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A Full January…

January 29th, 2018 by mica
We’ve begun the new year with much activity!
At school, Ronan is hard at work.  This term, he’s testing and experimenting to determine the optimal chemical make-up of clothes that will endure life on Mars!

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After school, he’s busy climbing.  That’s kinda the simple routine around here.  School, climbing gym, sleep.  Repeat.  Last week he was so excited to have his buddy Seth accompany him for an afternoon on the walls.
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I think this picture says it all.
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About a week ago, Ronan and I took a road trip down to Los Angeles for a surgical procedure– a lingual frenuloplasty.  Fancy words for removing the string under his tongue, allowing more mobility in his palate.  After all these years, we’ve learned that Ronan has had a tongue tie, which explains much! And surprise, surprise- he was part of the minority of kids who reacted to the sedative with complete hyper activity.  Thankfully, we were in a hospital where we had the option to put him under with anesthetic and he did great.  We recovered in Los Angeles and my navigator helped me weave through the LA traffic to get back home.
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Austin continues to be one very happy girl in Sausalito.  We’re back on a houseboat, which feels like a tremendous gift.  A short walk to school, friendly neighbors, and a home that rocks us to sleep at night.
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And then there are kayak rides with dad at sunset.  I mean what could be better?
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Austin is all about music these days:)
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Here she’s preparing for a duet with her friend for an upcoming school performance.  Learning languages and piano, practicing for the school play— she’s able to do what she loves during the day.
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This has been a challenging season for the Underwood parents as we try to figure out how to serve the needs of two very different children, now in schools in different cities.  I am hopeful that we are getting closer to figuring out how to run life with additional ease:)

As I reflect on this past month, I am thankful for my friends and all their listening and advice, for the endless support my folks have given these past few months, and for Gentry, who has stretched himself between jobs and kids and showed up as an incredible father.

I love this picture of him, gliding across the lagoon in one of our neighbor’s boats.  I appreciate how, in the midst of all that he has going on, he seems to find openings into beauty, nature, adventure and new friends.
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Road Trip

January 8th, 2018 by mica

I came back from a morning yoga class to learn that the kids and Gentry were excitedly headed into the unknown.  The trio was eager to hop into the car with Nugget and go exploring.

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They pointed the car to Wyoming and away they went!  They traveled through the flat deserts of Nevada (as well as through Denny’s)IMG_0836
and into Idaho— here at Idaho Falls
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And eventually, we all met up in beautiful Jackson.  The Tetons were stunning.  Hard to do them justice in a photo.
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We explored the parks around town,
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the gondola up the ski mountain,
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and the town square on New Year’s Eve.
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Gentry and Austin enjoyed two days on the ski mountain.  One of the trams takes skiers up to the top of the mountain where they can dine on waffles and Nutella.  A fantastic idea:)
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Nugget was the star of the show and such a fun addition to the trip.  I love this photo of him on the open road.  His joy is contagious.
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Ronan was happy to have a cozy reading friend and bed mate at the cabin.  The two have bonded in unexpected ways
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I am so glad to be married to an adventurer— you never know what’s around the corner.  I’m not sure I would have moved an inch from Byrne and yet I was able to have a few days of quiet AND the chance to see spectacularly beautiful country.  The blessing of partnership with someone who welcomes the unknown and the un-planned.

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Closing out 2017

January 7th, 2018 by mica

The kids ended the school year on a high note.  Ronan had his first ever project “declaration” approved at Brightworks and will begin experimenting on the chemical composition of clothing appropriate for life on Mars.

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New Village ended with some beautiful traditions— a Winter Faire with festive decorations that transformed the school into a Winter Wonderland
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and a closing ceremony at sunset at Muir Beach with a labyrinth the kids designed and built with stones, driftwood and candles.
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And then back to Byrne for some much needed downtime with family…
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as well as walks (and swings) outdoors
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In their worlds

December 15th, 2017 by mica

It has been a joy to watch Austin discover the piano.  She has a natural ear and gift for music and her new school is helping to expose her to many more opportunities around musical expression.

