Spring Fever

I have discovered Pottery Barn, and I love it. I feel like everything is so dark and sad right now, and I saw all of their beautiful, light, springy things! Ahhh, what a wonderful marketing strategy aimed towards us sunshine lovers who are stuck inside. I love this duvet cover: (I also like the bed... perphaps my dad will help my construct it over the summer)

I am loving green and white right now, so this is perfect. I showed it to Matt and he said nothing... which means that he thinks its too girly. LAME. All the people that lead me to believe that women are in charge in the marriage is in BIG trouble. You know what color our bed is now? Tan and Brown. Depressing colors. My last two sets of bedding before I got married where PINK and FLOWERY. Two things Matt will have nothing to do with.

This picture just makes me happy. I wish I was sitting on that couch putting on my shoes to go outside, without a coat on.

Summer, please come soon... I need your sunshine and happiness.

For you in the Burg

So if any of you have shopped at Broulims, and have walked past their new Artisan bread and wondered "Hmm, that looks interesting... I wonder if it is any good?" Matt and Kristal Carter (the ultimate connoisseurs of food, Matt will eat anything and I am rather picky, perfect right?) are here to answer your question! The bread is delightful! I guess we have only tried the asiago cheese baguette, but its awesome! Matt said that it reminds him of walking the street of Paris on a warm summers day... okay, so that was a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea. We also like to eat it with this cheese:

in Garlic and Herbs flavor!

Now the only thing Rexburg needs is Italian gelato! That is all the Carters talk about when speaking of Europe, so I figure I don't need to go there if I can have some gelato here.

Magic School Bus

Matt and I were watching Muppets from Space last night and we both thought it would be awesome if we owned an old school bus, lucky for us, this little beauty is for sale.

Imagine the possibilities!

I guess this is growing up

Matt and I have been 'looking' at buying a house. We aren't sure yet what we want to do, but it has been a headache just starting the process. The last few weeks we have spent pouring over real estate websites and familiarizing ourselves with terms like 'short sale' and 'FHA Loan'. Man, why can't houses be like cars. Go to the house dealer, look at all the models in one relatively small area and test 'live' a few. Goodness. I love looking at houses and just dreaming about the day when we will build our final destination, our dream house per say, but right now it is stinky. I almost have given up, its just not much fun falling in love with house after house and being let down by various troubles. Man, being old is not as much fun as I thought. All this house looking has got me thinking about the things that really matter to me in a house... I have compiled a list of a few things I deem necessary to my dream house: (please note that this is 'dream' house, not like buying this summer house)

A BIG tub: being six feet tall, I have to pick and choose what parts of me stay warm on my occasional baths, too bad, because I really enjoy them.

A vanity... aw the funness of sitting down to do your makeup

A movie room: Preferably in a more secluded part of the house with lots of comfy couches and love sacs.


Vaulted ceilings and a second story that has at least one overlook onto the main floor.

A fireplace with a freaking sweet mantle

and last but not least, a VERY HIGH, and VERY soft bed. Like, one that I would need a footstool to get on...mmmm, I want it now.
And if you throw in some secret passage ways... all the better.

Basically the perfect house for me... why can't houses like this be 100,000 dollars?

Ya, I know I dream big. Is it bad of me to want a SWEET, super nice looking house? What are some 'must haves' for you?

Hardcoreness Rankings

I saw a preview today for a John Wayne collectors DVD. I am a big John Wayne fan. I was thinking how cool he was... then I started to think that he might be even more hardcore than Jack Bauer, and Bauer, he's pretty hardcore. Bauer can take out tons of guys, but John Wayne could take out just as many, riding a horse and shooting them with a shotgun and pistol. (see True Grit if you don't believe me!) As I continued to ponder this, I realized that my dad is more hardcore than both of the before mentioned men. So, here it is, the official Hardcore Kristal rankings:

reading from least to most hardcore

P.S. Maybe once I see Matty in more action packed situations, he can move up the rankings. Don't worry, he is still number five. Number 4 is Chuck Norris. (I would also like to claim that I liked him BEFORE he got real popular, "cuz the eyes of a ranger are upon you!" remember that anyone?)

