Naomi and Vinton are taking a childbirth class. When Vint is called in to work, Mama has to go to class with Naomi instead of going to the Bingo Bonanza with Iola, so an impatient Mama creates chaos by trying to speed things along and offering her own perspective on the "miracle of birth".

The mail is late,meaning Mama's pention check is late also,so she has to wait around for the mailman.Come to find out Iola had it the whole time and now it's to late to get to the bank to deposit it.So Iola suggests that Mama use the new Auto-Teller, instead of letting her checks for the bills bounce. Mama deposits the check and asks for $20.00 cash,which the machine deducts from her account,but never gives to her.So she blasts it with her pocket book and it soon starts spitting out money.$800 to be exact. Later at the dinner table,the family and Iola take part in Bubba's survey for his class and all disagree on what people should do with found money.It soon comes out that the teller-matic gave Mama $800 and suddenly everyone agrees that they should keep the money,with everyone having ideas on how best to spend it.But Mama decides to return to the bank the next day and put it in her account instead.

After heckling a stand-up comedian at the Bigger Jigger, Mama accepts a challenge to do a routine of her own.

After 50 years, Mama finally gets her chance to sing at Raytown's Founders' Day celebration.After nearly being hit by lightning, Mama finds a new outlook on life.

Mama's already annoyed and trying to avoid Roselle so she won't have to head up the latest charity drive. While Bubba's late for dinner, which of course annoys Mama even more. He's learning to use the school video camera as he's planning to make a film about the Harper family for a school project. So to begin he has everyone gather at the dining room table, problem is their all decked out in their best clothes.

After watching detective movies on TV for a week, and hearing that Iola's mother is missing, Mama dreams that she is a film noir-style detective hired to find her client's mother.

Mama's sitting up late waiting for Bubba when Vint and Noami come in and start telling her about the new best seller they just bought.It seems the book gives couples ideas on how to get pregnant more easily.One of them they seem intent on trying is doing it in different places. Bubba finally does come in and introduces his new study buddy Toni Malone,a girl.Mama flips and refuses to leave them alone until Bubba threatens to move into the college's Co-ed dorm.Which convinces Mama to go to bed. The next morning,while cleaning Bubba's room they find a black lace bra in the sheets.Thinking it's Toni's,Mama tries to get Bubba to admit to it over dinner,but he doesn't.So Mama and Iola get the idea to stitch bells to his mattress,that way if Bubba and Toni do decide to do something they'd be caught.But in the middle of the stitching job,they hear someone coming so they hide in the closet.

Thelma invites Reverend Meecham to dinner in the hopes of being named the president of the Church Ladies League. However, a surprise visitor of Hubby's throws a hitch into her plans.

Naomi annouces her and Vint can't get pregnant because Vint is shooting blanks,so Iola suggests that they try and adopt a baby.Turns out she has a cousin who works for an adoption agency in Hinkley. So she sets up an interview. It goes well as they pass interview after interview easily until the final one.Where they and Mama have to meet with Dr. Richards, a family psychologist.

An anonymous letter convinces Vint that he's adopted, so he sets out to find his biological mother.

Naomi's on top of the world with the news that she has an interview for the now vacant Assistant Manager's job at Food Circus. While Vint worries if she gets the job she'll never be home. All of this is because a new manager (Archie Woods) has taken over and begins to shakes things up, including firing the old Assistant Manager. Naomi arrives for her interview full of new ideas for the store. Problem is there are several job requirements that she didn't count on when she applied. Like, for instance, having to make it with Mr. Woods if she wants the promotion or for that matter to even keep her old checkers job. She's horrified and it takes a while before she can explain to Mama and Iola what exactly happened.

Mama's worldly cousin (Vicki Lawrence in a dual role) annoys Mama with her neverending stories.

Vinton and Naomi persuade Mama to have a psychic called "Madame Rita" give everyone readings. At first, Mama is surprised by the psychic's ability, but later sets out to expose the phony medium.

