Welcome to Not-So-Ultimate Mommy—a real-life parenting blog for the perfectly imperfect. From fun kids’ activities to honest takes on motherhood, this space is all about finding joy, creativity, and sanity in the chaos. Whether you're crafting with toddlers or navigating parenting curveballs, you’re not alone—and you’re doing great (even when it doesn’t feel like it).
Too often, traditional winter coats are so insulated that they can make you look like an abominable snowman, or worse, an oversized marshmallow. There is a fashionable alternative. Pea coats are versatile, warm, and come in many different styles and colors. However, there are some things that you should consider before purchasing a pea coat this season.
Pea coats come in many different fabrics. Most of the time, you’ll find them in wool, but they also come in cashmere, polyester, or cotton, as well as corduroy and flannel. Your fabric selection will be based upon two things: how heavy you want your coat to be and how the fabrics feel against your skin. Some pea coats are lined, so don’t simply run your hand over the outer fabric. Try on each available coat before you make your final selection.
There are many colors available on the market today. You can purchase a pea coat in the more traditional and neutral colors of beige, white, black, grey, or brown. However, you can choose to use color to express yourself, investing in a blue, red, or purple pea coat. Find a color that you are comfortable with before making your purchase so you won’t be tempted to exchange the coat later.
Pea coats are available in many different styles, some traditional, and some decidedly not so. Though the classic single-breasted coat has been a favorite for many years, don’t be afraid to search out styles with a little more flair. Pea coats now sometimes come with hoods for warmth. You can find trendier styles with pleated hems and funnel necks. Other options may include: oversized buttons, cargo pockets, interesting belts, and toggles and accents in different styles. Look at everything before you make a decision.
Traditionally, pea coats are about hip-length. However, these days you can get pea coats that are both shorter and longer than the average. Which you choose depends on your own body type and on your local climate. If you have larger hips, you might want a pea coat that only comes to your waist. Those who are particularly curvy will want a coat with a stylish belt to define the waist. And a longer coat that covers more will be ideal for colder climates.
Ultimately, you’ll want to pick a style, color, and fabric that flatters your own figure and appeals to your sense of style, so try on everything before you buy. Be selective, consider all your options, and don’t settle for something you don’t want, and you’ll find the perfect pea coat for you in no time.
So many people, especially mothers, want whiter teeth and a brighter smile. But teeth whitening at the dentist’s office can be expensive, and the whitening solution purchased at the local drug store isn’t always much cheaper. You can, as an alternative, make your own teeth whitening solution, one that is both effective and inexpensive.
Hydrogen peroxide is the best product to use when creating a whitening solution at home. It is a weak acid and acts like bleach for teeth. Hydrogen peroxide is commercially available in concentrations from 3% to 10%. The 3% solution is the best choice for a homemade tooth whitening solution. Sometimes, hydrogen peroxide can cause a burning sensation or other discomfort. This is usually eliminated once the solution is rinsed away. If the discomfort persists, discontinue use immediately.
Before beginning, collect all your ingredients. You don’t want to be running around searching for ingredients while you’re trying to whiten your teeth. Purchase a box of baking soda, a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, a tube of toothpaste, and a little table salt.
Carefully place approximately two (2) tablespoons of baking soda in a small bowl. Add a small amount of hydrogen peroxide and mix. Continue to add hydrogen peroxide until you are able to make a fine paste. This paste should be thick enough that it clings to your teeth. If it’s too thin, it will just slide off your teeth before any whitening occurs.
Salt can be added, though this is optional. Salt acts as a mild exfoliate, as it is abrasive enough to remove some stains from the surface of the teeth. At this point, you’ll have a mixture that doesn’t taste very good. To improve the taste, try adding some of your favorite toothpaste, though this is optional.
Apply the paste to your teeth liberally using a toothbrush. For maximum effectiveness, don’t lick your teeth or otherwise cause the paste to wash away. Leave this paste on your teeth for approximately five minutes. Do not swallow this paste, as it is made with hydrogen peroxide.
Remove this paste with your toothbrush. If you want to increase the whitening effect of your homemade whitening solution, take a small capful of hydrogen peroxide, no more than 3% concentration, and gargle with it for several minutes. Make sure you spit it out afterwards. Never swallow hydrogen peroxide.
The whitening process is not immediate. You will need to repeat this process, usually once a day, for up to two weeks to see obvious progress. It is safe to use your homemade whitening solution up to twice a day.
Whitening your teeth at home is a simple and uncomplicated process. The solution is easy to use and non-toxic, provided it is not swallowed. It is an effective and inexpensive alternative to commercially available teeth whitening products.
