Kathryn and Paul's Wedding - Recently Updated Pages

Create a Caption

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:47:43 CST

Feel free to:

Add a caption to existing pictures
Add your own picture (with date and who's in the picture) and create your own caption
Check back to see what others have written
Be sure to include your name with your caption

Those with the best captions (as decided by Kathryn and Paul) may or may not win a prize (i.e. a pony).

Ready.....and go!

--------------------------------------------

Chad-1986	"Hot pants!" -- Kathryn and Paul
Paul-1982	"Dang! You got shocks, pegs... lucky! You ever take it off any sweet jumps?" -- Kathryn
Kathryn and Paul-2007	"Just let me tighten the bolts, honey." --Steph
Phil-2005	"I don't know why I'm eating these moth balls--I'm just SO HUNGRY!" --Steph
Paul-2007	"Dog--it's what's for dinner." --Steph "Thirty seconds before he won the Clean Plate Club prize." – Rosellen "Mmm chee I love the chee" -abs
Dayna-2005
Abbey-2007	"Bown-chicka-bow-ow." --Steph
Julse-2005	"Look at me look at me look at me!" --Steph
Jenn-2005	Beer goggles. --Steph
Willie – 2007	"The name's Willis, not Nelson." – Dennis

This One Time...

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:46:50 CST

If any of you have any funny, interesting (and not too embarrassing) stories about either one of us, this is the place to submit them!

...This one time when Mo was spending the night at our house (after several ghost stories) the three of us (Mo, Jenn, Abbey) realized Kath was the first to fall asleep. All of you who have been to a girls' sleep over know the first to fall asleep is the victim of slumberparty torture..... So, being the wonderful sisters that we are, we proceeded to stick boxelder bugs up Kath's nose :) ~abs

How Well Do you Know?

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:40:23 CST

Think you know Paul and/or Kathryn? Maybe you do. But then again...maybe you only think you know them...buwahahaha!

Once you take each quiz, come back and post your scores! (just click Easy Edit and list your name and score)


Click here to see how well you really know Paul	Click here to see how well you really know Kathryn

1.) Jenn is a super-sister and got a 90% on Kathryn's quiz (but should've had a 100%--the stick shift question could've gone 3 of 4 ways pretty easily...). However, I am not a super sister-in-law and only got a 50% on Paul's quiz.

2.) As Kathryn's mom I thought I knew her better. My score was a dismal 70%. I too was fooled by the stick shift answer. I seem to remember it differently. Okay, so I need to get to know Paul better. I failed with a 40%. Sorry.

3.) Abbey (and Dan)--> Abbey rocked a 90% on Kath's questions... stupid Halloween. Abbey (who shouldn't have listened to Dan)-->60% on Paul's questions. I learned a thing or two while we lived in the halls together!

4.) Steph (the sister-in-law-in-law): Well, I only got a 60% on Kathryn's, but at least I got the stick shift question right! Also, I forgot that it's ME that hated tomatoes, not Kath... On Paul's I got a 50%--it all fell apart for me at the end there. By the way, Paul, you totally should have gone with "The Spanish Pantaloons."

5.) You'd think that Paul's mother (me) would know where he's lived. I scored 60% on his quiz, but figure that some of my ignorance is due to his sparing me the gory details on some of his misadventures.

And Kathryn, now I know what food to not serve you and what music to not play when you visit us! I scored a measly 50% on your quiz.

6.) Rothfuss: 80 for Paul / 50 for Kathryn. I was clearly not spared the gory details on Paul's misadventures. My 50 for K is more of a testament to my multiple choice guessing abilities honed through years of standardized testing in public schools than a reflection of my actual knowledge.

7.) Cousin Suzie: I have to admit....I scored zero--Yes. Nada, zip, zilch. But I had a great time & laughed on several of those ?'s. Luv this site and I'm having a blast getting to know both of you! (Kathyrn...when I lived in Wyo, you were so young. Something tells me I would have had a blast in Laramie with the Garber girls! :-)

8.) Phil scored a 60% on Kathryn's quiz and a 50% on Paul's. Jenn is currently typing this because he's really distraught that he didn't do better on Kathryn's quiz. He's afraid that just puts him at "casual acquaintance" status. I think he just rushed a couple of the answers...

9.) My name is Anna and I scored 80% on Paul's quiz/60% on Kathryn's.

10.)