Mama is surprised to learn she was entered in the Grandma USA contest by Bubba. She is at first reluctant to compete, but changes her mind when she finds out the grand prize is a dream kitchen, complete with a self cleaning oven. Vint then starts to wonder why they would select Mama over all the other entries, Bubba says it's because he sent in Naomi's picture instead of Mama's. A fact this is only discovered after they are greeted by the host, Raytown personality Eddie Edwards, and he thinks Naomi is entering. After considering his options, Edwards agrees to let Mama compete instead, thinking it might be a novelty to have someone in the pageant who really looks like a Grandma.

Mama and the whole family attend the Inauguration ceremony as the Mayor prepares to swear Mama in as the New Mayor of Raytown.Vint interupts things by trying in vain to take a picture several times.Thus upsetting the Mayor and he leaves. Mama takes over as Mayor and it soon becomes clear she is unprepared for the job.Her first council meeting turns into a free for all,with Mama unable to make a decision or knowing exactly what's she supposed to do. Soon enough the whole town is in an uproar.There's a garbage strike and a transit walkout after Thelma suggest they drop all senior citizens off at there doors.Plus the boyscouts are mad at her too and others are calling for her resignation. Ellen hears about the mess on the radio and her and Mayor Tutwiller come to the rescue.He sends a pound of chocalate to the Boy Scouts and settles the garbage and Transit strikes.Mama realizes she doesn't have what it takes to be Mayor so she soon resigns her post.Telling the council she pressing family

Vint wins a Mother's Day dinner for two at a North African (Moroccan) restaurant called Abdul's Garden of Eating. As a result, Mama and Naomi fight over which of them Vinton should take.

It's the day before Mama's birthday and Vint decides to make her a present instead of buying her something. It ends up being a really ugly cocktail belt, which Bubba's not sure what to think of when he sess it. A little later, a knock comes at the front door and it's Vint's boss, Mr. Carstairs. He wants Vint to hold on to a gift he bought for his ""Mother"", his pet name for his wife. A $200 diamond bracelet. The problem's start when Mama finds it and thinks it's for her after she reads the card and it says ""to my darling mother."" So not being able to except such an expensive gift she takes it back to the store and exchanges it. Buying gifts for everyone else in the process. Bubba gets an LP, Naomi gets her bed sheets and Vint's get the watch he wanted.

Mama's sister, Frannie, has just passed away, and even if she can't bring herself to tell how Frannie actually died (it was by inhaling a tooth pick in the ladies room at the Bigger Jigger). Mama is never the less determined to give her late sister something she never had, a ""perfect day"". But things soon turn from perfect to terrible as one disaster after another strikes. First Mama finds out Don and Loraine won't be there and ofcourse Buzz and Sonya won't either (for unexplained reasons) and Ed and Eunice have moved to Florida (a blessing). Then Ellen calls and says she's got something more pressing business and can't make it either. Later, as the the family gets home from the funeral, we find out Vint forgot to shut the hearse door, resulting in the coffin flying out of the hearse and down the on-ramp to the free way.

Mama is the editor of the years church bazaar cookbook, in it she plans to use her own recipe for Chili. Iola objects thinking it should be hers that Mama uses. Soon Naomi too throws her hat in the ring, saying she makes the best Chili. So the three decide to have to a chili cook-off with the winner getting her recipe in the cookbook. Vint, being stuck in the middle of this brewing argument, is choosen, against his will, as the judge of the contest. All three have identical supplies, with Mama and Iola also have identical ingredients. While Naomi's chili is far different from the other two as it includes two giant cans of store bought chili, plus beer, cheetos and several other items not usually associated with chili. Each bringing back a certain memory from one of her ex-husbands or boyfriends. Each bowl is lettered as the contest begins and Vint decides the 'B' bowl is the best, which belongs to Iola, and she runs home to show her father and dare her mother to throw it out again.

Naomi is giving Bubba and Vint a love test to see how romantic they are,from the latest issue Lady's Circle.As it turns out Vint is a ""cold fish"" and Bubba is a ""Red Hot Romeo"". Vint decides to try and be more romantic and gets Bubba to.write a romantic letter to Naomi

Mama, Naomi and Iola are planning to go to a show at the Pepper Pot Playhouse, while Vint and Bubba are set to play poker with the ""poker pals"". Mama finds out who's starring in the play and decides not to go, so Naomi and Iola leave as the ""pals"" arrive. Mama's headed off to bed when the phone rings, come to find out the other guys can't play. So Vint begs Mama to set in. Mama proves to be a much better player than anyone expected and is soon the hit of the evening, sharing embarrassing stories about Vint as a kid. Until she gets pulled away from the table by Vint and he begs her to build him up, so the ""pals"" will think he's a big man. Problem is that doesn't go as well and Mama soon begins boring every one with her endless stories. The last shoe drops when Mama reveals, in another story, that Vint touches the end of his when he's not telling the truth. Which ends up costing him a hand and he storms out mad. Naomi and Iola return and Naomi thinks the play was horrible.