Boredom Browsing

I was looking at the Target website today, and I saw these cool/kinda crazy serving things for BBQ's (which I LOVE LOVE LOVE)

I think for the first one you would put stuff like potato salad or french fries in the three bowls, but I am not quite sure. The second one is just for condiments. Kinda cool huh?

Also, I found some way cute coasters! I have never really used them, but it's never too late to try!

Wowza

I just saw this awesome thing on Amazon. It's called a Kindle. And it sounds really cool, even though I am not sure I would like it. It's a wireless reading device, so you just download books to it and take them all with you, plus you can download without a computer. It also lets you switch to a mode where it will read to you, way cooler than audio books! The price for these books is also less than the print price, it said most of them where 10 bucks. Pretty sweet. Like I said, it might be cool, but I like holding my books like a book, and just being able to look at my library on a shelf, so I don't know. You should definately check it out!

Brain Dump

I stumbled upon a blog once that someone had done a brain dump (just writing down everything that you are thinking of, and things I have been meaning to blog about, but have forgotten) so I have decided that today is the day I give it a go.

When I get my bachelors (in april, woot!) I am going to start writing my name like this:

Kristal K. Carter, B.S.

I don't think that people take enough pride in their degrees, that won't happen to me. I also wish that there was such thing as a degree in Universal studies (like general studies), I would get my masters in it so that I could refer to myself as a Master of the Universe!

Matt and I have been debating of late our blanket situation. Matt claims that I steal them in the night, I claim that he pushes them over to me when he sleeps. Matt calls this accusation "un-lawful donating of bedcovers" I guess we will never know. (Well, I know that he pushes them to me!)

I have a really sweet and big bruise on my leg from a wrestling match with my brother.I like Fridays at school. We play (I watch) dodgeball and have music on. It's really hard to teach high school when you wish you were still there.

I like this picture of me and Matt. It was at our ward Valentines party that Matt and I helped plan. We are also the ward baby stealers. I have also noticed that since I don't have arm muscles anymore, I have to make sure that I don't squash my arm against my body in pictures...poop

I like to make 'combo' meals by combining my sweet and salty stuff. Some people dip their fries in their shakes, I dip my jr. bacon cheesburger. Another favorite is doritos with pb & j, 'cept it has to be HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY. Mmm, I am pretty sure if I had to pick one more meal to eat for the rest of my life it would be pb&j, doritos (nacho cheese) and milk.


I am very jealous of my little sister Annie. She is cooler than me, she has this whole indian (India indians) hippie thing going on. She is also very good at art, which is so much not my forte. These are some of her charcoals. She also just started painting her room, and it looks sweet. The sun mural is the first thing you see when you come in her room.

I was helping my sister Vanessa do her hair one day, and I found this:

She had a knot in her hair and she cut it out! I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. Ya, that little spiky patch is the size of a fist! She did this like two weeks ago and hadn't told anyone!

I took this picture when Matt found a cat outside that was 'so cold! see, it's just sitting out there on the porch being sad!' that he wanted to bring it inside. I put my foot down and he settled for making it a bed outside on our back porch. (Matt made friends with it while he was shoveling snow, and it did sit on our porch like this for about a half hour)

I was looking at my googlereader today, and I saw that 19 people were subscribed to my blog! Who are you? Only a few people ever comment so I have no idea who the rest of you could be! I was so happy to see that my subscribers had gone up, but I don't know who they are! Let your voice be heard, comment on my blog!

Eating with Matt is an adventure. We were at Wendy's and he ordered like seven things off the dollar menu, I told him it wasn't much of a value if he bought the whole value menu. The other picture is of him eating his sandwhich with his whole hand! See that five fingered grip he has on that thing!