The Wedding Party

kathrynandpaul — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 23:01:23 CST

The Bridal Party

From L to R: Kathryn, Abbey, Emilene and Jenn
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jenn Garber
Matron of Honor
Older sister, former landlord and coworker of the bride.
Frisbee badass, wedding planner extraordinaire, cat lover and poo-cookie master.
----------
Jenn and I go way back...after spending our young adult lives living, going to school and hanging out with the same friends together, she escaped my presence for only a few years while she went to school in Idaho, got married and moved to Colorado. Jenn and her husband, Phil, moved to Denver and less than a year after buying a house, I moved into their basement for an extended stay. Not only that, but while I lived with them, I also worked with Jenn at Mercy Housing. If Jenn and Phil got sick of me they never let on and even said they'd miss having me around when I moved into my own place....eight months after moving in with them. Jenn was my link to sanity when I worked by myself at Big Brothers Big Sisters (hello free anytime-cell phone minutes!) and helped keep my sanity as our wedding planner. She rocks.

Abbey Garber
Maid of Honor
Younger sister, former roommate and resident of the bride.
Organizational guru, Christmas ornament-aholic, finger-flying sign language speaker and board game playing fool.
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So, maybe Abbey and my relationship started out a little rocky. Jenn and I may or may not have ganged up on her on several occasions. We may have sent her down a hill in our yard, on a tricycle, with no clothes on, and may have told her, on more than one occasion, that she was found in a garbage can. In return, she used to bite me on a regular basis. What are sisters for, right? In time, I think it's safe to say, we became much better friends. We worked together at Ole's and The Best Western Sheridan Center (where, we were mistaken, on a daily basis, for twins). We too, shared a circle of friends in high school and when she got her letter with her room assignment for her first year of college at UW, she found out I would be her RA. She helped me through a rocky break up and helped Paul scheme ways to get my attention. What are sisters for, right?

Emilene "Mo" Ostlind
Bridesmaid
Honorary sister, former co-tree fort architect and teammate of the bride.
Canadian canoing, Himalayan trekking, globe trotting, hometown kind of girl.
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Mo might as well be my sister. We've known each other for most of our lives (her family moved to Big Horn when I was in 2nd grade) and we lived across the highway (we don't have "streets" where we grew up) from one another. The only times my parents have gotten out of bed to come searching for us (because we weren't home when we should have been) was when we were hanging out with Mo. We built the best tree fort ever and attempted to spend the night in it one time. The night ended up with Mo, Abbey and I back at the house, where we woke up our parents because Abbey and Mo started watching Disney movies at 4:00 in the morning. If I'm not mistaken, during another sleepover, Mo, Abbey and Jenn tried to put boxelder bugs up my nose, because I fell asleep first. We also ganged up on her brother, Jake, a lot. I think we made him cry a couple times. Ahhh...sisters.

The Groomsmen

Chris Rothfuss
Best Man

May 1988 - The friendship begins. Chris and I pile into a friend's suburban on the last day of our sophomore year. We drive all over town throwing water balloons at passersby while Def Leppard's "Hysteria" plays endlessly on the tape deck.

July 1991 - Using cheap lumber and 55 gallon plastic barrels, we build the Swinetrek, by far the most intimidating entry in Casper's Great River Raft Race.

Winter 92/93 - Our Laramie apartment is the site of mousetrap wars, beer hats, and pizza box frisbee. A shipping label with my name on it is still somewhere in the bathroom wall, the result of a hasty - though creative and effective - repair job shortly before we moved out.

1996 - Chris marries Heather Hoveland, a Sheridan native, at the Kendrick Mansion. I sing at the wedding.

1997 - Chris helps me move from Phoenix to Seattle, developing the patented Chris Rothfuss Stray Bullet Driving Technique somewhere in the Salt Lake City metro area.

October 1997 to February 2000 - I live in the same Seattle apartment complex as Chris and Heather, and this period is a haze of tawny port, Nintendo 64, and guitar. They somehow acquire PhDs and I somehow acquire a career at Amazon.com.

2006 - Chris, Heather, and their two boys move back to Laramie the same week that I move from Laramie to Lander.