Reverend and Mrs. Meechum drop by to ask Thelma if she would mind watching their little Eugene while they visit the shut-ins at the hospital.

Bubba's off to a rally for the homeless, as Mama and Iola are off to the Rayplex, while Vint and Naomi are headed out to route five to see the new housing development. Mama gives Bubba $20 just in case he needs it and then he accidently packs her wallet in his back pack and heads out. She only notices this as her and Iola are leaving. So Mama heads for the rally to get her wallet back and Iola heads for the theatre. But Mama gets arrested along with the the other's at the rally and gets locked up, even though she tries to convince them she's not homeless. The phone is busy when she calls home so she's out of luck and into the cell she goes. Where she discovers that the people there are much like her, including her Cousin Cora.

Mama and Bubba will graduate from high school together, but Bubba wants to skip the ceremony.

Vinton learns that he is about to lose his job because Kwik Keys is being shut down by the new owners, a corporation called Bernice. When Bubba discovers that an old stock certificate Mama owns is now ten shares of Bernice, she sets out to save Vinton's job.

The Harpers install an intercom so that Naomi will be able to monitor her baby, but Mama uses it to eavesdrop on the family, and vice versa.

April fools day has Mama in a particularly foul mood, as always. First Bubba gets her with a hand buzzer and Vint scares her with a plastic snake. Before leaving Naomi gets her too with a sign on her back that Iola finds. The fun though isn't contained to the family as Iola gets her too with a special 'lemon sponge cake', that turns out to really be a lemon and sponges. All this time, Mama is hoping to win the golden troll award. The last draw is when Naomi, Vint and Bubba blow off yard work for a day on the lake watching the ski show. While Mama's next door, the family gets a call telling them they've won the award and should expect the media around 4 0'clock. Only problem is Mama doesn't believe them when she's informed off the wonderful news.

Bubba books a band called The Bonecrushers for homecoming, and tells the family that the band will be staying with them. They turn out to be an all-female heavy metal band, and Mama must rein them in.

Fran gets a fill-in job as a an advice columnist, when she asks Mama for an answer to a question and Mama does what she does best, tells people what to do and Fran uses it. Soon Fran's editor takes notice of her popularity and Buzz advice's Mama that she should be getting some of the money Fran is now earning. But Fran refuses saying she plans to slowly stop using Mama's ""Home-Spun"" advice as she adds some pyschological insights in her latest article. Fran's got a date that night with her editor, Dwight Nettles, who loves the advice Fran's been giving but can't understand why Fran included all the psychological babble (which he edited out)in her latest article. He also has a problem he needs some advice on and that's why he wanted to see her tonight. Seems ""his friend"" has just hired a new woman at work and has the hots for her, even though he's married, he wants to know what to do. Fran sneaks away from the table and calls Mama from the pay phone to beg her advice. Mama recognizes ri

While working on a photography project, Bubba makes a picture of a young bikini-clad woman with Mama's head, as a joke. However, this picture is accidentally added to a flyer that is handed out to get elderly men to attend a church dance.

Trying to update the church's phone directory is hard enough, but having to do it with everyone running in and out is impossible. But fortunately for Mama her wishes of a quite house are answered. First Bubba announces that he's pledging a fraternity called ""Sigma Alpha Pie"" or ""SAP"" and will be away all weekend. Then Iola asks Mama to watch her goldfish for the weekend while she takes her parents on a trip. Vint gets a call next and he and Naomi are invited to use a friends cabin all weekend. Mama anticipates a few days of peace all alone, but after finishing the update on the phone directory and realizing the Tv is on the blink and not being able to read, she is totally consumed with boredom. So much so that she starts talking to the goldfish, while also over feeding him. Not to mention reorganizing the kitchen is a complete failure as she ends up out on the front Porch ""Singing in the Rain"" literally.

