Friday, January 30, 2009

I'm a terrible person.

So tonight I was parking on campus. The Chi Omega driveway is NOT known for it's massive size. It's t-i-n-y. So....there I was, pulling up as far as I could possibly pull without hitting the car in front of me nor leaving my tires resting on the sidewalk...which would result in a ticket (I've had my fair share of those lovely orange envelopes welcoming me to my car).

I pulled up, turned off my car, set my brake. I heard a small thump-ish sound. I looked behind me, didn't really see anything, thought maybe I dropped something....Got out of my car to go into Chi Omega. Looked again....

Saw a guy walking....I thought, "Did he like hit my car with something or something?" Then I noticed.

He had a long cane.

It was white and red.

He was blind.

And ran into my car. I'm a horrible person and drive way too big of a granny boat car. I'm buying a Smart Car tomorrow.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Kid-isms

Student: "Teacher, did you do your homework last night?"

Me: "Yes! My homework was to eat oreos and watch American Idol!"

Student: "Teacher! You should have been jogging, not watching American Idol!'

Point taken. Apparently I need to work out more....

Later.

Overheard by me, said by a sweet little boy (who just happens to do his fair share of fibbing):
"If you go to church, you're not supposed to lie."

So...if you don't go to church it's ok to lie....

Sunday, January 25, 2009

100 Things...

OK so I started this list a while ago after seeing one on someone else's blog...then never posted it because I couldn't decide if it was egotistical to list so many things about ME. Then I recently saw one on my friend Molly's blog and thought it was so fun (I stole your image...hope you don't mind Molly!)....so I looked at my unfinished list and decided to add to it. But...they're not like boasting things, so I decided it was ok....more just like quirky things. Some are less than flattering!