Chad Rieger
Groomsman

Technically my stepbrother, at this point I just refer to him as my brother because it's easier than explaining the 26 year relationship. While I have hundreds of (mostly embarrassing) stories about Chad, the best story is this: when I was in Kentucky and he was in Maryland, we emailed schemes back and forth that always involved getting back to Wyoming somehow. He was gutsy enough to do it first, and without his move to Lander I wouldn't have known about the place. Chad has a wicked golf game despite an absolutely baffling grip and swing. Seriously.

David Willis
Groomsman

One winter when my mom and stepdad were still dating, I went over to Dennis's house to meet my potential step-siblings and their friends. We piled into Tim's friend's van and on the drive to a bar in downtown Champaign, the driver and I realized we'd had a class together at the University of Illinois a few years earlier. Shortly thereafter Dave (aka "Willie") and his lovely wife Jenn wound up in Colorado and we've been good friends ever since. Willie saw me catch my first fish on a flyrod (7" rainbow, tailwaters of Utah's Green River, May '06) and is a veritable compendium of flyfishing knowledge. His band Jebus is the hottest act in Steamboat Springs, for reasons which will become obvious during the wedding ceremony.

Lance Rieger

Usher

I've also known Lance for 26 years. A year older than me, Lance and I generally hung out with the same circle of friends and spent the better part of our adolescence tormenting Chad on a regular basis. He was there when I went through my artsy, bowl-cut, R.E.M.-wannabe phase; I was there when he had a mullet. Currently in St. Louis, Lance and his wife Susie have three kids.

RSVP

Anonymous — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 21:49:55 CST

You are more than welcome to mail your response card to us. If you want to be more technologically saavy (or if you don't trust the postal system), however, please leave your name and how many guests will be attending with you. Just click EasyEdit and add your name.

Example:
1.) Jimi Hendrix and Guest

Directions

kathrynandpaul — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:39:56 CST

To Sheridan

From Logan International Airport (Billings, MT):

Map and Directions

From Denver International Airport:

Map and Directions

From Natrona County International Airport (Casper, WY):

Map and Directions

Driving north/west on I-25/I-90:

At Buffalo, merge from I-25 North to I-25 West (Exit 300)
Take Exit 25 (if staying at Days Inn, Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn or Mill Inn)
Take Exit 23 (if staying at Wingate, Best Western, Motel 6 or Super 8)

Driving west/north on I-90:

At Buffalo, remain on I-90 west
Take Exit 25 (if staying at Days Inn, Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn or Mill Inn)
Take Exit 23 (if staying at Wingate, Best Western, Motel 6 or Super 8)

Driving south/east on I-90:

Take Exit 23 (if staying at Wingate, Best Western, Motel 6 or Super 8)
Take Exit 25 (if staying at Days Inn, Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn or Mill Inn)

To Big Horn

From Sheridan:

Map and Directions

Driving north/west on I-25/I-90:

At Buffalo, merge from I-25 North to I-25 West (Exit 300)
Take Exit 33 (Meade Creek Road Exit)
Turn left at Meade Creek Rd/WY-342
Turn right at US-87
Turn left at WY-335
Take Hwy 335 through Big Horn--the highway will take a wide left about one mile past Big Horn Elementary/Middle/High School
About one mile after the wide turn, the turnoff for the house will be on the left. The over head gate will have 509 and 511 posted on it.

Driving south/east on I-90:

Take Exit 33 (Meade Creek Road Exit)
Turn left at Meade Creek Rd/WY-342
Turn right at US-87
Turn left at WY-335
Take Hwy 335 through Big Horn--the highway will take a wide left about one mile past Big Horn Elementary/Middle/High School
About one mile after the wide turn, the turnoff for the house will be on the left. The over head gate will have 509 and 511 posted on it.

Parks

kathrynandpaul — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:34:43 CST

Who doesn't enjoy a stroll through the park? If you've got the time, check Sheridan's two most prominent green areas.

Kendrick Park
Kendrick Park provides acres of soft grass surrounded by cottonwood trees that line the Goose Creek. Bring the family to the park and play tennis or horseshoes, swim in Kendrick Park Pool, enjoy the children's playground, cool down with an ice cream cone or just relax near the creek as it meanders through this lovely setting.

Summertime offers a concert in the park every Tuesday evening. You can also
enjoy the elk and buffalo whose refuge is a part of this extraordinary park. A lovely place to spend an afternoon.

Whitney Commons
Whitney Commons is a rather new addition to the downtown Sheridan area. The new park consists of an amphitheater and outdoor stage, two water features, a playgroundand a reflective garden. Whitney Commons is ideally located just across the street from the public library and a block and a half west of Main Street.