Mama verbally attacks a radio show's unhelpful consumer advocate, and the station manager offers her his job, with Mama broadcasting from her living room.

In this Thanksgiving episode, Mama, Bubba, Vinton, Naomi, Iola, and Aunt Effie (Dorothy Van) all go for cover in the basement when an unexpected tornado passes by Raytown.

Carl's long lost brother, Roy Harper, shows up out of nowhere on Carl's birthday. Not knowing that his brother has been dead for 11 long years. Vint, against Mama's wishes, asks Uncle Roy to stay with them for a while. Meanwhile Sonya has entered a beauty pageant and Noami, Ellen and Mama help her get ready. That's where Uncle Roy tells her the story of when he saw Princess Grace at the White house and how beautiful she was and how she has the same smile. He also encourages Vint to chase his dream of being a firemen, even going so far as to get him an application for the Ray Town Fire Department. Lastly, Roy is telling Thelma how her elbows remind him of Dorothy Lamure's and that that's what first attracted Carl to him and how he wishes he had seen her first. They hug but he leaves before anything really happens. Leaving his cooler, which means he'll be back, Thelma hopes.

Mama and Iola are preparing for the Crystal Thorn flower contest, and Iola is angry to find that Mama's flowers have cross-pollinated with one of hers, producing a pink-and-white hybrid. At first neither of them wants it, but when floral expert Mayjune Beasley tells Mama that it could win the award, both Iola and Mama claim ownership.

Naomi and Vint rush in to get ready for the awards banquet that night for Food Circus. While Mama complains to the meter guy about her electric bill saying it's always a certain price but this month it's $20.00 higher and she refuses to pay it.

Vinton gets an idea of taking the family (eveyone except Sonja) on to the game show Family Feud, so that they can have a chance at winning $10,000. He's even selected each person for his team for different reasons: Buzz (the teenage heartthrob), Naomi (the beauty), Mama (the sweet old lady), and Ellen and Vint as the brains of the family and could prolly win the money on their own. Ellen disagrees and says that she is the only one that is smart enough to win the money (meaning that Vint is dumb). Everyone takes a while to convince Mama to go, but she finally gives in. The opposing family is the very snooty Van Courtland's, who win the first round. Vint ends up winning the second match-up and decides to play in order to take the lead. After a short break, the point values are doubled and the Van Courtland's win the face-off and almost win the game, but Mama gets one last chance to steal. The survey question was ""What do you wind up?"" and the Harper's are telling Mama to answer with ""A m

Mama is sacked out on the couch after laser surgery to remove a Corn from her toe. Having Bubba wait on her hand and foot, when Vint and Naomi come in, dressed for a dance contest their going to. Mama's starts talking about her memories of the place where the event being held and everyone decides to go along with them as their cheering session. Mama runs into an old friend, Ramon and they decide to enter the contest against Vint and Naomi, as do Bubba and Iola. Two of the final three are ofcourse Vint/Naomi and Mama/Ramon. It comes down to having to draw from a hat to determine which dance your gonna do. In the end Mama and Ramon win in an upset after doing the ""Latin Sizzle"" aka Dirty Dancin.

Mama, Fran and Naomi take Vint to the Bigger Jigger to try and cheer him up over not getting a promotion at Kwik Keys. Naomi then convinces Vint to do his Fred Astaire routine for the Jigger's talent show. She rushes home to get his costume and sheet music and arrives back to find him nervous and about to quit. But after some urging from Naomi he goes on and he's a smash hit and wins the contest, along with the $100 prize and is invited back for the Saturday night show But Vint let's the little success go to his head. He first buys a new jump suit and changes his stage name to ""Vinnie Vegas"". Even going so far as to change his routine to something completely different. Mama and Fran (who he fired) refuse to go and after he tells Naomi to act like one of his groupies and not his wife, she stays home to. But Mama, Fran and Naomi soon realize how big a flop he's gonna be and they rush to the Bigger Jigger to stop him. They arrive in time and Mama pulls him into the men's bathroom, which f

