Our family is on vacation this week. “Vacation” for us mostly means that Dad is not at work. We rarely travel anywhere, because we are lame.

Often what we do instead is take little day trips hither and yon in Utah, and we pretend we are tourists visiting Utah, and we go and see all the things tourists would see.

Anyway, since the new Oquirrh Mountain LDS Temple is finished and available for touring before the dedication later this summer, we thought it would be good to take our kids through the open house. Amber and I of course can go to the temple whenever we like, or at least whenever we can find the time. But the kids can’t go until they’re older, so we thought it would be a great experience for them.

It didn’t exactly agree with Oakley’s (my 20 month old) personality though. Here’s a rough timeline:

12:30 p.m.: We gently wake Oakley up from his nap. He is such a good natured little angel. He will love to see the temple because he still remembers heaven.

12:35 p.m.: We put Oakley in the car. He throws a fit because he wants to run and play outside. He must not know we are going to the temple.

1:20 p.m.: We arrive a few minutes early for the temple. Oakley is glad to get out and see the temple.

1:21 p.m.: We walk to the tent to wait for our turn to go in. Oakley throws a fit. He probably wants to be able to stay outside and look at the temple.

1:30 p.m.: The movie begins. Oakley wants to try to sit in every single chair in the meeting room in the tent. He throws a fit when I won’t let him.

1:31 p.m.: Oakley’s fit has become so loud that people are looking at us. I do not want us to be that family. Amber takes Oakley to the back of the room.

1:42 p.m.: We walk to the temple. Oakley is glad.

1:43 p.m.: We enter the temple. Oakley throws a fit.

1:45 p.m.: We are quietly walking through the temple and looking around.

1:45:01 p.m.: Oakley screams to see what the echo sounds like.

1:46 p.m.: We pause to look through the glass at the baptismal font.

1:46:01 p.m.: We have to move on because Oakley is banging on the glass.

1:47 p.m.: Oakley throws a fit because we won’t let him go and play in the baptismal font.

1:49 p.m.: Oakley throws a fit and insists on walking up all the stairs by himself.

1:53 p.m.: Oakley gets mad when we won’t let him run off and explore the temple by himself.

1:55 p.m.: We come to the Celestial Room. I tell the kids to stop for a minute and quietly listen to feel the special feeling in the Celestial Room.

1:55:09 p.m.: Oakley throws a screaming fit because we won’t let him run around the Celestial Room. Amber leaves early to take him out into the hall.

1:55:15 p.m.: The rest of us feel bad that Mom is out in the hall by herself so we leave early also.

1:58 p.m.: We arrive at the sealing room and find a seat to wait for the presentation.

1:58:13 p.m.: Oakley gets off his seat and wants to try to sit on the others.

1:58:16 p.m.: Oakley gets mad and screams at me because I won’t let Oakley stand on those pretty white chairs with his shoes.

1:58:20 p.m.: The presentation begins.

1:58:21 p.m.: Oakley tries to escape our row and run around the sealing room but I won’t let him.

1:58:25 p.m.: The presenters start speaking louder.

1:58:28 p.m.: Oakley throws a screaming fit because I won’t let him leave our row.

1:58:31 p.m.: I get after Oakley and tell him to be quiet.

1:58:32 p.m.: Oakley starts crying in his loud, mournful cry, drowning out the presentation.

1:58:35 p.m.: I have to take Oakley out of the sealing room into the hall.

2:02 p.m.: The rest of my family comes out of the sealing room.

2:02:06 p.m.: Amber and I decide it is time to finish the tour, much quicker than we wanted.

2:05 p.m.: We get out of the temple. Oakley gets a cookie. He is happy to be outside.