Museums

kathrynandpaul — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:33:50 CST

The Sheridan area has a variety of great museums you can visit. Kathryn is a big museum dork, so it wouldn't seem right if we didn't include information on museums in the area.

Don King's Western Museum
184 North Main
Sheridan, WY 82801
phone: (307) 672-2702
toll free: (800) 443-8919

The Museum's exhibits cover Western leather work (especially saddles), Indian artifacts, guns, old photos, horsehair and rawhide braidwork, all pertaining to cowboy and western history.

Trail End Mansion and Historic Site
400 Clarendon Avenue
Sheridan, Wyoming 82801
Phone 307-674-4589
www.trailend.org

The Trail End State Historic Site provides a glimpse into life during the timeframe of 1913-1939. On the site is a large 13,748 square foot home that is done up in the styles and fashions of the time. Throughout the home are exhibits explaining various aspects of ranching on the Northern Plains.

Sheridan Inn
856 Broadway St
Sheridan, WY 82801
(307) 674-5440
www.sheridaninn.com

The Sheridan Inn opened in May of 1893 at what is now 5th Street and Broadway in Sheridan. After the Inn was built, Buffalo Bill Cody leased the building interior. He also hired his Wild West Show performers from the front porch. In 1964 it was given the designation by the National Park Service, and is one of the 17 National Historic Landmarks in Wyoming.

Sheridan County Historical Society and Musuem
850 Sibley Circle
(5th Street Exit I-90)
Sheridan, WY 82801
Phone (307) 673-0644
www.sheridancountyhistory.org

This museum features both permanent and changing exhibits and collections pertaining to the history of Sheridan County and it's closely related surrounding areas. Kathryn worked here for two summers and the rehearsal dinner will be on the the building's wraparound porch.

Bradford Brinton Memorial
239 Brinton Road
Big Horn, WY 82833
(307) 672-3173
www.bradfordbrintonmemorial.com

The Bradford Brinton Memorial & Museum was established in 1961 through the will of Miss Helen Brinton, who named the institution after her brother Bradford. Miss Helen’s intent was to preserve the Quarter Circle A Ranch and the Brintons’ collection of fine art, furnishings, historic and Native American artifacts and make them accessible to the public.

Hotel Accommodations

kathrynandpaul — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:29:31 CST

Sheridan is the nearest town to Big Horn with hotel accommodations. Hotels are located off of two of its three interstate exits. We suggest you make arrangements online through the hotel's site or through a discount hotel site like hotels.com.

Exit 25 (exit closest to Big Horn):
Days Inn
1104 Brundage Lane
Sheridan, WY 82801
(307) 672-2888
www.daysinn.com

Comfort Inn
1450 E. Brundage Lane
Sheridan, WY 82801
(307) 672-5098
www.choicehotels.com

Holiday Inn
1809 Sugarland Drive
Sheridan, WY 82801
(307) 672-8931
www.sheridan-wyo.com

Mill Inn
2161 Coffeen Ave
Sheridan, WY 82801
(307) 672-6401
www.sheridanmillinn.com

Exit 23 (5th Street):
Best Western Sheridan Center
612 N Main Street
Sheridan, WY 82801
(307) 674-7421
www.bestwesternwyoming.com

Wingate
1950 E 5th Street
Sheridan, WY 82801
(307) 675-1102
www.wingateinnsheridan.com

Motel 6
911 Sibley Cir,
Sheridan, WY 82801
(307) 673-0400
www.motel6.com

Super 8
2435 N. Main St.
Sheridan, WY 82801-9226
(307) 672-9725
www.super8.com

How We Met

kathrynandpaul — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:25:16 CST

Paul - In May 2004 I'd moved to Laramie to get my teaching certification in Wyoming. That summer I'd worked as a "conference assistant" on campus – the equivalent of a hotel clerk for groups that stayed in the UW dorms. I'd also been hired as a resident assistant for the fall 2004 semester, transitioning between jobs overnight in August. Both jobs entailed working at the front desk of Orr Hall, and my last desk shift involved checking in my future coworkers as the other RAs reported to campus.