Buzz and Sonya are the organizers of a dance to raise funds to build a new gym at the high school. They get an idea after finding some of Mama's old stuff from the attic and hearing her stories about the Gym, and the way it was used as the Raytown U.S.O during the War. They wanna use Mama's stuff and have a 40's theme for the dance. But the other member's of the committee decide they would rather have a Punk Rock theme instead and hire a hot new band called Medication. Mama's disappointed and let's them take her stuff to be sold at the junk sale. Only after later talking to Fran does she realize how much the stuff really means to her. So her and Fran hurry to the gym to try and save her stuff from being sold. Only to find out the band got arrested (again) and won't be able to play after all. They need to save the dance, so she plays some of her records and everyone has a surprisingly good time.

After Uncle Oscar passes away, Mama is willed his gabby pet parrot.

When Mama traumatizes Vinton at work with the "Binky Bunny" lunchbox she made for him when he was a kid, she must find a way to cure him of his trauma before he loses his job.

After Mama wins a trip to Hawaii on Jeopardy!, Mama and the family (plus Iola) say aloha!

Vint's dumb luck gets Mama dragged to a party with the "beach bum" she's been trying to avoid.

Tired of living in the basement, Vint and Naomi agree to switch rooms with Bubba - pleasing everyone except Mama.

It's Valentine's day and Naomi feels unloved and Vint buying her cheap stuff for doesn't help. Mama and Iola however are busy making hearts for the Valentine's day banquet at the church. Naomi starts bugging Iola about not having a date,so she says she had one but turned it down, while getting some snacks Mama hears this. Feeling sorry for her, Mama tells Iola that the movie they were gonna watch tonight is off and she should get herself a date. Mama then comes up with the story that she too has a date. Now Mama has to try and find a gentleman to go out with. Iola comes over later the afternoon and tells Thelma that Roselle got a date from ""Rent-A-Gent"". So feeling desperate Thelma calls ""Rent A Gent"" and gets a date herself.

The Harpers rent out a room during the Tri-State Fair.

Mama is all dressed up as Fran gets back from the store and she wonders ""Who Died?"", Sonya soon asks the same question, before Mama reveals she has a date with an old beau she hasn't seen in some 40 years. Much to the family's objections Mama goes out with her old him. After staying out most of the night on there first date and having such a great time, not to mention worrying poor old Fran half to death. Woody asked Thelma to go up to the lake with him like they did 40 years ago. She readily excepts to everyone's surprise. The family protests, most notably Vint, but Mama goes anyway. When they reach the cabin Mama gets nervous and starts an argument much like she did 40 years ago. After discussing the situation over a beer they both decide they made the right decision so long ago and end up coming home earlier than either had planned.

Iola arrives to collect for the church rummage sell. While Naomi and Vint have nothing, Mama is looking through her jewelry case. Soon finding her dear departed mother's old brouch. Naomi comments that it may be worth some serious money. Bubba then comes in and annouces his college class is going to Oswald Caverns and it'll only cost two hundred bucks. Which Mama refuses to give him. Naomi and Vint convince Mama to let them have the brouch appraised and that's when the ghost of ""Grandma Crowley"" appears to Mama and tells her not to sell her it. Later, as Vint and Naomi leave for the jewelers. Iola shows up and is spooked to hear the story of the ghost. Vint and Naomi arrive back and say the brouch could be worth $1600. Mama demands they go back and get it, so she rushes them through dinner, where Bubba announces he got a job to pay for his trip (which he ends up getting fired at). Iola returns to inform Mama about her findings in the latest issue of a psychology magazine.

Naomi gets home from her self defense class all fired up and Fran and Sonya decide to go next time.But Mama refuses saying it's a waste of time and there's no need for it.Although she's scared to go to her bingo games anymore. So Naomi,Sonya and Fran head to there Karate class and Mama to her Bingo.But Mama never makes it to Bingo as she is mugged while waiting for the bus.She gets home still shaking and clutching her purse strap.And quickly decides she too will join the Karate class,where Naomi is the star pupil.And Sonya is falling in love with Chuck,the instructor.Mama finds it tough to fit in. A while later Mama returns to the same bus stop where she meets an elderly lady and begins telling her about the classes and how she was mugged.When the same mugger attacks again,but he turns his back to take the other womens purse and Mama wacks him in the head with her purse which is loaded with a light weight Iron.

