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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My morning ritual is to wake up before everyone else, have my cup of coffee and enjoy a little “me” time before the craziness of the day begins.
wake up, drink part of a 5 hour energy and hit the snooze. get out of bed, go downstairs and get can of Cherry Coke. no a very healthy ritual but it works.
Our morning ritual involves enjoying a bowl of cereal with a cut-up banana while surfing the web- never fails and it just feels wrong when i doesn’t happen!
Right now I stay in bed as long as possible (I have a 7 week old) while my husband gets my toddler ready for the day. I make it down in time to eat breakfast while the baby sleeps or swings and the toddler watches his show. This is usually the only alone time I have all day and I cherish it!
I wake up with a cup of chai tea with some honey and almond milk then read my blogs!
I hate to admit it, but I start my day by looking at Facebook on my phone before I get out of bed. Then I drink a 24 oz. bottle of water and get to showering. It’s not exciting, but it’s my little routine. 🙂
Since I teach, mornings are BUSY at our house. My morning routine involves an early AM workout, and now that my daughter is older (9), it’s much easier to count on her to get herself ready. When I finally leave, my morning ritual includes a hot tumblr of coffee on the way to work (~20 minute commute). I’d love to have that cup at home while reading blogs or emails, but I do get that opportunity during the summer, so I am lucky! 🙂
Lately, every morning has been starting off with a green smoothie! I can’t get enough of them!
My ritual depends on whether or not I CrossFit that morning. If I don’t CrossFit, I usually wake up at 5am and go straight to the bathroom to get dressed and put on my make up. I then walk out into the main part of the house, shut the baby’s door so he doesn’t wake up, and make my breakfast. My breakfast generally consists of eggs, toast and coffee or oatmeal and coffee. After I eat, I wash dishes, grab my lunch and head off for work.
On the days I CrossFit, I wake up at 4:30 and go immediately into the bathroom to freshen up and put on my CrossFit clothes. I then walk out into the main part of the house, grab my lunch for the day and hit the road.
Pretty bland …
My mornings start with a huge mug of coffee and blog/facebook checking 🙂
my favorite morning ritual is definitely my iced coffee! after a trip to Greece this spring, I just cannot skimp on my coffees anymore. so I add coffee ice cubes, vanilla soy milk plus sweetened condensed milk…. so good!
My mornings start with an am cardio workout, then a shower and then packing up my breakfast to take to work with me !
My favorite way to start the morning is to go to work about an hour early (then I get to leave before traffic is bad!) to drink my coffee, prep for the day and start to wake up and feel centered. Then when my students arrive for the day I’m much more prepared for them and have found I’m much more patient with them. I don’t have my own children, but you doing something similar with Livi makes total sense to me.
On weekends, I still wake up pretty early and when I don’t have a long run scheduled I love to sit and catch up on all my girly reality shows before my hubby wakes up. I can’t believe I’m turning into a morning person!
I wake up drink coffee and get lunch ready for the hubby while getting breakfast for my four year old daughter. She wakes up and comes down and says ta-da.
Right now most mornings consist of getting dressed while drinking and enjoying morning coffee. Then sitting down to a big breakfast protein cookie before driving to work at the hospital! Breakfast cookie is one of the few morning breakfast options that will keep me full from 6am to noon!!
I’m at “up an at em” kinda girl. Up and dressed and on my way to work. Coffee on the go! when I get to my office, I usually eat oatmeal and get my day started.
My morning has to start with a shower no matter what, then a big cup of coffee as my husband makes our egg sandwiches to go. As he makes the bfast sandwiches I pack up little man’s bfast and lunch for daycare then its off to daycare for little man and work for us both…we work together 🙂
When I wake up, I eat breakfast while watching the news and checking email. A few minutes of calm before the day! I like leaving time so I don’t have to rush.
My morning consists of going through emails while snacking on a Chobani with some granola on top.
Here’s a link to my tweet
https://twitter.com/thebrooklynfig/status/401160468275818496
Every morning, I make and drink a ton of coffee and/or a smoothie. On my good days, I do yoga and set intentions for my day. There is nothing I love more than my mornings.