Kathryn – As a returning RA for the 2004-2005 school year, the previous spring, the existing staff and returning/new staff got together at a Laramie coffee house to meet for the first time. Existing RA's are pretty involved in the RA selection process, so even meeting our new staff members was more of a re-introduction. There was one RA, however, that we knew we wouldn't meet until the fall. We knew he was moving from Illinois to get his (second?) degree in teaching. Since this was his second degree, we figured he was more of a "non-traditional" student, but Orr Hall had always had one non-trad on the staff.

Paul - By late afternoon I'd met a few of the RAs already – nutjobs, all of them, in that special RA kind of way – when in walked a brunette. I don't actually remember giving Kathryn her room assignment and door combo, but I do remember being smitten right then and trying very hard not to come off like an idiot. Immediately I wanted to find out if she was single, a question that was answered when she came behind the desk to talk to our boss Brandon. He asked about her boyfriend, she said he was fine, and I cursed my luck and went back to work. Later that night during our first official staff meeting I tried not to ogle Kathryn, whose name was permanently burned into my brain by then.

Kathryn – My arrival in Laramie for my last year of school was typical of previous years. I had gotten up that morning to make the 4 ½ hour trek across the state with my car crammed full of all my worldly possessions. I didn't shower, I wore my glasses instead of my contacts and had my hair pulled back into a sloppy ponytail. Unglamorous and happy to be out of my car, I got my room info from a guy at the front desk I didn't recognize (was he a summer staffer or the RA from Illinois?). He asked if I wanted to talk to Brandon, so he sent me around to his office to catch up. That night at the staff meeting, formal introductions were made and I found out that the guy behind the desk was indeed the new RA. I didn't think much of the staff meeting (which I always enjoyed), but my mind was more than likely on getting my room put together and/or going out to dinner with my boyfriend.

Kathryn – My first distinct impression/memory of Paul came later that week at our RA staff training at a high ropes course in Ft. Collins. We did various teambuilding exercises before we took turns strapping into harnesses and ascending to 20 feet to tackle the high ropes obstacle course. To get back on solid ground, you strapped into a cable and swung down. When a person did this, everyone on the ground had to clear the swing zone, stand around and watch people swing off the platform. On the ground already, I watched Paul swing down. Upon reaching the bottom of the swing curve, Paul made a highly inappropriate comment about the uncomfortable state his harness left him in. He had the whole staff in tears and I found myself laughing so hard my sides hurt. Even in extreme pain, this was one funny guy.

Paul – School started and the year progressed. Every Monday night we'd have our Orr Hall staff meeting, by turns hilarious and agonizing, and Kathryn and I would also see each other around the hall. RAs typically don't have friends other than each other, so staffers would frequently eat together or just hang out. I dated a little bit but secretly pined for Kathryn, eventually coming to a Zen-like peace with the idea of her being happy with someone else. I also told her about my blog, which was as good a way as any to keep my friends apprised of my life.

Kathryn – The school year went as planned, you could say. I loved being an RA and loved hanging out with staff. Meetings and meals with everyone was always something to look forward to. I had a longtime boyfriend, so being interested in other people (or the possibility of other people being interested in me) was the farthest thought from my mind. Early in the year Paul told me about a blog he kept. It seemed inconsequential at the time, and even though Paul and I saw one another on an almost daily basis, reading his blog was how I learned some interesting, funny, insightful and essential things about Paul that I wouldn't have known otherwise.

Paul – Spring came; it got warmer; Illinois got screwed by calls in the NCAA championship. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I really liked Kathryn. A lot. The question was whether or not to say anything to her.

Kathryn – Abbey also lived in Orr Hall. Coincidentally, she also lived on my floor during the fall semester. Being the go-getter that she is, she also got a position on the Residence Hall Association, therefore, becoming a part of the staff. So, Abbey hung out with the staff and became friends with everyone I was already friends with, including Paul. She also (along with a throng of other people in my life—both family and friends) didn't like my current boyfriend.

Paul – So, one night Abbey and I went to dinner. I hadn't planned on saying anything about Kathryn but somehow the subject came up. I basically asked Abbey what I should do: say nothing, or tell Kathryn how I feel and risk causing a ton of stress. I'm not generally a huge fan of being an instigator of drama, but Abbey said it was probably okay to at least say something. That way, if nothing came of it, fine, but there was also an outside chance...

Since it was going to be one of the gutsiest conversations I'd ever had with someone, I sent Kathryn an email telling her to swing by my room at some point in order to ensure privacy.