After Naomi loses her memory, Mama seizes the opportunity to "reprogram" her.

Mama's wanting desperately to go to the mall and pick up this blue hat she wants. But no one will drive her, seems everyone has plans. Then Frannie suggests she learn how to drive and Mama refuses, saying she's to old to learn a new trick like that. After Mama leaves the family goes about planning who will teach her. It comes down to Vint, who decides to teach Mama about keys first since he's a lock smith. Next it's Buzz and Sonya's turn to help her learn the rules of the road. Which doesn't go any better than Vint's lesson. Mama finally begs Fran into driving her to the mall, but Fran makes Mama drive instead, which again turns into a disaster as they get stuck in a traffic accident and Mama gets out and leaves. Ellen thinking she can teach her, takes Mama to the mall parking lot, (it's empty on sundays). But Mama ends up crashing Ellen's car into the planter in the center of the lot. Thinking she'll never learn to drive Mama gives up, until she gets a call from the store about the Bl

Vinton and Naomi buy an RV and plan to move to a trailer park; however, they are unable to start the vehicle once it is in the driveway. Meanwhile, Mama is planning to host a fancy backyard luncheon for an snooty society group called the Dames.

Mama finds herself competing on Jeopardy!

Mama brings Auntie Effie home to nurse her back to health after she falls off the roof of her house while.trying to reshuffle it.

Mama finds Naomi at work being overly nice,and she explains to Mama she's trying to win the Food Circus Friendly Employee of the Month.Which she ends up doing in the end,and gets her picture posted on a poster in the front of the store. Naomi soon arrive's home to celebrate and recieves a very disturbing phone call.An obscene phone call.He calls back several times,even asking for Naomi by name when Vint answers the phone.Mama and Fran soon come to the conclusion that it's all Naomi's fault,for the way she dresses and walks.Not to mention her efforts at work to be voted Friendly Employee of the Month. This all changes when Naomi leaves for work and the guy calls back.Not getting Naomi he talks the same way to Mama,then Fran and even Vint.They realize he'll talk to anyone that way and it's not Naomi's fault at all.So they all head down to Food Circus to apologize.

Mama's going on about Vint's friend Claude being a bum and everything, when Ellen finally brings Mama's silver back. Mama wants Vint to put it up right then, so no one will steal it. But he first gets a call from Claude, who needs a favor. Seems Claude got in a bar fight and he's locked up in jail and needs $250 for his bail. Vint catches Ellen before she leaves and asks her, but she refuses. So he pawns Mama's silver to get the money. The next morning Mama goes to put some stuff away in the closet and discovers it's gone. She wakes Vint up and he admits he took it and pawned it. Blowing her top Mama tells Vint to get her silver back and he then tells her why he needed the money. That only serves to get her madder. In the midst of the screaming match, Vint decides to leave, and Sonya says she can stay with Nancy. So Vint goes to the basement to pack his stuff, but Mama can't stand to see him go and calls him back upstairs and in their own way they make peace, at least for a few moments

It's Vint and Naomi's first wedding anniversary and Vint prepares by reserving two days and one night at a kinky hotel out of town. Meanwhile, Buzz and Sonya want to have a slumber party for girls and boys, but Mama refuses saying it'll be girls only. Shortly before Vint and Naomi leave for their honeymoon, Aunt Effie calls to say she's fallen and can't get up, and asks Thelma to come out and help. Mama hitches a ride with the honeymooner's and puts Fran in charge of the slumber party. Later as they are finally alone at the motel, Naomi is dressed as a Matadorette and Vint is dressed as a bull. Suddenly there's a knock at the door and it's Mama saying Effie wasn't hurt and all she wanted was someone to do her bidding, so she left and hitched a ride with a trucker to the hotel. Since she has no way home and there's no available rooms at the motel she has to stay with them. Not being able to sleep Mama on either the role away bed or the water bed. Mama decides to watch TV for a while, sh