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I’ve also never met a child with so much of her own “magic.”  One night, we were preparing lunch for the next day when Austin remarked that she’d really love to bring something special to share with her friends during the meal.  The doorbell rang and the next door neighbors in Sausalito brought us several freshly baked baguettes that they’d been perfecting in their kitchen. Austin, smiled with an “of course” reaction to the visitation.
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We’re learning that Austin has a quick mind for math as well a persistence to keep on when problems get tough.  Here Gentry is teaching her about fractions, to which she caught on to surprisingly fast.
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I love these shots from Ronan’s Brightworks photo shoot.  I mean what other school encourages kids to show up for their pictures in clothing that best represents themselves?
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Ronan is 10!

December 11th, 2017 by mica

At the end of November, Ronan entered the world of double digits!  Pops sent us this beautiful pic of Grandee holding a newborn Ronan…

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Ten years ago, Ronan was a wide-eyed and alert baby, taking in the whole hospital and refusing to miss a moment of life by sleeping or eating.  He continues much in this vein today, so deeply immersed is he in the job of learning…
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On his birthday, he received many gifts and one of his favorites was a present from Austin– a first aid kit for his lab.  Below he is evaluating the kit and adding in new pieces to make it more comprehensive and useful.
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Through Brightworks and the gentle nudging of one of the collaborators there, Ronan has recently found rock climbing.  We spend hours together each day after school on the bouldering walls.
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I also learned to belay (which is quite an accomplishment for a knot challenged person like myself) so that Ronan could top rope.  Last week, Ronan made an impromptu goal to climb 1000 vertical feet in one afternoon.  After tying him into the ropes, I watched him continue to master the 50 foot wall in front of him, over and over again.  So proud of the task ahead of him and the chance to learn every nook on that one path up the wall.
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For his birthday this year, instead of a big party, he wanted to invite one of his favorite friends from Brightworks over for the weekend.  The boys did chemistry experiments, built molecular structures, ate chocolate chip pancakes, hiked into the canyon, wrestled with Nugget and enjoyed byrne together.  It was just the kind of celebration that fit Ronan.
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Hard to believe that we are one decade into parenting— still working with some of the challenges that a Ronan brings and still in awe of his intelligence, deep focus and commitment to learning and mastery.

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Happy Thanksgiving

November 29th, 2017 by mica

Hope you all and a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Out here at Byrne, we hosted a potluck turkey-lunch, with all the fixings:)  The natives were restless waiting for the big meal:IMG_0391
We were fortunate to have a beautiful day at Byrne to eat outside.  The cast of characters included Baba, a (pensive) Mica,
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a very hungry (and happy) Gentry,
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Ronan the Scientist,
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Cowgirl-Chic Austin,
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And the wonderful Luba, John, Buddy, Nana, Nina, Lisa and Nugget.
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Desserts were an integral part of the meal and one that Austin woke very early to help create.
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A little after-meal-hike was in store to help the food settle.  These two, invariably, were in the middle of a math or science “quiz” that they give each other on long walks.
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With gratitude for family, friends and a special home to host all.

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Adventures of Puppy and Light Suit Man

November 21st, 2017 by mica

This year for Halloween, Austin picked an appropriate personality-to-fit-costume with the choice of puppy dog:)IMG_0289
Ronan continued to dazzle this year with Gentry’s light suit.  Besides enjoying surprising others with his light shows, Ronan has also determined that the light show yield higher candy results.  Smart boy.  Here are the two trick-or-treating at Nana’s.
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Even though we tell her she is not allowed to grow any bigger, she continues to disobey us and lose teeth.
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She has been biking into school and was extra proud this day to endeavor on her first rainy day ride.  In full rain gear, we splashed through big puddles on our bikes and she loved it.
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Ronan’s class has been out and about quite a bit the past few weeks on field trips and exploration as they learn about the arc topic– “cloth.”
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In his spare time, Ronan continues to delve deeply into chemistry.  This early morning, he brought me the molecular structure he’d been working on to represent caffeine:)
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Austin had her first friend from Sausalito come spend the night at Byrne.  The two had a little too much fun and forgot about the sleep portion of the sleepover!
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A radiant girl
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October

November 6th, 2017 by mica

This past month we’ve been settling into new rhythms at school and at home.  With separate schools during the week, the kids seem to enjoy each other’s company in a much more expectant way over the weekend.