1. My full name is Kathryn Elizabeth Steuri Cox
2. I love Oreos. Any kind.
3. I love The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants...books, and movies.
4. I miss my dear high school friends a lot.
5. And I miss my college friends too. Everyone moved!
6. I miss college memories in general. Crazy, but fun, times.
7. It's been years since I've gone a day without caffeine. Sad.
8. I wish I would have paid for college by myself. I am forever grateful and indebted to my parents.
9. I greatly admire my hard-working parents.
10. I have mixed political views.
11. When I'm nervous I bite on my lip or tongue...
12. I love my nalgene of water.
13. But only after my diet coke or Starbucks!
14. I'm recently into fun hair goop. (AKA...expensive hair goop)
15. I wish I could afford regular pedicures.
16. I love third graders-what a unique and perfect perspective on life!
17. I can't swim.
18. I've never held a tennis racket.
19. Speaking of 'I've nevers..." I've never had a bloody nose.
20. Or a broken bone.
21. I've only been on ONE rollercoaster ride...I got muy sick! No thanks!
22. I wish I was more athletic.
23. But I like to watch sports.
24. I have a lot of religion questions.
25. And hope to figure them all out one day. Soon.
26. I recently like getting my nails done in weird colors.
27. I have never had stitches.
28. I don't know how to sew a button on.
29. Yet I was the Sterling Scholar for Family and Consumer Sciences. Oh the irony.
30. When I was little (maybe 3 or 4) I got chased around Hogle Zoo by an ostrich! It chased me, pecking at my bottom and legs! I was so scared and my fam was laughing too hard to do anything about...it's still the family joke....and I'm still scared of ostriches.
31. I got my belly button pierced right after my 18th birthday, in a trashy place in Hollywood on Spring Break.
32. And took it out soon after, when my mom told me she was disappointed in me. Ouch.
33. I love the smell of apple cinnamon.
34. I'm a night owl.
35. And love to sleep in.
36. I hope my dad and brother wear their helmets when they ride their motorcycles. Ok, I know they don't always, but I hope they reconsider.
37. I hate dark chocolate.
38. And raisins.
39. Love all fruit and veggies...except tomatoes. Ew.
40. I was a vegetarian for almost 3 years.
41. I love folded over potato chips.
42. I've never read Harry Potter.
43. I've never seen Star Wars.
44. I'd rather text than call.
45. I have been to Mexico I think twice, otherwise, never been out of the country.
46. I lived in Houston, Texas for 4 months.
47. I was mostly miserable in Texas, but was glad that I did it later.
48. It bugs me when people use the wrong to, too, or two.
49. Or use the wrong their, there, or they're.
50. Or the wrong your or you're.
51. But I don't know the difference between further and farther. (Mom, I know you do, teach me!)
52. I used to have eyelash extensions.
53. I wish Logan had a Target. But it's probably good it doesn't for my bank account's sake.
54. I think my husband is really good at refinishing furniture. He always buys yucky, old looking stuff and sands and stains it and it looks so good.
55. I think my husband is really funny...
56. I wish I was a runner.
57. When I was little one of my friends was mad at me and called me a lesbian! I didn't even know what it was, but got really upset and told my mom.
58. I own the whole series of Sex and the City and love watching it over and over....
59. I like the fun parts of being a grown up...staying up late, living with a super cool boy, having more money than just allowance (not much more...).
60. But hate the boring, hard-to-understand parts of being a grown-up....insurance, taxes, retirement, stocks, etc...
61. I used to drink a bit in college...and am glad I had that time of my life...BUT don't anymore. It's just not for me anymore. I've decided it won't help me get the things I want in my life. I'm not against people who do, I just feel like there are more negatives than positives....
62. I still miss my grandpa and hardly a day goes by that I don't think of him...he's been gone 13 years this Monday....
63. I can't wait to have kids...we already have our first boy name and first girl name picked out....(this is not an announcement!)
64. I wish I could be a stay at home mom....
65. But I do love my job, so it'll all work out.
66. I love butter spray....sounds gross, works well...
67. I love when my husband wakes me up with a hot breakfast...like today, french toast!
68. Snoop Dogg kinda freaks me out....but I LOVE Kyle Korver...
69. I like to plan meals a week at a time and be domestic.
70. I'm really self-conscious of my big nose and big ears.
71. My absolute favorite place to be is the pool. Yes, I can't swim....but I just like to lay (or lie?) by the side....with my ipod, magazine, diet coke...ah.
72. I love my inlaws....and am so glad Bevin and Sara moved back to Logan. I've been able to get to know them better and we've all had a lot of fun....
73. I set 5 alarms every night. And check them a zillion times.
74. My lamp shade in my room has to be straight. I straighten it every night before bed.
75. And my bathroom door has to be half shut. Bugs me when it's all the way open.
76. I wear a camisole every day. I can't stand to wear a shirt without one.
77. My family has weird pets...a pot-bellied pig, flying squirrels....
78. I played school for hours when I was little. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher.
79. I'm still weirded out that I'm old enough to be a teacher....
80. I was an extra in the movie Drive Me Crazy.
81. I went to East High where High School Musical was filmed. My students found out and asked if I know Zac Efron!
82. I once played a prank with my friends...we got 10 HUGE bags of shredded paper from the University (late-night studying for finals has a perk)...and FILLED our friend's room with it. Like not just scattered...FILLED. Cupboards and all. He didn't find out for months who did it.
83. Among the most scared I've ever been was in Texas, when this crazy druggie dude was breaking into our apartment and throwing stuff at our (glass) door in the middle of the night. We pretended like we weren't home and called the police. Sounded lame later, but we were SOOOO scared!
84. I have sung karaoke once...and I CAN NOT sing. I was in a bar on my birthday....enough said. Never again.
85. Speaking of singing....my brothers are both good singers and made all the choirs in jr. high and high school....and LOVE to make fun of me for not making ANY choirs. I'm all for mouthing the words.
86. I won a washer and dryer when I was like 8 in a contest at a furniture store. My mom didn't even know I entered until she got the phone call! Ironically, we were at the furniture store so my mom could buy a new washer...and her dryer broke like a day before I won the contest.
87. I totally believe in ghosts/spirits/etc. My fam has had some interesting experiences since my grandpa passed away.
88. I wish I could wear lipstick. I look like a clown. Not what I'm going for.
89. I want a Honda Pilot or a Honda CRV...love them.
90. I saw the 4th of July fireworks in Washington D.C. a few years ago...it was really cool.
91. Sometimes I wish I was trendy...sometimes I don't care....
92. I wish I was more organized.
93. My fave flower may be hydrangeas....I like tulips too...and daffodils...
93. I love beef jerky and pretty much quit being a vegetarian for it.
94. I like black and white pictures best....they hide everything and look really classy.
95. Every holiday I try to outdo my husband, and it can't happen. He's SO good at planning fun things and getting me exactly what I want.
96. I almost went to school at the University of Kansas...I had a dorm room and all. But out of state tuition was so expensive. I visited USU once and was sold.
97. My dad races dragbikes and had held the speed record in Utah. He goes nearly 200 mph in around 7 seconds. Yikes.
98. I used to be a really fast, crazy driver....I'm now a lot safer.
99. My husband HAS to sleep with a fan on for background noise....and it's passed on to me now too. Silence bothers me at night.
100. I'm really scared of losing someone close to me.