Kathryn – The year sped by and in the middle of the spring semester, through a series of events Paul had referred to me as "one of his favorite people in Laramie" on his blog. To be honest I was a little floored. Sure, Paul and I were good friends, but I had no idea I ranked so well on his friends list. This may very well have been the moment where the tide changed. Was there something else there I didn't realize, about how Paul felt, and about how I felt? The stress of the semester didn't let me dwell too long on the topic, as I had many, many papers to write and a thesis project to complete. The night before my senior thesis/honors project presentation, about three weeks before graduation, I get an email from Paul.

I need to talk to you privately for about five minutes at some point

before the end of the year. Just swing by my room whenever it's

convenient.

P

It took all my mental energy to focus on my project presentation and not run up to his room. The first thought that came to mind was, Oh, no, he thinks I read his blog too much and he might think that I like him and that makes him uncomfortable and we can't be friends anymore and he doesn't want me to read his blog anymore. After I had my presentation out of the way, I headed up to his room to see what was going on.

Paul – After all this, the talk was anti-climactic. The gist was essentially: hey, I like you a whole lot, I know you're serious about your boyfriend, but if you ever find yourself single look me up and we'll do dinner.

And that was it. Graduation came and with it summer. A fellow staffer got married in late May and Kathryn came up from Denver for the wedding. Later that summer we saw each other when she visited campus again. We randomly emailed a little bit over the summer, but after a while that seemed silly so we just started using Instant Messenger.

Kathryn – Paul may have thought the talk was anti-climatic, and perhaps in the moment, nothing earth shattering happened. But how do you walk away from a conversation like that and just shrug it off? You don't. I really had no idea. If I was surprised because Paul said I was one of his favorite people in a town of 30,000, I was dumbfounded to hear this new bit of information. I graduated two weeks later and moved to Denver. The summer was mostly uneventful, Paul and I saw one another a couple times, we emailed and eventually started instant messaging.

The wedding in late May that we went to together? Well, call it corny or sappy, but I can't go without mentioning one tiny detail about that wedding. The next day Paul wrote a post on his blog about the weekend. He was talking about weddings in general and the emotions that other people's weddings tend to bring out. I think he thought was waxing poetic, but in that post, he pondered about who his future wife might be. To paraphrase, he said she'd have to be a strong, smart and patient woman. Reading those words, I suddenly had this strange mix of emotions. My heart sank and I got a lump in my throat because I knew I couldn't and wouldn't be that woman. Those thoughts were followed by the astonishment that such a thought could go through my head, especially since I was dating someone else. Looking back, I think this was the moment I knew Paul was the one I should be with.

Paul – In early September friends of Kathryn's were having a party. The Garber intelligence network conspired to have me go, and three days later Kathryn and I were officially a couple.

Kathryn – Never underestimate the power of family working to conspire against your already doomed current relationship. I can't quite believe Paul was still interested in me after seeing a chunk of my family and many close friends drinking heavily, passing out in recliners and getting tackled into closets. But somehow a combination of alcohol, banjos, hangovers, and The 40 Year Old Virgin created the perfect beginning.

Gift Registries

kathrynandpaul — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:10:16 CST

Our registries are a work in progress. Please check back from time to time for updates and new additions. We are registered at the following places:

REI

Amazon.com

We will also be registering at Sheridan Commerical Company for dinnerware and serviceware. As they don't have a website for their wedding registries, this will take a little more coordination than a couple of mouse clicks. We promise to let you know when we have completed that wishlist.

Also, we have registered for items like towels and bed linens on Amazon.com. Please feel free to use those items as more of a reference if you wish to buy locally. We are in no way attached to specific brands, but we did want to provide a color scheme.

Kathryn's Family

kathrynandpaul — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 20:14:00 CST

Scroll over each image to see the full picture!
(If you have pictures, just add them below the slideshows.)

Early Family Pictures

Pictures

kathrynandpaul — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:20:36 CST

While we want to showcase as many photos of our family and friends as possible, there's also another reason why we're really hoping you'll add to this section.

For the reception, we're putting together a photo timeline of our lives...from the time we were wee little tykes up to, and including, when we met and officially became "Kathryn and Paul." We have a good start on pictures for this, but we're hoping some real gems will come out of the woodwork. They can be serious, funny and even a little embarrassing (but not too much...we do get final say on what get's blown up into big prints).