I start my day day with giving my 1 year old milk and breakfast, I eat some breakfast and then we play before we go out for story time or the gym.
I love Panera’s hazelnut coffee! It’s a treat for me.
I drag myself out of bed, shower, have a quick breakfast and then leave for work. Doesn’t sound like a lot, but I’m always running late.
Always a cup of coffee and breakfast while reading blogs. I love to ease into my day and relax for a few minutes before getting into the “always on the go” pace of my workday.
A favorite morning ritual of mine is to walk to the coffee shop down the street with my husband for a leisurely cup of morning coffee 🙂
My morning ritual includes showering, coffee, make up, hair drying (the worst!!), and breakfast (the best!!)
Tweeted!
Such cute pics!! My morning ritual has changed since I got a new puppy…It now includes rushing her outside first thing and then heading off to the gym!
I never knew much about Panera bread, and am now more willing to go there knowing that their food is fresh.
My morning starts out by working out with my workout group at the local YMCA, then I shower and go to work.
I make a coffee protein powder smoothie (cold press coffee, vanilla protein powder, almond milk, banana!) and read my blogs. Fueled up and inspired for the day!
I love my mornings! I immediately make my morning cup of coffee and slowly eat my breakfast. I never rush to get to work, but see my mornings as the time needed to prepare for the rest of my days adventures. If I need to be somewhere early, I get up earlier so I can enjoy my coffee at home!
If I have off work I love to lay in bed under the covers as long as I can. Once my 2 kitties realize I’m awake they want to snuggle. It’s the best way to start the day!
I always look forward to my mornings – cereal, a huge cup of coffee, and catching up on e-mails and blogs.
I have terrible morning rituals during the work week. I basically hop out of bed, take a shower, and leave! I eat breakfast and drink my tea once I’m at my desk. However, the weekends I always wake up slowly and have my cup of tea while watching The Today Show!
Panera’s cinnamon crunch bagel is my favorite!
My day starts with a shower followed by watching Good Morning America while I make and eat breakfast. Next, if it’s a workday, I get ready for work. If not, I just chill with my kiddo for a while and eventually get ready for the day 😉
Didn’t mean for that to show as my name!
Fixed it for ya
My morning ritual is all about convenience, out the door within 30 min of waking up!
Wake up, lay in bed and pray for a day-full amount of grace, patience and love to be a good mommy to my two sweet kiddos (4 and 2), get up, get the babes from their rooms and head to the kitchen! They are always starving first thing in the morning, and they sit on the counter while I make eggs and toast or yogurt and granola. Then we breakfast, and I make coffee. [unless I have morning sickness like I do right now, and then I make mint tea! haha..] 🙂
My morning ritual is waking up early-around 5am…….make coffee after my bed—is made. I watch the local news and scan the internet. My favorite morning radio show starts at 6am and while I listen I get ready, shower, etc. Out the door and off to work by 7am. I like this routine…….even though I wish I could sleep until 6am………..:)
During the work week I sleep in as long as I can. I usually end up rushing out the door with a granola bar in hand. But weekends are a treat and I love going out to breakfast. It’s the best meal of the day, even though I have a hard time getting up early on weekdays!
I tweeted about it! https://twitter.com/mallomarks/status/401166776446095360
I make sure to wake up a little early for some snuggle time with my puppy! Best way to start the day!
I have an 11 month old. My favorite morning routine is getting her changed, feeding her a bottle, and then doing some Bible study as I drink a cup of coffee and play with her. Then we both eat breakfast and start our day!
My morning ritual is coffee and strecthing
I posted about the contest! https://twitter.com/juliegohealthy/status/401165070371024896
During the week I workout first thing (after a few sips of coffee and a handful of cereal) then ideally get myself all ready in time to actual sit down and enjoy a real cup of coffee and news – usually that turns into a scramble to get out the door on time!
Liv’s hair is adorable in that photo!
I love waking up to some yummy overnight oats and enjoying them while doing work or catching up on some reading 🙂
Hot tea, blog reading, waking my girl up for school, breakfast for my crew and then I finally eat and finish my tea.
I start with a quick shower and a bagel!