OK...whew. That was a lot.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

"...to be womanly always, to be discouraged never..."


Last night was among the hardest in my life. The Utah State chapter of Chi Omega is closing. Now I definitely know the stereotype of sororities...but before you think that, please just think of one thing in your life that you passed judgment on, then actually experienced and changed your mind....or, something in your life that you wish people would not judge. I could go on and on about what Chi Omega has meant to me, and to many others (300,000 nationally to be approximately exact)...but I've already done that here.

Last night, as I heard the words, "This chapter will be closing." come from the National Representative, I was completely heartbroken. Crushed. Sad. Devastated. Overwhelmed. Thoughtful.

Although the decision was made with the best interest of all involved and I wholeheartedly agree that it had to be done given the circumstances.

I couldn't help but think what the future women attending USU will be missing...Although I wish the best to Alpha Chi Omega and Kappa Delta- I know they'll be able to continue the legacy of a wonderful Greek life at Utah State, and that many women will have many experiences to enrich their lives within the houses.

I think about my Chi Omega experience and think....
  • No more late night chats in the upper hall.
  • No more throwing buckets of cold water over the shower door on the poor unsuspecting victim.
  • No more long Monday nights in the hot, musty chapter room.
  • No more getting ready in the laundry room.
  • No more picking out dresses for formal.
  • No more flipping late plate tags....
  • No more hawaiian haystacks..
  • No more friendship pillow
  • No more boards....not that I ever had one....ha
  • No more trips to Aggie Station for coke
  • No more all-greek meetings
  • No more recruitment workshop....long summer days....
  • No more backyard fun
  • No more Preference night in pretty black dresses, cheesy songs, candlelight... "in the shades of evening, there will be no grieving...until we meet again....."
  • No more Patty asking me to "just mouth the words" during Pref. singing....
  • No more waiting in the hall for meeting to start
  • No more owl pals...
  • No more Big/Little Sis week...C-H-I-O days....
  • No more sisterhood retreat
  • No more candle passings
  • No more Pass it On book...
  • No more concessions
  • No more Derby Days will the EXs
  • No more Round Up
  • No more Halloween Carnival
  • No more watching the EXs from the sitting room window
  • No more watching the ENs from the kitchen window
  • No more greeting New Members at the TSC patio with red and yellow balloons and a giant banner
  • No more House Meetings-signing up for laundry times, house duties, and hoping for no "hootie duties"
  • No more flag football, softball, basketball...
  • No more ordering tshirts
  • No more Convention in the summer
  • No more sleeping in the chapter room
  • No more hanging out on the balcony deck in the summer
  • No more House Clean-Up (!)
  • No more date dashes
  • No more fraternity formals (yikes)
  • No more Professor Tea
  • No more decorating the hallway bulletin board for Recruitment
  • No more moving cars in the tiny driveway
  • No more Robin's Awards
  • No more trying to balance that weird top-of-a-dress looking thing to wear for composite pictures
  • No more writing in the journal in the sitting room (I have the older, green one if anyone's interested in catching up on old times!)
  • No more more eitiquette lessons from T-rish
  • No more trying to guess the code on the front door when you forgot it
  • No more gathering in the front room for Fireside speakers and lessons
  • No more Cardinal Cabinets
  • No more letters on the front of the house
  • No more trophies in the trophy case
  • No more owls on top of the trophy case
  • No more Super Bowl parties in the chapter room with LOTS of junk food
  • No more Christmas Party with gifts for your Big and Little Sis
  • No more creepy boiler room
  • No more gathering in the Big and Little Pit
  • No more study hours
  • No more cardinal and straw
  • No more white carnations
  • No more Senior Week
  • No more slate meetings
  • No more Initiation

...Ah, a small list of the best 4 years of my life. Anything to add Chi O girls out there?

"We'll try, we'll vie, we'll never die..."

Monday, January 19, 2009

God Bless the USA (and everyone else too)


I saw this quote on my Starbucks cup today....I liked it...and wish I could watch the inauguration tomorrow. I'll have to opt for online later after work.

"My fellow citizens, our nation is poised for greatness. We must do what we know is right and do it with all our might Let history say of us, 'These were the golden years- when the American Revolution was reborn, when freedom gained new life, when America reached for her best.'"