It's easy to add pictures. Just click on the Easy Edit button on the appropriate page (Pictures of Kathryn and Paul, Kathryn's Family, Paul's Family or Friends Galore!), click on the Image button and load your picture. Also, please feel free to add the year, where it was taken or the story behind the photo.

If you just want to email us a copy of the picture, that's okay too! We can add it for you.

The Proposal

kathrynandpaul — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:17:08 CST

It seemed simple enough: get a ring, get her on my dad's pontoon boat, stop in the middle of the lake under a moonlit sky, and ask if she'd tolerate me for the next 50 years or so.

I'd known for several months that the proposal would be in Edwardsville, an Illinois suburb of St. Louis. Other candidate locales included the Bahamas (too expensive), a Rapids game (too public), and the Lander Bar (too classy), but eventually Edwardsville, and specifically Dunlap Lake, won out.

We'd had a trip back to Illinois planned for a long time, and in the weeks leading up to it I'd casually remind her that we'd need nice clothes. "For dinner," I said. "My folks are going to take us out to dinner on the Hill, and while zip-away pants and fleece may cut it as formal wear in Wyoming, the St. Louis mafia has other ideas." She seemed to buy it. We would indeed be going out to dinner, but not just because my parents are nice people.

On our first day in Edwardsville my step-mom Vicki and I left Kathryn at the house while we "ran some errands." Again, she seemed to buy it. I picked out a ring (one hell of a ring, if I do say so myself), and formulized the plan: Dad, Vicki, Kathryn, and I would have dinner and afterwards I would offer to take Kathryn on a pontoon boat tour of Dunlap Lake. St. Louis summers reach equatorial proportions in heat and humidity, and there's nothing quite like puttering through black water, generating what passes for a breeze. It relaxes the body and mind, and when coupled with Kathryn's two glasses of wine, I figured I stood a reasonable chance.

Kathryn and I headed down to the boat after dinner. We trawled in and out of the lake's various inlets, making what amounted to small talk given what we were about to discuss. I remember killing the motor about three hundred yards from the entrance to Dad's cove. The world seemed very small and still. I reached into my back pocket.

----------

Dad and Vicki were taking the dog for a walk when we got back to the house. I should note here that I have a penchant for pranks. Nothing mean-spirited or dangerous, mind you, just sneaky little tricks meant to baffle those I love. It's my way of keeping them on their toes, and someday late in life they'll thank me for maintaining their acuity all those years.

As Kathryn went upstairs to call home with the good news, a thought formed. How awkward would it have been if she'd refused? Better yet, how awkward would it have been for my parents if she'd refused? Hmm.

Dad and Vicki walked in the door and, knowing why we'd gone on the boat ride, looked at me expectantly. I forced a grim look.

"Well," I sighed, "she needs to think about it."

There was an awkward pause as Dad and Vicki each blinked a few times.

"She's just not sure she's ready yet," I continued. "Soooo, she's upstairs right now on the phone, talking to her folks."

Vicki finally managed to say, "You're kidding." Dad ran his hand over his face.

"Nope, I'm not. She's upstairs," I repeated.

In retrospect I should have just skulked off, adding tears for effect. That way, when Kathryn emerged, high on bling, she would have faced two very uncomfortable hosts. Laughs would ensue as they slowly realized that Kathryn was not, in fact, thrilled about turning me down and my parents were not, in fact, depressed that she'd said yes. Shakespeare would have been proud.

But I simply couldn't torture my poor parents like that.

"Nah, I'm just kidding," I finally said. "She said yes."

Friends Galore!

kathrynandpaul — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:18:09 CST

Scroll over each image to see the full picture!
(If you have pictures, just add them below the slideshows.)

Paul's Family

kathrynandpaul — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:40:47 CST

Scroll over each image to see the full picture!
(If you have pictures, just add them below the slideshows.)

Early Family Pictures

Pictures of Kathryn and Paul

kathrynandpaul — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:03:02 CST

Scroll over each image to see full size picture and to find out more information.
To add more pictures, click Easy Edit and insert below the slideshows.

Pictures of Kathryn

Fun Stuff

kathrynandpaul — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:02:46 CST

Alright, folks. This is where you come in. This is our interactive section and it won't be complete unless you contribute. There are many ways to participate...add pictures, take quizzes, tell stories or write the best caption for some of the more unconventional pictures of us, our family and friends. It'll be a good time, we promise.