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Here’s Ronan in his band space at school during Friday clean up.  I had to take a picture for posterity as he’d just finished vacuuming the floor.
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In the workshop, each member of the Orange band designed a tread for the stairs to describe themselves.  Can you guess who chose “scientific”?
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At home, Ronan continues building his science lab
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and devouring books.
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Austin is proving herself to be an agile traveler as we move around to different homes every few weeks in Marin.  After our time on the houseboat, we’ve spent time in Mill Valley and are currently near downtown Sausalito.  I’ve been surprised how quickly she makes herself at home in these new spaces (and I love her new fashion flair with unmatching striped socks):
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She’s very much enjoying the new friends she is meeting at school and is quickly building herself quite a social life:)
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Old friendships are still close to her heart.  Here she is celebrating Ale’s 3rd birthday— love their smiles.
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The weeks are full and geographically scattered and the weekends, well, we get to be at Byrne together.  And there is little better than that!
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Ronan’s world

October 5th, 2017 by mica
As Austin dives into life in Sausalito, Ronan is deeply immersed in his own sphere of learning and growth too.
Here we are at Brightworks, the weekend before school begins, on a workday to clean up the space for the incoming students.  Nugget made himself right at home and strategically chose to plunk down in the middle of the school, where he could maximize the possible petting opportunities.  Smart dog:)

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I love this sign on the front door at brightworks.  What a home Ronan has found in this school.
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Wandering around the city with Ro.
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At the park this past week, Austin and I stood back as Ronan lifted his hands off the metal bars to try to balance atop this very high climbing structure.  Amazing to watch him muster up the courage to let go!
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There always seem to be surprises when Gentry and Ronan are together in sf:)  Here, they are working with light to design art.  Hearing Gentry’s stories about Ronan’s collaborative skills and intelligent questions in the design process, makes me very excited for the two of them working together on future projects.  Also makes me very grateful for Brightworks and the ample practice in collaboration that he is learning there.
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At the end of a day at school, there is nowhere Ronan would rather be than at Byrne.  Byrne is home to the pool and outdoor space as well as the ever growing science lab that is Ronan’s room.
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Don continues to come weekly and inspire Ronan in new areas of chemistry learning.  What a special thing to have this ongoing relationship.
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Amidst life between cities and the complexity that we’ve signed up for, this morning I feel tremendous gratitude for the experiences our children are getting to have in their unique worlds and the richness of their learning around their passions.

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Block one

September 28th, 2017 by mica
We’re just finishing up our first block at The New Village School, and what a start to the year it has been…
Austin has enjoyed many sunset kayak adventures with Gentry:

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And just this past weekend, Gentry accompanied her on the all-school camping trip to Mendocino.  Many adventures with new friends and a very welcoming introduction into the NVS community.
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The Gentry/Austin duo is a pretty incredible thing to witness these days. They both share such a love for adventure and spontaneity and are perfect companions.  The pair stopped at this beautiful beach on the way home from Mendocino.
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Looking back on the past six weeks, it has been so wonderful to see Austin in full bloom- exuding smiles, joy and spunk.  Our new friend, Mitchell, who lives on the dock and works at NVS, says he’s yet to see Austin without a smile on her face.
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We have deep gratitude for our stay on the SS Maggie, which comes to a close today.  The ship has been home base for our first stint in Sausalito and our introduction to life on the water.  Pure magic…
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We shall see what block two has in store for us!

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