You seem to have my problem. No matter what we do nothing sticks in the dream world xD. The way I see it, as brethinds does. Is that to carry over that memory is to actively do it yourself. However because you don't recognize it or automatically have it, getting it can be hit and miss, improved with practice of course. It can start as a small intention, like waking up. If you set a plan to do something when you woke up you must first get past all the distractions of waking up and the general fogginess, and then realize what you did / wanted to do. Applied to a dream world. That's the point of reality checks, getting past the distractions to ensure you have awareness.