Try it, you'll like it!

About Us

kathrynandpaul — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:01:26 CST

About Paul--As Told By Kathryn

Meet Paul. He hails from Detroit, South Dakota, Wyoming, Seattle, West Virginia, Kentucky and Illinois, among other places. When he’s not shaping the minds of today’s high schoolers, you can find him playing guitar, fly fishing, hiking, skiing or doing anything outdoors. Most recently, he’s added soccer coach to his list of hobbies.

A Lions, Tigers and Red Wings fan by birth, you can also find Paul rooting for the Cardinals, Bears, Broncos, Rapids and especially his beloved Fighting Illini (his alma mater). No one loves March Madness more than the Primrose/Bohlen/Potten/ McCullough/Dudie clan. No one.

Paul grew up in Casper, where he graduated from Natrona County High School in 1990. Despite having befriended Chris Rothfuss in the 10th grade, he managed to stay out of trouble (or at least out of trouble, in the eyes of the law) and hold down a part-time job (at Wal-Mart!) to boot. After two years at Casper College, Paul lived in, what could be considered the slummiest of slummy apartments in Laramie with Chris for a year before leaving for the great Midwest where he would finish out his college career at the University of Illinois.

Before Paul moved back to Wyoming in 2004 to become a teacher (and where he was destined to meet a lovely brunette with glasses and a wickedly sharp sense of humor), Paul had many adventures in many exotic locales. After graduating from the University of Illinois in 1996 and a brief stint in Phoenix, he began working his way up the ranks at Amazon.com. Living in Seattle, North Dakota, West Virginia and Kentucky, he trained and managed those whom we now rely on for our online shopping needs. Alas, the allure of online retailers was no match for the call of the mountains, snow and his desire to teach, and Paul soon found himself back amongst the Rockies where he grew up. The rest, so they say, is history…

About Kathryn--As Told By Paul

Kathryn grew up in Big Horn, the daughter of business owners. Big Horn is a small town in every sense of the phrase and more likely than not, if you know someone from Big Horn, Kathryn has either babysat them, babysat for them, or was babysat by them. After an adventurous adolescence that included trumpet playing, Maverick driving, pond swimming, and trough cleaning, Kathryn graduated from Big Horn High in 2001, and headed off to Laramie for college.

Kathryn's original degree from the University of Wyoming was in Anthropology, which has served her well whenever the evolution of vertebrate species has come up in conversation. These days she's working at Lander's Gannett Grill, far and away the hippest joint in town. She's also gearing up for some prerequisite classes with the ultimate goal of applying to Wyoming's MBA program.

The middle of three sisters, anything you tell Kathryn that isn't intensely personal and/or a state secret will be common Garber knowledge by sundown. Got a question about Paul's birthday list or 2011 summer plans? If you can't ask Kathryn, try Jenn or Abbey; they'll know. The Garber sisters always know.

One common misconception about Kathryn is that she keeps her slim figure thanks to an exercise regimen borrowed from Nigerian distance runners. This is false. Kathryn keeps her slim figure because of a deal she cut with Satan in the third grade. Popcorn and ice cream are to Kathryn what water and bugs are to trout. You know those big Rubbermaid totes they sell at discount retailers? We have one of those filled with popcorn kernels in the basement, which should last at least through the end of the week.

In her spare time Kathryn reads (or rereads, or re-rereads) Harry Potter or anything left lying around. She's also taken a fancy to home improvement and her sewing skills are nothing to sneeze at. She also has some latent outdoorsy tendencies which lately have manifested as an interest in hiking and playing soccer – the running joke (HA! "running" – get it?) is that our kids will be musical geniuses and faster than cheetahs.

Buffalo Bill Days

kathrynandpaul — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 10:44:21 CST

Every summer, Sheridan hosts Buffalo Bill Days. This coming year, it just happens to be the weekend of our wedding! If you have any free time and want to check out the events, visit their website to find out what's going on.

Buffalo Bill Days is a fundraising event in part to support the restoration and preservation of Sheridan Wyoming's history and heritage. The Sheridan Inn, a National Historic Landmark is in serious need of funding to repair the foundation.

Events include a western parade, pony express re-enactment, grand victorian ball, and the grand finale... The Wild West Show with Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, and Calamity Jane! This year we will include the return of the Westernaires, and an all time favorite, Pistol Packin' Paula!