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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I start my morning with a cool shower, a walk around the neighborhood with my pup and a cup of coffee I make using my Keurig.
I love waking up early when it is still dark out and brewing a cup of pumpkin spice coffee in my Vue and turning on the news in the background. I usually then whip up some spinach and eggs and my lunch for the day 🙂
Like you, I have to have my giant cup of coffee first thing. I don’t always wake up before my 3 year old, but I love when I hear his little feet coming to my bedroom door and in his sleepy voice, say “good morning, mama” 😉 We love Panera when we’re out running errands!
I love starting off with a hearty, nutritious breakfast and Panera is a great option 🙂
I start the day with a cup of coffee and a breakfast of eggs and toast.
I love to start my day with a nice walk with my pup!
My morning ritual is making a really healthy breakfast smoothie with protein powder, berries, spinach, and almond milk. I love Panera for lunch though! Their You Pick Two is my favorite!
Love starting my morning with coffee and a walk with my hub and puppy!
I am not a morning person so my routine tends to be rushed. I love the mornings I wake up with enough time to slow down and enjoy the process, so I strive to wake up earlier every day (sadly, I fail a lot). After I’m done getting ready for work, I head downstairs and pour my coffee into my travel mug, grab my lunch and breakfast I prepared the night before, and eat breakfast in the car. When I worked from my home my favorite luxury was working from Panera. Sometimes I’d work through breakfast and lunch there 🙂
I love waking up with a hot cup of coffee and a snuggle with my pup 🙂
My mornings start with a run followed by lots of coffee!
I love to start my day with a leisurely cup of coffee!
I start my morning off with a lonnnng bus ride and then an hour at the gym before work! THEN I get to drink my coffee and eat some oatmeal at my desk 🙂
I love mornings. I wake early – workout and then enjoy a few moments of “peace” before the rest of the family wakes up by either tiddying up, reading or getting myself ready for the day.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/OneFrugalGirl/status/402555510160764928
onefrugalgirl AT gmail DOT com
I love snuggling with my son. What better way to start the day then sitting together reading stories?
onefrugalgirl AT gmail DOT com
Rolling over and kissing my man!
My favorite way to start the day is with a work-out followed by coffee and breakfast (that I can actually sit down and enjoy and not rush)
This will make nearly any day better if I can do all of those things before 8 am
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/booksconsidered/status/402588657795612672
I always have my British Breakfast tea (which i also love getting from Panera) after i enjoys some hot oats!
I tweeted the giveaway! https://twitter.com/mjean1133/status/402595915111747584
I like to start my morning with coffee, breakfast, and blog reading!
My morning ritual is to go to the gym for a long erg workout and weight lifting session, and then have a protein-packed breakfast.
You introduced me to the breakfast cookie and now I’m hooked! Every night I make one and then wake up get ready for work pack my lunch then sit down to watch the news with my cookie!
My favorite way to start the day is with big bowls of cereal and fruit, enjoyed while reading teh newspaper or catching up on blogs. I love a morning that starts of leisurely, with no pressure to be anywhere at a certain time.
I tweeted! https://twitter.com/carrotrunr/status/402627839838527488
I take my vitamins and supplements first thing then make coffee for me and breakfast for my daughter- also Olivia. We eat and the head off to catch her school bus.
I LOVE Panera! It’s always my go to lunch place and I love getting a breakfast sandwich after a long run! My favorite morning rural is cuddling with my hinny and our puppy 🙂
I love starting the mornings with some fresh-brewed decaf coffee (can’t have caffeine but I love the taste), and some oatmeal or cereal before I hop on the bus to work!
I love spending some time stretching! Then I have a little glass of OJ 🙂
Most mornings start at 4:30am for me–not by choice, but because I have to be at work by 6. These early, busy mornings are not so enjoyable. My favorite mornings are on the weekends when I can wake up with the sun instead of before it and spend time sipping fresh coffee reading or watching the birds outside. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day too by far! It usually consists of an egg and some sort of muffin.
I am definitely a morning person– I am so much more focused in the morning and LOVE breakfast. I alternate between getting in an early morning workout and heading to the office to knock out my to-do list so I can “leave early” which feels especially amazing to have some extra time in the afternoons now that it’s getting dark so early.
My morning ritual includes drinking a green smoothie while checking emails and reading the news.
Morning ritual consists of getting up with my newborn feeding him, changing him and waiting till my 1 year old wakes up..usually about 700…getting her up, snuggling with her and eating breakfast all together with my husband before he leaves for work.
My favorite way to start the morning is with a cup (or bowl, as you say) of coffee. I love sitting in silence with that hot cup and just taking in the morning before the day starts. It’s my few minutes of quiet and calm each day.
Tweet, tweet! 🙂
https://twitter.com/lifeaftercoffee
My favorite way to start the day is with Banana Nut Cheerios and coffee!
My favorite way to start the day is reading emails and blogs while in bed 🙂
I wish I could say I was a morning person but I’m just not quite there yet. My favorite are weekend mornings when I can wake up without an alarm, followed by making bfast of omelet and french toast while enjoying freshly brewed espresso!! I love the peace and quite of these long mornings when I’m not in a rush and I can take the time to fully enjoy everything.
I love to start the day with a run before sunrise. it makes me feel ready to take on the day!
My favorite way to start the day is a kiss from my husband when he’s leaving for work and a cup of coffee!
https://twitter.com/myfolly/status/403045582890995712
My favorite way to start the day is a nice cup of coffee with a pastry!!!! thanks for a chance to win! kmassman gmail
My favorite morning ritual is working out as soon as my feet hit the ground. I have my work out clothes ready to go down stairs so I can’t make any excuses.
my fave way to start the day is with a hot cup of coffee
My favorite way to start the day is with a morning workout!
a hot coffee and listen to the music
https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/403370050033164288
I start my mornings with a hot mug of coffee, breakfast, and reading. I love a peaceful start to my morning, which gets the day off on the right foot!
Starting the day with coffee, a laughing baby, and a happy 3 year old would be perfect.
chambanachik at gmail dot com