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 husband and I are dual military (both Army), so our morning begins by rolling out of bed and heading to PT. After PT, we meet back up at the house, have a hot breakfast and coffee, and take the pups on a walk. Then a quick shower, throw on a uniform, and head out the door.
One morning breakfast ritual I experience far too little is making breakfast with my mom. Usually it’s pancakes or French toast. My mom usually tolerates my weird food experiments and she try’s all the stuff I make. We’ve been trying to perfect our protein pancakes but we’re still having trouble getting the right batter. This is one breakfast ritual I could part take of more often.
I have a little boy who is 21 months old. He’s an early riser, so my morning begins when I hear him chatting on the monitor. I usually have my husband get him from his crib, bring him into bed with us and we snuggle while we watch one episode of Daniel Tiger. Then we come downstairs and I inhale my coffee while he “helps” me make breakfast. We eat breakfast together and then set out on our days adventures. 🙂
awesome giveaway! I just did a healthy eating on the go seminar and included many Panera menu items
My morning ritual includes getting up and getting ready before everyone else and doing some quiet chores before they get up. That way when my kids are getting ready I can help them since I’m already ready.
My boys are my wake up call at the wee hours of 5 am but I always make sure I have the coffee ready to go and an easy breakfast snack for them ready!
I love the idea of having snacks packed to go…then theres no excuse to not venture out to enjoy the day!
Lately my morning ritual has been getting up and running while it’s still dark out. I love how that starts my morning off right. The coffee I have after doesn’t hurt either 🙂
My morning ritual consists of letting out my cute little puppy, followed by a warm cup of coffee and breakfast and puppy snuggles!
Coffee first, then oats with nut butter, banana, cinnamon and almond milk. Catch up on blogs and news, them wake up the four kids to feed them, pack bags and make sure they don’t miss the bus 🙂
Mmm, I love Panera!
My morning ritual includes a wakeup call from my cat, a cup of coffee while I do my makeup, breakfast while I check my email.
I’m not naturally a morning person either, but sometimes I’ll get my run in early to avoid the Texas heat. It’s a good way to start the day!
Coffee, workout, pack the hubby’s lunch, make breakfast for the babies, and then sit down to eat with them while watching Curious George. I’m a total morning person 🙂
My morning ritual involves making coffee and usually some toast or a homemade muffin and checking blogs and reading my morning affirmations or a few paragraphs from a Return to Love or another spiritual book. I always feel like it’s a nice way to ground myself before starting the rest of the day. Then I do my makeup, pack some snacks, fill up my water bottle and get ready to rock the day 🙂
Love Panera!!! And I’m assuming they have gluten-free bread since you’re eating it?!! That’s awesome!! Heading there tomorrow!!
I am an oncology RN & the days I work at 7am I am up and on the go. I usually have something quick, healthy, and easy. On the days I am off from work I love to make my own healthy egg white English muffins with onions, peppers, and tomatoes. I too it off with some salsa!
I used to never eat breakfast, but now I can’t start my day without it! Looks panera has some great breakfast options!
Our morning ritual (with a 4 yr old and 2 yr old) consists of cuddling in bed watching cartoons, followed by breakfast (either pancakes, eggs, cereal, or oatmeal) and then playtime for them while I get a workout in at home. Nice and relaxing as I am not a morning person (yet).
My morning routine usually consists of hitting snooze as many times as possible. Then I have breakfast, which is my favorite meal of the day. I usually have a protein shake, but my favorite special treat is the breakfast power sandwich from Panera.
I let the 4 month old wake me and nurse her and then wait for our 2 year old to “sing” herself awake as well. We do oatmeal almost every single morning and sit and cuddle. And… Sesame Street. every. single. day.
I want to start by saying that I totally understand that this blog is your job. It’s awesome, you give so much. This isn’t meant to be a criticism, just thoughts/musings for whatever it’s worth.
I feel like I just read a commercial. It feels weird. But seeing Livi’s adorable-ness and your super-mom-ness took the edge off the weird. 🙂
But it still felt like reading a commercial. Not a criticism, just FWIW, which may be nothing…;-)
And after reading some of the comments, I wonder, when did we stop singing ourselves awake?! How interesting that some kids tend to do that…
Although my hubby may ask me not to try this out, as I have a, uh, not so pleasant singing voice.
Thank you for your comment- it’s important and valuable for me to hear your feedback, good or bad 😉 it was less commercial-ly, but was altered in the editing process and I published it from my phone. I just went back and fixed the awkwardness that wasn’t previously there. xo
I tweeted about this promotion. https://twitter.com/grayblue1/status/401204473055301633
My morning ritual as of late includes: stretch out my arms and legs (in bed. it feels amazing every time. trust me 😉 ), use the bathroom, then get coffee, whether I brew it at home or get it from a coffeeshop.