-President Ronald Reagan, Inaugural Address January 21, 1985

Which reminds me that in school this week we've been talking about Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement. I love that the kids are SHOCKED that blacks vs. whites stuff went on at all. In one book we were reading, it said that "Whites Only" signs were made illegal. One girl passionately shouted out, "Yeah! That's right!"


When we talked about what segregation means, I said, "What do you think about that? Do you think that's ok?" A collective, horrified, "NO!!!!" rang out across my classroom. They can't even fathom this even happened, and that I would even ask what they think of it.

We are destined for a better, more equal world for all.

On another note...the people STILL protesting President Bush at the White House right now (just heard it on the news): GIVE IT UP PEOPLE! Put your shoes down and walk away. No matter what you agree or disagree with about our current (for less than 24 more hours...) President, I feel like he deserves a certain amount of respect solely for being our President.

Game Night!


Tonight we had some friends over for dessert and games. It was so fun...we started with Scattergories, and of course gorging on cupcakes, cheesecake, and orange rolls...yum!

Then came Taboo! We played girls versus boys...and things got intense! Unfortunately the boys won...which at my house means that I am stuck doing the dishes for the week...blah. What RJ doesn't know though is that if I don't make dinner, there will be no dishes to wash! That means no cooking and no cleaning...I like this deal....

The game got so intense that distraction was our only way to overcome the winning team. When it was a boy's turn, we would gather around and make noises, poke them, pinch them...anything! Of course it didn't quite work in our favor....but it did earn us the team name so graciously given by the boys... Team Bull****!




Taci as she counts up our points....rough round.

The boys attempt to distract Les as she tries desperately to get her teammates to guess....


Cute Mckenna thought we were all crazy! She slept through most of the fiasco until the competitive screaming and yelling began!

RJ's Taboo game face!


Mckenna all bundled up and ready to go.



Taci showing us that the boys just got NEGATIVE 3! Good round for us!

And the girls distracting Rory begins....

And Mckenna joins in on the distraction fun!

Justin and Mckenna doing their victory dance!

Friday, January 16, 2009

Random Thoughts...

So we went roller skating today at school. Let me tell you...that is possibly the best way to spend a Friday morning at 9am (when sleeping isn't an option of course...). Good times.

Here's RJ in his sick wig....It was like 4 feet long of nappy plastic-y hair....

Greg in his disco outfit. He's been student-teaching just across the hall from my room at Ellis, it's been fun...and we now have a total of 4 in the Cox family at Ellis.....

Me trying to shove RJ's rollerblades on as his foot is wedged among the plastic!


The bus driver was very cutesy-voice-ish to the kids and said, "OK, now we're about to come to the railroad tracks...do you know what you do?" The kids immediately put their fingers on a screw and held their feet up. When she got no verbal response, she got back on the speaker..."Yes, we all need to be very quiet when we go across the tracks...." Ha....lady, welcome to my daily life of having to say exactly what you mean.

Then I got this from the seat behind me: "Mrs. Cox...I have three words for your hair...hid-e-ous."

OK....the girl had a point. It was disco themed skating, and I didn't pull together any sort of costume...so I went with braids and very large earrings. Problem is, I can't actually do braids very well. The back part that is supposed to be a nice straight part is all gobbled and messy. I tried to teach R.J. how to braid for my sake (and any future daughters)....that's another post for another day.

Speaking of funny kids....We had an auction yesterday using the slips they earn for good behavior. I stocked up on fun (and pricey) prizes that I thought were super cool. Let me tell you from the collective gasp of horror as I pulled out the High School Musical lip balm and post-it notes that High School Musical is apparently no longer the hot item. This is apparently the new hot item... the FREE USU Alumni calendar I got for free in the mail. 2nd most popular? A fruit roll-up. No no, not a pack of them, just one.

Remind me to stop buying prizes and just save household item and bits of mail for the next auction. Anyone got anything they want to donate? A single sock perhaps? A pencil? Empty cardboard box? Old toothbrush? Only the best for us!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

My Debut

A little background....I come from a non-LDS family, which I guess isn't the important part of my story...it's more that my family isn't accustomed to saying a blessing before each meal. R.J.'s is...so inevitably, it'd be my turn to say the blessing at Sunday dinner.

Today was that day.

I was feeling inspired after a good day at church, and felt ready for the challenge. I proudly folded my arms....and....said what I thought was a great prayer. As I closed with an accomplished, "Amen!" R.J. said, "Well...that was good, but...you forgot to bless the food!"

