, put a pot of water on to boil for my french press coffee, do some quick exercises to wake myself up (mountain climbers + push ups), take a shot of apple cider vinegar, and then make breakfast 🙂 I’ve been trying to incorporate oil pulling into my morning routine as well – it just takes some getting used to!
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/chelseas09/status/401459099696508928
I start each morning with a mug of hot lemon water or tea and spend anywhere from 5-30 minutes reading and journaling. It’s relaxing and sets a great tone for the day!
Usually start out feeding my son then making a green smoothie for myself. I wait to attack the coffee until I get to work.
Ever since the time change, it’s usually lying in bed at 5:50am wishing that my baby girl would just sleep one more hour, followed by getting up, picking up/changing baby, and heading straight to the Keurig for some tea or coffee to help me be as happy about the hour as she is :).
Getting up and getting my exercise out of the way. Makes a much better start to the day. Plus, it truly does give me energy for the rest of the day.
I start my day with three cups of coffee. They are decaf but they still taste delicious!!
my favorite way to start the day is with a huge cup of coffee and a big breakfast – my favorite breakfast is probably eggs with avocado, bacon, and a big pile of roasted brussel sprouts.
My favorite way to start the day is with some snuggles from my puppy and a nice walk with her and my husband.
I always start with a banana and a run, then make breakfast and head to class!
My favorite way to start the day is with a big frothy cup of cappuccino and the morning newspaper!
My favorite way to start the day is with a huge mug of Earl Grey and New York Times so that I’m all caught up on the news.
turning around and going back to sleep! haha
ME PLEASE. my usual morning routine involves eggs, bagel, and coffee
I feel so much better in the mornings if I do a workout, then eat a good breakfast.
Hot coffee followed by a quick HIIT workout!
coffee, run/walk, and then some devotional time on the porch swing! love a quiet morning 🙂
I like to start my day with a muffin and juice!
My favorite morning ritual is to drink lots of coffee while reading a good book. I love mornings!
I’m slowly becoming a morning person. Chai tea or lemon water get me goin once I get to work. On cold mornings taking the dog outside wakes me up quickly!!
Waking up is so much easier when I know I have overnight oats waiting for me in the refrigerator (especially if it’s in an empty nut butter jar!!). Oats + coffee is a pretty typical morning ritual for me.
I start my day with kisses from my cats and a big glass of water.
I love starting the day with a hot cup of coffee!
A kiss from my boyfriend, hot shower and cup of tea is the way I like to start every morning 🙂
My favorite way to start a weekend morning is lounging around in my jammies and reading a good book or magazine. My favorite way to get my weekday morning going?? A run!
Coffee always happens, but I like to think of a ritual as something soothing which only happens for me on the weekends. A weekend ritual in my house is coffee and eggs, newspaper reading, and lounging- even if is only for an hour or so. I love it!
I always get up and make breakfast while the hubby is getting ready. We eat together and then I go get ready while he makes our lunches and finishes dishes I didn’t get to. Then we carpool to work!