Panera is my favorite! Love the black bean soup
Most mornings I am up at 4:30 to pump, change, and get out the door to my gym! Then once I am home I get breakfast for me and my toddler before my twins wake up to eat! As I am getting breakfast I am usually doing the dishes from t night before, I am super tired at night and I need my morning time to reset and regroup. If one of the babies does wake up early my husband takes her until I am ready! I feel frazzled all day if I don’t get my morning “chores” done! 🙂
My morning ritual is a cup of coffee and bowl of oatmeal while reading over my favorite blogs. Then on to the craziness of the day!
I tweeted!!! 🙂
https://twitter.com/tracyhellokitty/status/401212564580745216
My morning routine is stumbling to the kitchen to turn on the coffee and grab my cell phone to scroll through blogs until I’m awake enough to throw together my breakfast and get dressed! Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day too!! And you and Liv are so cute!
Awesome giveaway thank you!! My morning vary but they generally consist of cuddles coffee food yoga and sprinting out the door because I have no concept of time;)
Our morning ritual starts with time in bed looking at photos of daddy who is currently deployed.
I usually get up and eat a quick breakfast while checking my email, go for a run, hop in the shower, and then head to work. I love Panera!
My morning ritual is usually to make a cup of coffee, make something for breakfast, check the news and email on line while i eat and drink, and get out the door before I’m late!
My 3 year old and I are both non-morning people. She is usually my alarm clock and it always makes me smile to hear her voice first-thing. We usually eat something lighter for breakfast like yogurt or eggs with fruit. We watch cartoons together and get ready for the day! Lazy but perfect??
My breakfast routine is coffee! haha
Weekday mornings are just a trip to the gym and off to work! But the weekends is where the fun is – maybe a morning run, or a trip to the market but Sunday’s mornings are always saved for a long leasurly breakfast with my hubbie – reading the paper, drinking hot strong coffee and listening to Pandora’s Coffee House!!
I wish I had a more concrete morning ritual. A few years ago it was wake up early, walk to the or stretch, make coffee and shower, and then enjoy coffee and breakfast (usually warm oatmeal, mmm). Now it is wake up, check my phone, and make a mad dash for class. Not quite as relaxing, but hopefully that will change soon!
I wake up before everyone and have a big cup of tea or coffee and fold laundry. It my centering moment. 😉
I have an autoimmune disease, so mornings are rough because I’m very stiff and in pain. I get up, wash my face, make oatmeal and tea, then eat breakfast while catching up on emails and social media stuff. I eventually put on makeup in the late morning and start my day, errands and such.
I’m a Senior in college and love to hop out of bed early in the morning to have free reign of the kitchen I share with 5 housemates. Afterwards, I run to a take a spin class at the gym or make a to-go cup of coffee and hit the road for some study time!
My morning ritual is biking to work. Helps wake me up and get the day started.
My usual morning ritual is to always splash my face with cold water. It immediately wakes me and then I exercise! That’s all about to change since I just had a baby…who knows what I will do?
Definitely not a morning person. Wake up. Check Twitter. Check Facebook. Check Email. Roll out of bed. Check Twitter. Make breakfast – usually eggs and whatever bread or flatbread I’ve made for the week. Check Twitter and blogs. Shower. Check Twitter. Get dressed. Head out.
I need a strong cup of coffee in the morning.
My most productive mornings start with a run, followed up by a big mug of hot coffee!
Though my mornings have changed some since getting married and moving to another country…It’s nice that I’m able to start the morning by sitting down and eating breakfast with my hubby while havinf a cup of coffee or tea 🙂
My morning ritual consists of lots of liquids – warm lemon water, coffee and then a green smoothie 🙂
My morning ritual includes getting up at 4:30 so I can have some time for myself. Then, I get my daughter up and we start the day!
Most days during the week, I get up and clean for a while before my husband is up, take my Shih Tzu for a walk, and then go to the gym before work. Oh, and I ALWAYS have some coffee. 🙂
I also get up before everyone to have a chance to have some uninterrupted computer time so when my girls wake up I can give them my full attention before school.
I Tweeted!
https://twitter.com/alycialy/status/401307424461557760
My morning ritual during the week involves lots of coffee and blog reading. On weekends, I love a sweaty workout with coffee after. Panera has the best pumpkin spice lattes.
I start each day by catching up on my favorite blogs, especially yours! Thanks!