Vint, who has a bowling tournament, wants Mama to wash and iron his shirt and have dinner ready early. Then Fran, who has an awards banquet that night, asks Mama to iron the dress she plans to wear. Ellen comes by to pick Mama up and has to remind her of the her appointment she has. So Mama's is in a rush to get to her hair appointment, and she burns a whole in Fran's dress. Ellen and Mama then go to Neidermeyer's in hopes they can find the same dress. After finding it and having to pay $55 for it, Fran comes home early and try's it on. Vint then comes in and finds out Mama not only didn't fix dinner early, she didn't iron his lucky yellow shirt either. As for Fran's dress, turns out it's the wrong dress and it looks almost nothing like the other one. Fran throws a fit and her and Mama have a huge fight. In the end Fran decides to wear another dress.

Thelma and Iola prepare to go a cruise down the Ray River on the Dixie Bell,seems they got a special, two for one deal and that's the only way they could go.Then Iola comes in and says her mother had another dizzy spell and she can't leave her.So Mama reminds her of a few of the times her mother has prevented her from doing stuff.Feeling enpowered Iola runs home to confront her mother. She returns minutes later,with the news that she confronted her mother and said she was gonna go on that cruise.Who responded to her plea for independence by throwing her out.Mama and the family reluctantly agree she should stay with them until the cruise.But this arrangment quickly turns sour. Iola takes over Mama's kitchen and works non-stop from daylight till dawn,including vacuuming under Vint and Naomi's bed at 7:00 in the morning.She's also a terrible bunk mate,getting up to go to the bathroom constantly and opening the window and then adding more covers.

Mama, Vint and Ed throw Eunice a suprise birthday party at the bigger jigger, problem is she's hoping for a trip to the Babalonian Roof Gardens. The birthday party soon turns ugly as Vint mentions Duke Reeves (he has a poster on the bar announcing his run for congress), who came to the house one day with flowers wanting to take Eunice out for a soda. But Mama turned him down and sent him away. Eunice starts making a huge scene about Duke being the only man she's ever loved. Vint goes to pick up Naomi and Ed goes to read the bathroom walls, when the argument escalates into an all out fight, and Eunice ends up punching a cop out and Mama wacks one with her pocket book and Mama and Eunice end up in jail. Scarlet, a hooker, arrives soon after they do and their fighting soon gets on her nerves and she tries to mediate a truce. She then tells them about her Mama and how she hated her every day, until she died and how she wished she was still living. Mama and Eunice make up just as Ed comes t

When Naomi is upset about her baby being late, Mama tries to calm her down with a false story about Carl. Mama tells Iola what really happened (both the false and true versions are seen in flashback, with Carl played by Ken Berry). Later that day, Naomi goes into labor and Mama ends up delivering her baby girl, Tiffany Thelma Harper.

Buzz and Sonya are getting ready for the the high school's Homecoming dance, when Vint tells the kids they both have to be in by midnight. Both complain, but Sonya (who's older) doesn't understand why she has the same curfew as Buzz. Vint says it's because she's a girl. Later Vint tells Buzz to take an extra hour if he wants. Which really upsets Sonya when she finds out, she tells Vint that she might not be back on time and storms out with her date. Vint, Mama and Fran are sitting up waiting to see if Sonya will be home on time. When Buzz comes home an hour before midnight, seems his date thought he was a jerk and dumped him for a football player. Just as Vint is getting worried, Sonya shows up still pissed and screams at Vint again. She storms off again into the kitchen and Mama follows where she finds out, Sonya had to come home, because her date had a curfew of midnight himself.

Mama hopes to raise enough to purchase a VCR by selling Iola's gaudy, homemade gifts at a yard sale.

After Vint is invited to join the Mystic Order of the Cobra, a local men's club, Mama attempts to sabotage his induction.

Vint and Naomi are doing their taxes while Bubba works on Mama's, but their using the long form and she's using the short. So they figure out they'll get a $300 refund, while Bubba tells Mama she'll owe $250.T hat is until she starts listing items she could deduct. Like pies she made for the bake sale and clothes she gave away for a rummage sale.

