Mama begins to believe that her family is taking her for granted and decides to spend the day playing cards with friends.
Nels decides to run a summer camp for boys, thinking it would be easy. Nels didn't count on T.R. being one of the campers. Nels is finding his job interferes with his budding romance—mama steps in to help.
The family prepares to celebrate T.R.'s birthday. Aunt Jenny call T.R.'s father from South America for surprise visit.
Papa is delegated to oversee the building of a parade grandstand during WWI. The men working under him are lazy and they resent papa's foreign accent.