I recently had my heart broken by a beautiful house in Lehi that was caving in on itself and slowing slide back into a gravel pit, and did I mention that it will probably be condemned? (such a strange word to use for a house, "house, you are under CONDEMNATION!) Bummer, it was so pretty and seemed like a great deal.

I like to race people coming out of stoplights. Driving a stick shift has only made this more fun for me. I feel real hardcore shifting up when I go fast. The only downside is that now I am married, no more using it as flirting. (dragging main was a staple weekend activity for me in high school. Dragging=driving up and down main street and picking up on boys)

I have been contemplating starting a blog for my talkings about my music videos, I always have ideas but feel that I already talk too much about my immature habit on this page. What do you think? Too over the top for lame homemade videos?

Okay, one more thing. Who else is excited that Lost finally got exciting? I AM! Who else is angry that The Office and 30 Rock were not on last night? I WAS! Who else is really scared for what is going to happen in Leverage? I MOST DEFINATELY AM! One more, who else is excited that Pysch is on tonight? You guessed it, I AM!

Wow, I had a lot to say I guess! If you made it all the way through this, you are a gentleman and a scholar.

Resisting the urge

to appease my desire to chop off my finally long hair, I decided to color it. It's now a darker shade of brown. My mom did it for me this weekend when Matt and I were in Utah. Hopefully, this will distract me until graduation, I have decided that I need to keep my hair long at least until then!Sorry the picture is so small, I stole it from Heather's facebook.

You can have your cake, but you are too far away to eat it

Today is Shane's 16th Birthday! Hurray for birthdays, becuase that means cake, and cake is always better when it is birthday cake, it just is. So to celebrate this momentous occasion, Matt and I made Shane a cake! Sadly, Shane lives 4 hours away from us, so he was not able to eat it with us, but we made it just for him! (Maybe all of you will be so lucky as to have me make and eat a cake for YOUR birthday! I know I did for Annie last year!) HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHANEY! Your cake was as delightful as it was lopsided.

What's in a name?

I have always thought my name sounded like some 80's rock queen, (no offense parentals) and so today I decided to look up the meaning (I know what crystal is) and it was quite interesing! I have always liked looking up name meanings, and this is one of the best sites I have seen. Here is what it said:

CRYSTAL
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KRIS-təl [key]
From the English word crystal for the clear, colourless glass, sometimes cut into the shape of a gemstone. The English word derives ultimately from Greek κρυσταλλος (krystallos) meaning "ice". It has been in use as a given name since the 19th century.

(the picture is so you don't forget my name is spelled with a K)

Wow! ICE? That is something I hadn't heard before. I thought it was pretty cool! Now I have the whole fire and ice thing going on! (wink wink nudge nudge) You can also start calling me Krystallos if you so desire. (this name was also at it's peak popularity in the 80's) I also decided to look up Natalie, because that is the name that Matt is bent on naming our first daughter (consider this my 'dibs', no Carters better steal it! All others are free to choose that name, unless you plan on living in the CHD)

Anyways... here is what it said:

NATALIE
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English, German
Pronounced: nat-a-LEE (French), NAD-ə-lee (English), NAH-tah-lee (German) [key]
From the Late Latin name Natalia, which meant "Christmas Day" from Latin natale domini. This was the name of the wife of the 4th-century martyr Saint Adrian of Nicomedia. She is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church, and the name has traditionally been more common among Eastern Christians than those in the West. It was popularized in America by actress Natalie Wood (1938-1981), who was born to Russian immigrants.

I thought that was cool! And so typical that Matt would like a french name. Anyways... go look up your name if you don't know it! Or your future childrens, make sure the mean school kids won't have any more reason to mock them.

Keep the change...

