starting the day off right

Here's the thing, I'm not a morning person. I'm not proud to disclose this to all of Internet Land, but there you have it. I have always looooooved my sleep. There was a time, not so long ago, when I thought rising before 11am on the weekend was early.  Eesh!  Even I have trouble admitting that one.

Sleeping in came to a dramatic crashing halt with the arrival of one Sweet Little Gal and is only a fleeting memory now that SLG #2 has made us a family of four. And that's okay. Actually, it's great -- my children inspire me to make the most of every morning before I head off to work, and every moment with them on the weekend. Which means getting up early, bleary-eyed or not.

One little thing I've found that helps get the day off right is stretching. I start with my feet before I even get out of bed and am stretching my arms and legs as I head to the shower. Believe or not, it actually helps wake me up and get me going in the morning. Nothing, however, beats the weekend, when both girls get in bed with us. Husband might disagree on the comfort level as he's nearly always pushed to the edge, but I love it when we're all snuggled there together. Throw in a little coffee, some breakfast and music -- which often leads to an impromptu dance party -- and you have a completely perfect way to start the day.


My snuggle bunnies

What's your ideal way to start the day? Is there something you do (like stretching) or eat, etc. that leads you to a healthy and productive day? Quaker Oatmeal and Glam want to know! Please join me for a discussion at 4PM PST (7PM EST for us East Coasters) on Thursday, February 9th. The topic will be: “Starting the day off right: What small wins can you accomplish as part of your morning routine to help start your day right?”

And here's the fun part -- just by participating in any of the 3 chats (see dates & times for the other two below), you will automatically be entered into the “Small Wins, Big Rewards” Sweepstakes sponsored by Glam!

2/23: Future Wins- What morning small wins will help contribute to a successful future?
3/8:   Healthy Rewards- What small steps in the morning do you take to keep healthy?

At the end each discussion, one of the participants will be chosen at random to receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card. In addition, participants of ANY of the 3 discussions will also be entered to win the Grand Prize: a $1000 Amazon Gift Card! So the more discussions you participate in, the better chance you have of winning!

You can join the conversation here, or from the widget below!

The benefits of a warm, filling bowl of oatmeal can keep you going all morning long. Energy. Fiber. Heart Health. Quaker Oatmeal. A super grain breakfast.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Quaker via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Quaker.