- Debra yearns for a peaceful and quiet birthday at home with just Raymond. So he tells his parents and brother that there's no party.
- The episode begins with Ray arriving home from a sports-related road trip he was covering. He walks in to the kitchen where Debra is frantically trying to control Ally and the twins. While Ray mentions that Cal Ripkin signed his hat, Debra mentions how one of the twins spit up on her shirt. Later, Debra goes out to the movies and leaves Ray to take care of the kids. While Debra is gone, Ray's friend Leo arrives at the door and wants to take Ray out to Nemo's Pizza. Ray then allows his mother Marie to babysit for him. When Ray gets back, he finds the house in shambles. He kicks out his parents and brother and hurriedly cleans before Debra gets home. Later that night, Debra finds out that Marie, Frank and Robert were yet again interfering with their lives. She demands that Ray tell them NOT to come to her birthday party the following weekend. Afraid to tell his parents "no", Ray ends up lying to them, saying that he and Debra are going to Bear Mountain for her birthday. That Sunday, on Debra's birthday, they are at home and getting a bit intimate when Frank, Marie, and Robert barge in expecting them to be away at Bear Mountain. Ray then has to tell everyone that he lied and tells his parents and brother to get out because he and Debra want to spend the day alone. Afterward, as things begin getting romantic again for Ray and Debra, Ally interrupts them.
- Debra (Patricia Heaton) is upset with Ray's (Ray Romano) family's invasive behavior. The Barones live across the street and have the habit of bursting in unannounced. Father Frank (Peter Boyle) and Mother Marie (Doris Roberts) with Brother Robert (Brad Garrett). Robert is 40 years old and works for the police. Debra has 3 kids Ally (Madylin Sweeten) and twins Michael (Sullivan Sweeten) and Geoffrey (Sawyer Sweeten). Ray is a sportswriter and is away from home a lot to cover major sporting events. Currently, Ray is away for 4 days and is late while returning. The kids are a handful and are at a stage where they just throw everything to the ground and scream all the time. Debra has almost no help from Ray in managing the kids.
Marie is always belittling Debra, like saying that there is some weird smell from her fridge and gets her baking soda.
Debra wants to be alone on her birthday as she wants to establish some boundaries, and Ray's family wants to have a party. Debra says that now they don't even call first before coming home. Ray says that his family's interference in their lives comes from a place of love. Robert has a habit of touching every bite of food to his chin before eating it. Frank leaves messages on their answering machine, with gossip about other families on the street.
Debra is turning 32. Ray remembers how he proposed to Debra multiple times, and she only accepted on his third attempt. Debra feels suffocated between the kids and Ray's parents.
Debra goes to watch a movie with her friend, and Ray is watching the kids. That's when Leo (Stephen Lee), Ray's friend, comes and drags him for a slice of pizza. Marie comes over and insists that they go and have some fun. She judges Debra for living up her life by going to the movies with her friend. She would watch the kids. Marie snoops around and finds a $120 receipt for Victoria's secret. Robert comes over and finds an award that Ray received for his writing. Robert is shown to be jealous of Raymond's success. "Everybody Loves Raymond" is Robert's catchphrase. Marie feels Ray is wasting his life by writing about sports. She says that Ray should write poems or short stories.
That's when Frank comes over and wakes up the kids to play with them. Ray gets back and has to kick everyone out before Debra gets home. Frank watches TV with his belt and pants unbuckled. Debra finds out that Ray's family had come while she was out. She smells the boys head, and it smelled like old spice, which is Frank's after shave. Ray has no option but to admit the truth to Debra. Debra is adamant that Ray's parents will not come over for her birthday as she wants one day of peace without them.
Ray tells Marie and Frank that he is taking Debra to bear mountain. But then they come regardless on Debra's birthday just when Debra and Ray are about to have sex. Ray admits that he lied as he wanted to make everybody happy. He admits that Debra and he want some alone time together, but Debra chickens out and says she has nothing to do with this.
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