College is all about routine. You go to classes. You study. You hang out with friends. You exercise. It all becomes a part of your daily regimen. Then you go home for any one of the number of college breaks, and your routine becomes a thing of the past. You don’t have classes. Your friends are all on their break. And you quit exercising altogether.
How, then, can any student maintain their workout routine when returning home for break? It’s not easy. At school, you probably have a gym, perhaps a pool, and almost certainly your college comes equipped with a track. Your parents’ house probably doesn’t have those things. And even if you have a full-access gym in your basement, with the absence of all other routine, it can be difficult to find the motivation to exercise.
You’ll need to plan ahead if you want to maintain a workout routine. Evaluate the resources you have at and near your home. Is there a gym you can use while on break? If so, you’re in luck. Get a membership for the time you’ll be home, and use it regularly. As regularly as you used the gym at school. Make an effort to maintain routine, and plan your workout for roughly the same time each day.
If there are no gyms in your area, you’ll have to get a little more creative, but you’ll still need to create and establish a routine. If you jog while at school, jog at home. This can be done anywhere, even if there isn’t a track nearby. Jog around your neighborhood, jog at home, or even go to your local community center or mall. Find a jogging buddy if you have trouble keeping yourself motivated. Perhaps an old friend, or even a sibling wouldn’t mind jogging with you.
Lifting weights is probably one of the easiest activities to maintain while at home. Even if you don’t have a gym nearby, you can still lift weights. There are many portable weights on the market today that you can purchase for very little money, or you can use things around the house. Offer to help you parents with any heavy lifting, or turn your younger siblings into weights that tend to squeal when you lift them.
Exercise bikes are fairly cheap, so it should be easy enough to purchase one to stash in your parents’ garage or shed. Then you’ll always be able to bike when you’re home. Or, invest in a good bicycle and go for a real ride around your old neighborhood. You’ll get fresh air and exercise at the same time.
Many activities can be done without any special equipment. Sit up, push ups, lunges, and others are all easy to perform and require nothing more than your own body. If you want to build up your strength, you can give younger siblings (if you have them) piggy back rides, or just kick a ball around in the yard. Any physical activity is better than none.
Maintaining an exercise routine while on break can be trying. Make physical activity a true routine and do it every day, no exceptions. Make use of the resources at your disposal and get a little creative, and you’ll return to college with your workout regimen intact.
Returning home from college for winter break has many different challenges. Living with your parents isn’t easy. Your siblings may wake you up far too early. And all sense of routine goes out the window, until sometimes even the idea of staying fit gives you a headache. Finding the determination to maintain your workout regimen can be difficult, even for those who are dedicated to staying fit during winter break.
Routine is the single most important part of staying fit. If you want to maintain your workouts, schedule a time for exercise into your day, and don’t make any exceptions. If you’re a morning person, schedule your workout every morning. If you tend to sleep late, then perhaps just after lunch works better for you. Whatever schedule you choose, stick to it.
Evaluate your available resources when you get home. It’s unlikely that you have a full gym in your basement. Maybe you have an exercise bike or treadmill, but nothing like you had at college. That doesn’t mean you can’t stay fit, you’ll just have to problem solve, at least to some extent. Check out your area and see if there’s a gym you can join. If there is, go there everyday, and try to keep your workout similar to what you did while at school.
If there isn’t a gym, look into local high schools or community centers. They might not have a full gym, but a piece of equipment and a track to run on might suffice. Still no luck? Jog around your neighborhood or even around the house if your parents don’t mind. If neither of these suggestions are feasible, then search out your local mall. Many malls have walker programs in the mornings, and some of these people even jog, so you won’t be too out of place.
If your fitness routine included the lifting of weights, then improvise. If you can purchase some cheap weights at the local sporting good store, you’ll at least have something to use while you wait to return to college. If you cannot purchase weights, look around the house. Ask your parents if they have any work done that requires heavy lifting. Or, if you have smaller siblings, they might work well as weights, if they’ll consent. This way, you can spend time with your younger family members and still stay fit.
Cycling is a great way to stay fit over winter break. If you live in a climate where you can cycle outside, purchase a good quality bike to store at your parents’ house. You can then use it every time you come home, not just on winter break. For those living in cooler climates, exercise bikes have come down drastically in price, and many can be folded up or disassembled and stored when not in use.
When it comes to outdoor activities during winter break, the weather does indeed become a factor. If you live in a warmer climate, then football, baseball, or just running around with your younger siblings in the yard might be enough to keep you fit and trim for college. In cooler climates, sledding and skating are both excellent activities. If motivation is a problem, ask a friend or family member to join you every day. Some of your high school friends might be glad of the opportunity.
Staying active during winter break, without access to your college gym, can be a challenge. However, if you make exercise a part of your winter break regimen and you don’t let yourself just laze about, you’ll return to college fit and ready for life on campus.
