Megan Brushing her Teeth

This occurred on 9/25/2011. Megan stands on top of the toilet so she can reach the sink. I squeeze the toothpaste for her onto her toothbrush as she has not mastered this skill yet.Then Megan proceeds to suck the toothpaste off her brush, swallows it, then brush her teeth with the plain toothbrush.

Luke Walking

Wrote this while I was at the temple on 9/24/2011.
The day Luke passed away I walked him around the house. He could barely walk so I helped support him by taking his hands and guiding him through the house. He was so happy just walking from room to room. I remember him smiling so big as he went from room to room. He couldn't walk for too long and so made continual stops along the way; then he would be off again. As he went he would feel the surfaces of many objects he passed by. While in Megan's room he propped himself up on Megan's laundry basket which flexed and moved under his weight. He pulled up and down on it and was excited watching it move. Luke was so happy with interacting with the big world around him.

How to Live a Morally Good Life

Updated this paper and published it in Google Doc format.

Entertainment

Just last month my wife and I decided to get Hulu Plus and XBox live. We love that you can watch anything you want on your computer, iPhone, and TV. I even watch movies every-now-and-then on my way home on the bus via my iPhone. Both plans together are costing us around $16 a month - way better than cable! Another thing about it I love, is there are virtually no commercials. I have been watching episodes of the X-Files without a single commercial. The only disadvantage is you don't get to see all of the shows on television nor do you get to see them as soon. However, I don't watch that many shows on TV. In fact I didn't even watch TV for several years and so don't miss it much. So the few shows I like to watch are on Hulu anyway. You can also see any TV show that Hulu has any time you want. No waiting and virtually no commercials.

Obeying Traffic Signs

While I was doing my construction rotation at Beale Air Force Base I had a pretty funny experience. It occurred while I was driving back to the Sacramento Resident Office (SRO). My construction rotation was nearly over so I was training Matt to take over my position so we carpooled to and from Beale. We were talking about various subjects on the way back to Sacramento and somehow got on the subject of traffic signs. I told Matt that traffic signs are suggestions that a person should use their judgement to determine whether or not to follow.

LEED Exams

I just passed the U.S. Green Building Council LEED AP BD+C exam today! I studied for this for over three weeks which took about 60+ hours reading the BD+C Reference Guide. I feel sorry for my wife during this time as I had very little time for family activities these last few weeks. I am glad it is over though. I passed the LEED Green Associate test over a month ago and wanted to take the BD+C exam shortly after. Some of the questions asked in the Green Associate exam came from the BD+C Reference Guide so I wanted to take the LEED AP exam with that information still in my mind so I wouldn't have to study as much. I am so glad I can now put on my Resume that I am a LEED Accredited Professional. This also means I can be a team leader in projects aiming for LEED Certified buildings.

Atonement, Agency, Accountability

By BOYD K. PACKER


How well I know that among learned men are those who look down at animals and stones to find the origin of man. They do not look inside themselves to find the spirit there. They train themselves to measure things by time, by thousands and by millions, and say these animals called men all came by chance. And this they are free to do, for agency is theirs.

But agency is ours as well. We look up, and in the universe we see the handiwork of God and measure things by epochs, by eons, by dispensations, by eternities. The many things we do not know we take on faith.

But this we know! It was all planned before the world was. Events from the Creation to the final, winding-up scene are not based on chance; they are based on choice! It was planned that way.

- Aaron Klapheck, Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Apostles' Creed

When Sarah and I were at the Vincent's baby blessing we talked to the pastor who mentioned the Apostles' Creed. I did a little research and found it had many similarities to the 13 articles of faith that LDS members believe in.

Megan Greeting Daddy

After coming home from a log day of work, I put my bicycle away and enter house. I unload my messenger bag and enter the living room. I am quickly greeted by my precious three-year-old daughter, Megan, who pulls down her shirt and yells out "Boobies!" I start laughing hysterically; my wife was not nearly as amused. I then look at Sarah with a mock expression of disappointment, "Tsk tsk, the things you teach our children, Sarah." Sarah smiles and we both start laughing. I love my family!

LEED Exam

     It has been a while since I have written because I have been studying for the U.S. Green Building Council LEED AP exam. I have been studying for this exam all last weekend and all this weekend. Last Monday, Friday, and Saturday I spent Most of the day studying for this exam (and the weekend before). I spent nearly 40 hours reading the 600+ page LEED 2009 Green Building Design And Construction Reference Guide, memorizing as much of the information as I could. I would read a credit/prerequisite (say SSc5.1), then read through the summary page of all related credits/prerequisites (SSc5.2, SSc6.1, SSc5.2, SSc7, WWc1), then go the next credit/prerequisite (SSc5.2) and repeat the process. This way I read through the book several times over when I finished.
     Last Friday I started the practice exams and boy they are hard! I got 66% on the first and second exam. I read through all the parts of the book I missed and think I will be getting a much higher score on this third exam. The stuff the test you on is crazy. Like one of the questions was: "What is the population density for LZ2 Exterior Lighting levels?" Answer: "200-3,000 people/mi^2." This information is not even in the book! It is in a reference document. Luckily, most of the test questions are not this hard.

Megan and the Game Sorry

One day Megan and I were playing Sorry in her room. Megan picked up her card, a seven, and started to move her piece. As she moved her piece around the board she loudly counted, "1, 2, 3, 4."
I urged her on, "Then?"
"Slide!"
"Umm... not this time, whats the number after 4?"
"5," Megan responded.
"That's right. Then?"
"6"
"Very good. And ...?"
"Blue."
"Yep you are blue. 6 then?"
"A number!"
"That's right. Whats the number after 6?"
"We move now!"
"That's right. Whats the next number we move to?"
Megan now thinks very intensity then yells in excitement, "W!"
I then start laughing hysterically. I love Megan!

Megan and Painting

In addition to coloring, Megan loves using paint to express herself. Megan spends hours covering herself in paint and occasionally paints blobs and streaks on her paper covered easel. Megan uses all different kinds of paint brushes and types of paint to create her art. One day I found a box filled with really nice, but very old, looking paint and opened one up for Megan to use as a real treat. After painting for a good length of time, I took her by the hand and lead her to the bathroom to wash up. After several minutes of scrubbing her hands I noticed that the paint was not coming off. It was then I realized that she was painting with oil based paint. Megan still asks to paint with those pretty permanent paints every once in a while.

Liberty

Evil rarely comes upon us all at once, liberty is rarely lost in one stroke, it happens gradually over years, decades, even centuries. Powers are slowly taken from the States and the people,and before you know it,we have one big monster Government, that recognizes no restraint on its ability on how to tell us how to live. It claims the power to regulate any activity, tax any behavior and demand conformity to any standard it chooses. This is where we are at in our Country now! Liberty at best is upheld by truth and action. Let us take a stand and contact our leaders, Senators, Congress men and woman, and demand Liberty. It is easier than you think