Carmen is about to turn 15, which Cubans celebrate much like American girls celebrate turning 16. Juana is excited to be organizing the party until she finds out the cost. Pepe, known for his cheapness is not happy about having to pay for the party which he feels they can not afford. With some help from her friends and family Carmen has her ""Fiesta de los Quinces"" at home. Meanwhile Joe has been chosen as a possible member of the coolest club in school, ""The Cool, Cool club"". Joe fears that such an old fashioned party will ruin his chances of being accepted by the ""cool guys"".
After attending a wake and hearing that a friend of theirs has been placed in a nursing home the abuelos (grandparents) start to complain on how senior citizens are treated in the U.S.A. compared to their treatment in Cuba. Later Adela overhears the family say that they are going to take her to the nursery and she misunderstands and thinks they are taking her to a nursing home. Adela then sets out to prove that she is still young and hip.
Worried that Carmen spends to much time studying and ignoring her social life not to mention her lack of desire to marry, her family and friends set out to find her a boyfriend. But, be careful what you wish for, most of the prospects leave a lot to be desired. Meanwhile Joe has problems of his own when he asks a Cuban girl out for a date and her parents start talking marriage.
At a meeting with Mrs. Peabody, Joe's school counselor, Juana finds out that she and other Cuban parents have not been notified about PTA meetings because the Cuban kids are embarrassed by their parents accents. When Pepe finds out he is furious because neither Joe nor Carmen speak Spanish well enough to critize his english and so he forbids them to speak English in the house. To get back at them Joe and Carmen refuse to help their grandparents with the Avon lady, the goodwill worker, the repairman or Mrs. Peabody when they come calling, chaos follows.
Carmen volunteers to do a ""Night of Cuban Music"" at the local theater. She enlists the help of family and friends. At first Joe does not want to help because he feels the music is old fashioned and he's too busy rehearsing for his bands first gig. Later Pepe speaks to Joe and he realizes he should help his little sister. Carmen and Joe sing a duet and Juana sings an aria.
After seeing the kind of freedom his cousins have in New York, Joe decides to move out on his own. But life on his own isn't what he thought it would be. When the Peña gang visit Joe in his new apartment he realizes he would be better off back home with his family.
Carmen wants to go to the prom, without a chaperone. Pepe and Juana will not hear of it. Adela complains that chaperoning has become to much for her so the Peña's decide to higher ""Super Chaperone"". Super Chaperone, a lady who runs a chaperoning agency, is known for her fox like skills at detecting hanky-panky among teenagers. But when prom night roles around Super Chaperone has problems of her own.
Pepe's jet-setting rich niece comes to visit. But all isn't as it seems.
Carmen, Sharon and Violeta fill out an application for a computer friend. The computer matches Carmen with the same guy who had a fist fight with Joe who also happens to be African American.
Joe applies for a part-time job at a household goods store but, before hiring him the owner wants to meet his parents. Meanwhile Joe's friend Frankie has been thrown out of his parents house and asks the Peña's if he can stay with them for a couple of days reluctantly they agree. Frankie is involved in not so honest endeavors and makes trouble for the Peña's.
A local TV reporter goes to Joe's school to interview kids whose parents are Cuban immigrants. The interview goes bad for Joe when he says that his parents and grandparents complain about how things are in this country (USA). To clear they air the reporter offers the Peña's a chance to clear things up, live on TV. Just when they thought it couldn't get worse, it does.
Encouraged by her boss Juanita decides to go to school for book- keeping. Pepe, Adela & Antonio are against it but the kids are for it. Life becomes interesting when Juanita isn't around to take care of things.
Carmen and Sharon become candy striper's just in time for Joe's appendicitis operation.
Joe and Carmen take up Yoga. While burning incense Abuela thinks they are smoking marijuana. Pepe and Juana accuse the kids of never doing anything productive. Joe and Carmen argue that they are always being criticized. In comes Father Santos who tries a little role reversal therapy.
Joe, Juana, Adela and Antonio decide to become U.S. citizens. Pepe is against the idea. Pepe feels that becoming a citizen somehow betrays Cuba.
Joe has been dating the same girl for 3 months. When her father accuses Joe of getting his daughter pregnant Joe denies it. But Joe's proof is that he's a virgin which worries his father but not his mother who thinks it's great.
The abuelos (grandparents) are trying to learn how to speak English but Joe have very little patience or faith that they will ever learn. During a nap Joe dreams that he speaks no English and that his grandparents speak perfect English. In his dream Joe gets a visit from his fairly godmother and the devilish Pepe who teach him about the difficulties of learning a new language.
Carmen, Sharon and Joe apply for summer jobs at the local mall. During their interviews Sharon realizes that she probably won't be hired because she's not bilingual. Carmen and Violeta set out to transform Sharon into a Cuban named, Anita Rodriguez. Anita doesn't get the job because they need a bilingual person who speaks French, which Sharon Robinson does.
Carmen's new boyfriend asks her to marry him. Her family opposes the marriage because they feel Carmen is too young. Carmen decides to elope but then has second thoughts when her husband to be describes how their life will be after they get married.
Juana prepares a special celebration for her 20th wedding anniversary. But Pepe forgets because all he does lately is work and he's too tired to remember things like an ""anniversary"". Juana wants Pepe to go to a marriage counselor but things only get worse after they go to the counselor.
A run of bad luck makes the family think that they have a ""hex"" on them. While the kids consult a ""medium"" abuela gets the Priest to visit. It gets really interesting when the Medium and the Priest are over at the same time.
Joe is doing an article for the school newspaper on homosexuality. Things get hairy when Juana finds books on homosexuality in Joe's room. The whole family jumps to the conclusion that Joe is gay. A family trip is planned when they find out Joe has gone to a Gay club.
With the family out running errands Adela thinks her afternoon will be relaxing that is until a burglar comes to call.
A couple of Adela's girlfriends come to the Pena house to pay their respects because they read in the paper that Adela has died. Thankfully it was not ""our"" Adela but another woman with the same name. During the visit one of Adela's friends feels dizzy so she lays down to rest but dies in her sleep. Later on we get to see what a Cuban wake can be like, gossip, gossip and more gossip not to mention a pickup place for the teenagers.
Sharon's mother is going a 7 day cruise but Sharon wants to stay at the Pena house during her mother's trip. Carmen and Sharon beg Juana and Pepe to let Sharon stay the week, Juana and Pepe finally acquiesce but life in a Cuban household is a little to structured and strict for Sharon.
The Pena's decide to clean house by having a garage sale but, getting rid of ""old"" things is easier said than done.