Mama finds Frannie's diary when she goes to get Bubba for breakfast. Inside is a note telling Mama to call the executor of her will, Larwin P. Finstadler. When Mr. Finstadler arrives he informs Mama that Fran was worth $35,000. Fran's will stipulated 10% of that would go to the ""Ray of Hope Home for Wayward Girls"". But the other $31,500 was to be split evenly between Mama, and Vint and Naomi. Only one stipulation stands between Mama and the money, she has to keep from losing her temper for a period of two weeks and it's totally on her honor. So for the next two weeks Vint and Naomi wait on her hand and foot, trying to keep her from getting upset. Including paying Bubba $10 to do his homework and doing the dishes and most of the other housework. While they begin to bicker among themselves, Mama relaxes and takes it easy.

When Bubba gets stood up by his prom date, Mama sets him up with Iola's nerdy niece, Vernette.

Vint, Naomi and Bubba are preparing for the upcoming Bowl-A-Thon, hoping to beat the Huflanders, who've won 8 years in a row. When Mama returns with Aunt Effie from their Cousin Ludie's funeral, were they where the only mourners. Deciding this won't happen to her, Mama begins to plan her own funeral. Including spending the $1200 the family had saved for their Grand Canyon trip. Having to replace Mama on their team, Vint, Naomi and Bubba choose Iola, as Mama refuses to go, saying it's to expensive. Soon after they leave though, Mama gets a shock from the lamp and passes out. Dreaming about her own funeral and how everyone walked out to go bowling.

Mama encourages Iola to find herself a man, but the man she finds turns out to be a domineering blowhard.

After Bubba comes home late and drunk, Mama is enraged and gives him an excessive punishment.

Mama develops an addiction to online shopping.

Vinton is chosen to play Santa @ the Raytown Mall. However, with too much practice, he loses his voice! So Mama fills in the last second as Santa Claus. She deals with many brats, but was touched by a little girl who wanted tools for her unemployed daddy. Mama's also upset that her star's missing (the one her husband made for her on their 1st Christmas).

Mama's reign as the Church Ladies League President only has two weeks to go and being that it's limited to one term Mama needs someone to nominate her for a second term. So she drafts Iola to take on the CCL's power broker in Alberta Meechum. but it doesn't quite go as planned as a very nervous Iola stumbles through her nomination of Mama. Thelma versus Iola Alberta makes it clear that she thinks it's unfair to ask anyone to carry the load of being president for another two years. So in a shocking twist she nominates Iola and it's soon decided to have an election. The campaign turns nasty quick and Mama challenges Iola to a public debate.

Ellen Shows up and announces she's been given the ""Woman of the Year"" award at the Raytown Country Club that night.But what she doesn't know is Mayor Tutwiller has invited Mama and the family along as a surprise for Ellen. In a side plot Vint thinks Mama's lost his bowling ball after she says she put it in a ""Safe Place"".As expected the family arrives at the country club and Ellen is mortified.They ofcourse embarass her with the way they act. Finally after dinner,which Mama complains wasn't done.Mayor Tutwiller starts the ceremony by letting Mama say a few words.It turns out to be more than few as she basically brings the house down with comments.

Mama won't let anyone leave because Ellen (who recently divorced her husband Bruce) is on the way over for another one of her european slide shows. This being the 4th time in two weeks that she's been over, everyone is bored out of their minds, including Mama. But when Ellen shows up, she can't stay, seems she has a meeting with a new club she's joined called ""Quiters and Losers"". Meanwhile, Vint is involved in a key selling contest at work, where the winner gets a dinner for 4 at a very expensive restaurant. Turns out Ellen is actually seeing a new boyfriend, who is a much younger man and he's invited her to the ShayRay for dinner. Only problem is, Vint won that contest at work and the prize is a dinner for 4 at ShayRay's. That's where they run into Ellen and the family finally meets her new boyfriend, Glen. After hearing one to many of Mama's rude comments Glen gets up to leave and wants Ellen to go with him, but Mama makes her stay. Later at home, Ellen angrily confronts Mama over h

Didi, an old friend of Naomi's and a professional wrestler, talks Naomi into being a last-minute substitute for her ailing tag-team partner for a match. When Mama accidentally knocks Didi out just before the match, Naomi and Mama have to wrestle against Didi's weighty opponents.

Mama suspects that Vint is having an affair with his new trainee Heather, so she and Iola go to his workplace to investigate.