Ooops. Guess I wasn't quite ready for my debut. Maybe next week.

Pale as a Ghost

11:00 A.M., getting ready for church.

Me: "Shoot husband, I put my black nylons on this morning and they have a giant run in them."

Husband, looking at my nylon-less legs: "That's ok, we'll just tell everyone you're wearing white tights."

I'm going tanning.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Blog Backgrounds?

Where did Cutest Blog on the Block go?! It has said under construction for so long. And I hate my background...thus, making for a bad blogging situation!

Does anyone know of any similar sites (as in, so easy that I just cut and paste into the page element)?

Friday, January 9, 2009

Kid Quips

Today was one of those days at school that I hope the kids remember about 3rd grade for years to come. We were working on travel brochures for an island in Iceland and the kids just got SO into it. We started making posters to display our brochures on, and they got so creative...some groups were even doing 3-d stuff!

Anyway...a couple funny stories as well, which always make for a good day!

One student: "Oh good, I'm finally growing hair....teacher, look, I'm getting hair in my ears. They are just like coming out, and I don't want to have those big long gray hairs coming out you know? So, I just pull them out when I see them..."

Yes, that was seriously all said in one long string! He was waiting for me to refill the stapler...As soon as I handed it to him, he just said, "Thanks!" And the ear-hair talk was over. Whew.
Then, another girl came up later this afternoon, "Teacher, guess what? Some of my friends babysat my bunny when I was out of town, and guess what happened?! It got out, and snuck into another bunny's cage. It got married with another bunny, and now there are baby bunnies everywhere!" Got married....love it!


And last, "Teacher, you should get Mr. Cox to give our class points in the contest since he's your husband!' I said, "I don't think he'll give me points, but he gave me a diamond!" Student, "Is it real?" Sure hope so. Although he does like those quarter machines at KMart....hum...

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Female friend = girl (space) friend....NOT girlfriend

In my class, we have a couch at our rug area. To decide who sits on it when we all head over there, I pick a student who is really on-task and ready to go. They then pick a friend, so on and so on until there are 5 people. There has to be as equal as we can get on boys and girls, 3 and 2 or 2 and 3. So...as you can imagine, picking someone of the opposite gender is big deal in 3rd grade....We have lots of talks on "being mature".

So...today. I picked a student, a boy, so sit on the couch. He then picked a friend, and so on until it was a boy's turn to pick. This happens to be a very witty boy (see "I'm thinkin' Arby's" post from the past). He said, "I pick Mrs. Cox...because she's my BFF!"

Then a chorus rang out of, "Yeah, Best Friends Forever..."

"Yeah...Best Funny Friend..."

Until, "Best Female Friend"...which prompted the boy to associate female with girl...and blurt out, "Yeah, Best Girlfriend!" UhOh! His face went SO RED (keep in mind this kid is NEVER embarrassed in the slightest...) as the thought occurred to him that he just referred to the teacher as his "Best Girlfriend". We laughed for a good long time....poor thing!

Monday, January 5, 2009

Cutest Kid...EVER

Our nephew is the cutest, ever. Hands down. And just the all around, best kid. But I could be a little biased....Anyway, he LOVES to play with my boots. He puts them on and tries to walk around...so cute. He has recently learned how to say my name, and it is so sweet....somewhere between "Kiki" and "Geeky" (Let's not read into the geeky part too much...I'm sure he doesn't mean it...)





Aw....



Cute.

Beauty Tip


"Teacher, did you know that if you shave your legs when you're too young you'll grow man hair on them?"

Who needs Glamour magazine for beauty tips when you have 8 year olds?

Saturday, January 3, 2009

WOW....2009

I can't believe it's 2009....remember the Y2K scare?! That was almost 10 years ago?! Wow. This year was fun....we were supposed to head up to a condo in Midway/Park City, but RJ wasn't feeling so hot in the days leading up. SO...we decided to stay in town. Luckily, Sara and Bevin were having a party...and it was SO fun. We had no shortage of junk food...diet coke..and games...and fun...and even a rigorous ping pong tournament. Then RJ and I came home and broke out a bottle of Martinelli's apple cider for us and Dizzy to ring in the new year!








Of course....the midnight kiss!




And...soon, we were ALL ready for bed!

Friday, January 2, 2009

Sorry I'm a crazy cat lady...

Miss Kitty LOVES the laptop. She watches the mouse move, and when it does the little spinning "thinking" thing, she tries to catch it...hilarious. I might do it on purpose sometimes...just to watch her flip out.