I have always wondered about tipping... and today, after some random gas station employee offered to pump my gas, I decided I should know. Here is a good place to look! I always thought that I knew pretty well, of course tip the waiter, but who else? I haven't ever stayed at nice enough hotels to have a bellhop or room service... and bars are just too confusing (one more reason not to drink) but then I married into Matt's family, and I learned that you should tip the cleaning staff at hotels (I think April was a maid at a hotel?) something I had certainly never done, or even thought of. Since my mom was a hairdresser back in the day, I knew that you are supposed to tip them, Matt didn't (or he did, and just refused to). Man, life is just too confusing! But this list does help me some, and just so you know, tipping gas attendants is optional!

Just remember, if all else fails, just follow this rule of thumb:

"Why tip someone for a job I'm capable of doing myself? I can deliver food. I can drive a taxi. I can, and do, cut my own hair. I did however, tip my urologist, because I am unable to pulverize my own kidney stones." -Dwight Schrute

sure we've had our share of rock soup and squirrel tails

I am admittedly a hoarder. But I think that some of the things that I obsessively hoard are things that I could never find around my house growing up. With six 'helpers' cleaning, lots of things get misplaced. For the purpose of this post, I have narrowed my hoarding items to just three: tweezers, towels and blankets. I have at least 5 pairs of tweezers strategically placed around my house (there is nothing worse than realizing you need to pluck your eyebrows and being without the means to do so) I have PILES of towels (those were hard to keep around because most of us needed two a day, one for swim, and one for home) and I have more blankets folded in a basket in my living room than I could ever need. So, just in case you wanted to know that. Do any of you people hoard specific things?

The shows we watch

I am a little embarrassed to admit to watching all these shows... but we get real bored sometimes and tv shows entertain us. All these shows I like for different reasons, but if I was to pick just one to suggest to you, it would be Pysch. Its really funny, and its a good family show (I like it, my mom likes it, my little sister Vanessa who's twelve likes it)

Bucket List #2

I am very picky about what I put on this list... hence why this is only the second thing. I am going to visit every National Park in the U.S. I don't have a time frame for this yet, but it will be done! According to the U.S National Park Service, there are 475 of them, so I better get crackin! *I don't understand why Texas gets to claim the Arches too in this picture... Texas...

Red Devil Pride

Last night, the Springville Boys Swim team won their second straight state championship! Ya! Annie and Shane both competed at state this weekend, and they both did awesome! Shane was even in the Daily Herald, that's fame to me! That is Shane on the left, this was taken right after his relay team won the 200 free relay. I really wish I could have been there! On Friday night Shane moved up 7 places in the 50 freestyle to get seventh place! He was the youngest person in the event! He also got 10th in the 100 free. Ya, I know I am braggin a little, but I think that he deserves it! That boy works hard! Here is where he was talked about in the Herald:
"Swimmers like Miller (second in the 100 freestyle) and Calvin Clark (second in the 200 individual medley and 500 freestyle) put up the big points, but the first place trophy wouldn't be headed to Springville without the efforts of Shane Williams, Alex Porter, Jefferson McClain, Tyler Maingot and Michael Nugent. "

Annie got 10th in the 50 free and 14th in the 100 free! The girls team got 8th, but no pictures in the paper, so I don't have any, sorry.

One of my best friends from high school, Mindy, is the assistant coach now, so congrats to her too! (that's Mindy on the top right)

Congratulations Springville Swimmers!

Oldy TV

I watched some pretty weird shows growing up, Matt always tells me. We only watched public TV, and movies. One that I really remember is Kissyfur, (we had it on VHS) did anyone else watch that? Matt thinks I'm crazy but it was an awesome show about a circus bear and his family when their train crashed. I found it on youtube, so it's not that obscure, and I was just wondering if it is just a totally random show? I love finding things I remember from the past!

Highlight of my day!

Talking to our old friends! We have spent a considerable amount of time on gmail video chat with the Paces... and tonight we are doing some sort of weird three way chat with them and the Stokes through phones and video chat! Hurray for modern technology. Now we can most efficiently plan our Europe trip. (you can click to blow this picture up to see a real sweet picture of me)