Where am I?

These last couple of days, it has been hard to believe I am living in Utah. For example, right now weather.com says


Partly Cloudy

58°F

Yes ladies and gentlemen, 58 degrees. So it has been sunny, warmish (no heavy jackets) and even windy! I'm talking like Santa Ana winds! It feels like a true California winter, hand delivered to Bountiful Utah just for me.

Lamp project

This semester, all my classes are at the BYU Salt Lake Extension center which is conveniently across the street from Gateway Shopping Center. So in between classes when I have some free time, I go over and window shop, mostly at Urban Outfitters and ZGallerie. While in ZGallerie I have become obsessed with anything glass or mirrored. I have seen the glassey thing in Domino magazine too. Then a couple of weeks ago, I was in TJMaxx and found these very very pretty glass lamps for at least half the price of a normal glass lamp. So I talked Alex into letting me buy one. It sits on our nightstand and I love it!!!!

But, like all good outfits, the nightstand needed an accessory, so I went to DI to find a glass dish to put Alex's eyedrops and chapstick that he keeps by the bed. Mission accomplished. After I found one, I walked around the furniture and looked for fun. There was a metal cart with random electronics and stuff, and sitting on the top was this sad lonely lamp. It had a glass figure like an upside-down vase, a shiny gold base and a gold rod up through the center of the glass. It looked dirty and broken down like most things at DI, but I couldn't help but ignore it. SOO I took it home, hoping it would work or that I could make it work. I took it apart, painted all the gold white, bought a new cord and socket at Lowe's and fixed it up like new. It is beautiful!!!! Other than Alex, it might be one of my favorite things in the apartment!

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a before picture. But if you ask Alex, he'll say he was scared when he saw the before lamp on the table when he got home. Here are the during and after pictures! Enjoy! Hopefully more projects to come!!!!

Little Lamp: TJMaxx

Lovely or what?!

My work in progress...

My masterpiece

January

This month went by fast! Alex and I started our new semesters and got settled into the routine. Alex started MCAT prep classes and has also been studying for it with his friend Matt. Alex probably devotes in 12-20 hours a week to MCAT, on top of his normal school workload. It's hard and tiring, but he's staying strong. He also took a certification test to be a Medical Lab technition and passed! He'll hopefully get a job in the lab this summer!

We've also started hanging out with friends more often! We have one group: Cory, Chelsea, Duncan, and Kallee. Alex grew up with those guys. Then we have other friends Alex grew up with Matt and Kristen, and Jeff and Julie. Matt, again is studying for the MCAT with Alex. Jeff and Julie live in the same apartments as we do. It's been really fun! We also went over to Lo and Mckay's the other night for dinner and games! I've missed them!

I have just been working and going to school. I have also gotten to hang out with my own friends. Nicole came up and hung out with me on my birthday while Alex worked at the hospital. Also... Kelsey is back in Utah!!!! If we're not too busy, we try to do something at least once a week.

Oh and the sun has been out and there isn't snow in our parking lot. Life is good.

December Week 5: Lo's Wedding

The Sunday after Christmas I headed to DC for the wedding of one of my best friends, Lo Mallon. I have known her since our Freshman year, and it was love at first sight. She met her boy Mckay freshman year, dated, then wrote him every single week of his mission. They were married in the DC temple Tuesday December 30th, 2008.

Alex had to work holiday shifts at the hospital, so it was unlikely that he would be able to go out to Virginia with me. So my mom, who has known Lo as long as I have, was more than happy to make the trip with me. Here is a recap of our trip we refer to as our "Lucy and Ethel" trip.

Sunday night we both arrived and got lost on the way to the hotel. Monday we spent the day touring "The Mall" in DC. We didn't have time to wander and learn things, so we saw important sights, took pictures, and kept moving. Monday night we had dinner at the Mallons with all the friends and family. Tuesday we went to the DC temple for the wedding, got lost again on the way to the reception. For those familiar with the area, we were at the temple in Maryland, couldn't find the 495, and accidentally went down THROUGH DC back to Virginia. We were in DC during rush hour, and when we were passing the Washington Monument there was a strike and picket going on. The people kept walking in front of cars and traffic was so slow! We had to call my dad in California who had a map of DC on the computer and was guiding us back to where we needed to be. Thank you technology. We got there an hour late, but hey, we got there! Everything was beautiful and fun. Wednesday my mom and I headed to our homes to give our husbands their New Years kiss.

Here are pictures of our adventures!

First time on the Metro. Riding in style.

Which of these tourists is not like the others?

Memorial for women who served in Vietnam War

Reflection of us in Veitnam War soldier memorial

California Girls

Mallon Family

DC Temple

When we finally gave up and asked for directions on the way to the reception...

Christmas Fun

For Christmas, my funny mom bought everybody spikey things and had everyone take pictures in them. Here they are... Welcome to life as a Carter...

Blowfish

Check out the similarity of me and my mom's pose. I guess we are related...

"Argggg"

Joel and his friend, our other brother, Charlie

I couldn't rotate it, but I also couldn't leave it out. Classic scene starring Joel and my dad

December: Week 4 Christmas

The next week was Christmas!!! We went to Alex's grandparents for Christmas Eve. Then we stayed over at the Drakes so we would be there for Christmas morning and brunch with the family. I'm not going to lie...it was weird being away from home for Christmas with different people, different food, different traditions. Surprisingly, I did ok. It was fun.

The one thing I will never get used to, or embrace, is the weather. The only "white Christmas" I will EVER enjoy is the movie starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. Christmas day there was a huge snow storm. I still don't know how Utah kids do it. I remember getting a bike, or rollerblades, or a swing set, etc for a present then going outside and playing with neighbor kids and our new toys. But not in Utah. Alex said they either get those things for their birthdays or wait until summer to use their new outside things. Wow. I guess I understand Utah kids get sledding and what-not.... But I am, and will always be, very partial to a green California Christmas.

December: week 3

Weeks 3 & 4 went very fast. Alex finished finals, I started mine, and most importantly...ALEX TURNED 24. Crazy. For Alex's birthday we hung out with our friends Cory, Chelsea, Duncan, and Kallee. We watched the Jazz game, had holiday cookies, and played games.... Alex's definition of a perfect night. Then the next night we went to the Drakes for his birthday breakfast-for-dinner. Lori made Alex's favorite...nut-roll (known to some as monkey bread). I LOVE YOU ALEX!!!!!!!!