Harper's First Day of Sophomore Year
August 27th, 2025
Thursday, August 28, 2025
Dog Days of Summer
Grandma, Harper and I took Miryn shopping the weekend of Alyson's bridal shower.
She picked out a couple of Lululemon goodies :)
The Nihill's bought Dave this for our 25th anniversary and Dave said he needed to carve in 2 more lines.
Harper went shopping with a friend and her mom in Bellevue and was texting me pics.
She bought these jeans.
Dave got a grade report on his fantasy football team.
Yikes...could be a long year.
Logan and Corbin flew to Chicago to spend some time with her family.
She lives in a suburb but they rode the train into the city and had a great day exploring.
Harper and her pretty summer freckles.
Lots of swimming and pool volleyball
And night swimming too.
We went to dinner up at Mission Ridge.
I took Harper and two of her friends to Lake Chelan for a couple of days.
This was the view from my room.
Harper doing a cartwheel on the floating mat.
Harper jumped from the bridge at Lake Chelan
Taylor Swift announced her next album release with a countdown.
Ive had to remind myself that Ill miss this someday :)
Harper went to Seattle to see The Lumineers in concert
Presley texted me that her work friends celebrated her birthday with balloons, a banner and morning doughnuts.
Presley and Kel came to Wenatchee and watched Ella perform in "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels"
Corbin and Logan took Harper to Zarah's Coffee to get a bucket coffee.
Corbin found this on Zarah's Instagram page and showed Logan it and he told her that it's located in Wenatchee. They tried it out when they came in August.
Rylan asked me earlier this summer if he could go to Watershed and I told him no.
I don't really remember that conversation, but he said it happened.
I shared this with him....Maybe next year?
Harper's 16th Birthday!
August 23rd, 2025
In the Holiday Inn parking lot.
Dave drove her car to Newberg so she could at least ride in it on her birthday.
Our original plan was to stay until Sunday, but we decided to come home on her birthday, which meant she could drive on her own on her birthday.
The DMV was not open when we got home, but I remembered we could pay and get her a paper license to legally use.
At the Cat Cafe in Newberg for coffee and breakfast
On our way home...sitting in the back seat of her own car
We turned this song on for Harper on our way home.
We got home to some birthday decorations and a present from her friend.
A Chewy t-shirt...Presley was so jealous :)
I drove her car for her to go through the car wash because she was afraid of driving in it.
Leaving on her own for the first time.
Tracking her to her first stop--Target!
And then the next morning and she went to get her and I a coffee.
Dave was at an added on trauma case
Ry to George Fox--Move In Weekend
Ry, Harper and I drove in Ry's truck to Newberg on Thursday, August 21st.
We stopped in Portland for dinner with Presley and Kel.
Dave was supposed to be right behind us in his own car, but got caught up helping papa at the hospital and then he finally got out to Blewitt Pass and it was closed due to a fire.
We later learned it was a motorhome that had caught fire. The timing was very unlikely because we had made it through prior to this happening and Dave was on his way and the police/ responders hadn't put up the detour/road closed signs yet.
So he had to turn around and go back to Wenatchee/East Wenatchee and out thru Yakima.
It probably added on an hour to his drive, and he didn't arrive until 1:30 in the morning.
We decided to walk around the campus when we arrived.
Ry had a key card that got us in his dorm, but not into his dorm room.
But we found it, first door upstairs on the right.
Friday, August 22nd
We were up bright and early because Ry's check in time was 8:30.
We had breakfast at our hotel, and made our way to his campus.
We pulled in to park and 2 reporters approached Rylan to ask if they could follow him around for a "move in day" article.
The football team literally unloads your vehicle and brings all your things to your room.
His stuff was in his room in about 5 minutes and then we came in to organize it.
It did not take long at all!
George Fox made a short video of move in day and Dave recognized that is Rylan's truck and his mini refrigerator being brought in by the school's President, Dr. Robin Baker.
We made the instagram!
It was a very hot move in day!
Cristy's graduation gift (Bruins candy jar) made it and has been re-filled.
The afternoon was busier. We went out to lunch, dropped off Harper at the hotel, and then parents had some informational meetings and incoming freshman had some getting to know you activities and snacks in the commons area.
We met up at the Wheeler Center Open House.
We found an empty table for mens basketball, and watched a volleyball inter squad scrimmage.
As we were walking out, Ry ran into some of his teammates and the assistant coach.
They recognized him right away, and Ry them (I guess from the summer's Zoom meetings).
Coach B showed us the men's basketball locker room.
Coach B walked us across the football field to show Ry the athletics weight room and to meet the athletic trainer.
We left the campus, went to dinner, dropped off Ry to have some time to meet his roommate (he had moved in but we hadn't seen him yet), and Ry hung out with his Pennington dorm mates.
We had to be back at 7 PM for the President's Welcome and then the Candlelight Good-Bye.
Ry walked in with other students and we sat up in the stands.
One of the student speakers kind of flubbed up/stuttered and referred to the semester as a semester-turd, which we acted like the nelsons we are and all giggled at and then started side texting about semesterturds.
The speeches were going on and on and Harper and I looked over at Dave and he was watching Rylan's 20 minute YouTube highlight video my dad made.
Ry receiving his George Fox Presidential Challenge Coin.
He's supposed to hold onto this until the end of his 4 years and then present it to a staff member who made an impact in his college career.
Finally we all met on the campus Quad for the candlelight good bye.
And we hugged and said our goodbyes and teared up a little, and then headed to DQ for a treat.
(which is apparently is a Nelson tradition--this was in August 2022, at a Spokane DQ after Gonzaga's drop off for Presley)
Saturday, August 23rd --HARPER'S 16th BIRTHDAY
Dave drove Harper's car to Newberg so she could ride in it on her birthday but we ended up going home and she actually did get to drive independently today.
So the plan was to pick up Rylan for breakfast and then walk the campus, maybe buy his books, and show him the buildings where his classes were located.
But we definitely got the message last night that the parents portion was over and to not show up /hang around another day.
We shifted gears and checked out of our hotel and picked Ry up for breakfast (Presley joined us), dropped Ry back off, and then we left for home.
We ate at the Cat's Cafe and Ry referred to his breakfast meal as Cat Yak-so we probably won't eat there again!
Walking into his dorm and new chapter of life!
We made it home and Harper was surprised to find her friend had put up some happy birthday decorations for her.
The mom texted me and I gave her our garage code.
Dave put a George Fox sticker on my water bottle.
It's me, I'm the unhinged parent....
We found him!
That's Ry in the background in his Cashmere basketball shirt :)
(George Fox had a lot of fun welcome activities like explore Newberg, Rec Fest, and party on the Quad, and he also had his first team dinner at Coach Maco's house)
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