David Chandler

Frankie fears that a confrontation with trashy neighbor Rita Glossner (guest star BROOKE SHIELDS) is at hand when Sue has a run-in with her sons. Meanwhile, Axl tries to bribe Brick when he’s asked to teach his little brother how to kick a ball for a gym requirement. But it’s Brick who turns the tables on Axl and ends up bribing him for another favor.

The Hecks countdown the 12 days of Christmas with Frankie's parents, Pat (guest star MARSHA MASON) and Tag (guest star JERRY VAN DYKE), when they come to town to spend the holiday with the family – much to Mike's dismay. But when Frankie decides that she wants to take the focus off of the gifts and make it a simple Christmas, Pat and Tag have other ideas in mind.

Trashy neighbor Rita Glossner (guest star BROOKE SHIELDS) returns and is about to rain fire upon the Heck household when she accuses Frankie of stealing her hose. Meanwhile, Sue takes a peek at Mike's paycheck and is so shocked at how little he makes that she decides to call off her first official road trip to Cincinnati for her school mascot duties in order to save money; and while Brick learns about the birds and bees in school, Axl shocks his little brother by explaining the whole process in graphic detail.

After receiving multiple warnings about leaving his dirty, smelly socks lying around the house, Mike has finally had enough and punishes Axl by forbidding him to play in the final school basketball game of the season. But everyone assumes that Mike is being petty when they discover that Axl could end up beating his father's record for most free throws landed in a season if he plays in the game. Meanwhile, Sue is ecstatic -- but Frankie and Mike are suspicious -- when she wins an MVP trophy for cross-country, and Brick is humiliated when he's forced to wear hand-me-down clothes from his rebellious cousin.

Frankie and Mike’s romantic house-sitting weekend is jeopardized by the home’s technical difficulties, and the bratty neighborhood Glossner kids invade the Heck household.