Eric's sister visits the family for Thanksgiving but knocks the stuffing out of everyone when they discover that she has a drinking problem.

Simon becomes emotionally involved with his best friend's sister, Karen who's a gang member. Meanwhile, in a show of independence Lucy dons makeup and revealing wardrobe with her friend's to meet guys at the mall and gets caught by Annie and Ruthie. In addition, Ruthie questions the speed of light to everyone in the family.

Eric asks Matt to take his friend's daughter to the senior prom, but he is unaware of her tainted style and her being a harlot. Eric gets ""Snappy the Stegosaurus"" tickets from his ex-girlfriend for Ruthie. Meanwhile, Simon is uncomfortable after viewing a school film on the 'facts of life' while Ruthie learns the truth about her costume character hero. Also, Mary and Lucy trick their way into a date with boys they don't know, but the joke's on them.

Annie and the girls are fixing up an old car for Matt as his college present for him as he moves into a fraternity house. Simon is having a hard time living around the girls when fixing up the old car and needs to be around some male energy, especially after hearing from his mom that two more girls MAYBE on the way when she predicts the twins' sex. Meanwhile, a new woman at the church flirts with Eric. Lastly, Matt's friend almost dies after drinking too much for an initiation at a fraternity party and Matt quickly takes him to the hospital.

It's the Christmas season and Eric has his three oldest children doing charity work for the community. Mary and Lucy aren't enthusiastic about the charity work that Eric wants them to do. Mary is working in a soup kitchen while Lucy has to organize auditions for the ""Live Nativity"" at the church. Meanwhile, Eric has given Matt a well-paid job as Santa Claus at the mall. Also, Simon is in the spirit of wearing his VERY tight candy cane pajamas and wanting to put on lights inside the house since he's not allowed to do it outside alone. As a family ritual, each family member picks a name out of a hat of who to get for Christmas while Eric and Annie cheat. Before going on his family vacation, Jordan accidently gives Lucy a gift that was meant for his uncle's monkey (shoe shine-kit), but was supposed to give her a basketball signed 'I Love You'. Also, Mary meets a a guy, Carlos at the soup kitchen who doesn't have a place to stay for Christmas, so Mary invites him to stay over at their hous

Eric and Annie reluctantly allow Mary to go out with Robbie, on the condition that they double date with his younger brother Rick (guest-star, Lance Bass, ""N'SYNC"") with Lucy. Meanwhile, Simon and Nigel buy several packs of cigarettes for a class project to prove how easy it is for children to buy tobacco. Also, Ruthie works out her own secretive science project and John invites some female neighbors over for dinner to take Matt's mind off of Shana.

Still unemployed and bills mounting, Mary continues her downward spiral to rock bottom as Eric and Annie fight about how to effectively deal with her numerous lies and immature behavior. Meanwhile, the fear of what may happen to Mary starts to take toll on the rest of the whole family. By this, it is prompting the children to break open the twins piggy banks to help Mary pay her bills. To get the credit card company to stop calling, however, they are forced to make a risky decision. During all this, Mary CONTINUES to ignore her responsibilities.

Although Robbie is just as nervous as everyone else, his presence in the house during Mary's weekend stay causes a great deal of concern among the Camden's. Matt and Lucy are especially suspicious after Lucy accidently finds a condom in a misplaced wallet. Imagine their surprise when they learn that the provocative prophylactic belongs to Simon--- who just so happens to be spending the evening with his new lady friend, Sasha.

Matt begins to go crazy over a psychological evaluation that he is required to take for his medical-school application. Matt also notices the strange demeanor of his psychologist, which leads to a surprising twist. Meanwhile, after Ruthie gets into trouble at school for missing homeroom classes daily, she tricks Robbie into coming to talk to her principal. Simon decides he no longer wants to be together with Sasha since they have nothing in common and that she is not that intelligent, but the plan backfires on Simon. Also, Mike wants to try to be in a relationship with Lucy again, but unfortunately she turns him down since they are both on the rebound from Jeremy and Elaine. Lastly, Eric must convince a terminally ill patient to embrace life no matter what the doctors tell him.

Simon considers dating a sixteen-year-old pregnant Sally who he meets on the bus. Annie decides to accept Robbie's offer in renting the room over the Camden's garage that both Lucy and Matt were hoping to get. A carpenter pretends to fake an injury while working on the Camden's garage and tries to sue them. Mary gets more serious with being a firefighter, mother and wife to Wilson and Billy.

After various personal items disappear from the house, the family finds Ruthie in the garage apartment entertaining a friend with the pilfered items. The would-be bandit explains that she is hiding her pal from a pair of older boys, who have been harassing the girl because of her Muslim background. Touched by her plight, Mary and Lucy try to get their neighbors to sign a petition in support of the girl's family. Matt and Simon decide on a less civic solution and go hunting for the perpetrators.

Annie frantically cooks Jewish dishes as the Camdens prepare to head out to a Shabbat dinner at the Glasses. Simon asks Matt and Sarah if he can bring his friend Morris to the dinner. Matt agrees to allow Morris to come to the dinner as he is half Jewish. Although, that does not go as he planned as he is not very knowledgeable about his faith. Lucy and Mary play sick to try to skip the outing so they can stay home with Robbie. While home, Mary flirts with Robbie. Lastly, Eric and Annie are unable to handle everything when they are shocked to find out during dinner that Matt is considering to convert to Judaism.

A startled Eric catches Mary and Lucy in the kitchen with Ben and Kevin in the middle of the night. The guys end up spending the night in the living room with Mary ad Lucy. Ben and Kevin's sister calls the house to inform Ben and Kevin that their mom is going out with a neighbor. Eric suspects that Ruthie knows a secret about Matt and Sarah and thinks they are married already. Meanwhile, an older couple seeks guidance from Eric when they can't seem to let go of their forty-four-year-old son, who has run away from home.

Simon's paid dating service is becoming profitable until Cecilia rats him out to Eric. When Mary threatens to leave home over her relationship with Jack Smith, who is twice her age, Eric confronts Jack who lets the news slip that he and Mary are relocating to Fort Lauderdale. Lastly, Kevin sets Ruthie straight on who's the adult and who's the child in this household.

Lucy is asked by a developmentally challenged friend to convince his parents to let him join a traveling troupe of puppeteers. Meanwhile, Eric is feeling low because he is stuck at home recovering from surgery and really wants to get back to work despite doctor's restrictions, so Annie asks the kids to help make him feel needed by going to him with their problems. Ruthie takes this suggestion to heart and secretly tells Eric how he should be helping everyone with their romantic entanglements. His meddling leads to chaos for everyone involved. Lastly, Kevin learns that Ben is planning to extend his temporary stay in Glenoak.

Eric gives Annie his manuscript to read but she's not happy to learn that he's been spending his time writing smut instead of his comeback sermon for the church. Meanwhile, Simon and Cecilia discuss having sex for the first time and naively share the news with their parents---which doesn't go to well when Cecilia's father finds out. Lastly, Lucy sets out to spy on Roxanne and Chandler on their first date.

Annie is plagued with curiosity about what goes on during Eric's therapy, but panics when his doctor invites her to attend one of their sessions. Meanwhile, Lucy tries everything to get excused from jury duty, upsetting Kevin in the process when her views of the judicial system are different from his own. Also, Chandler confesses the extent of his feelings for Roxanne after she is stabbed on the job by a homeless man. Lastly, Ruthie fears that her parents may be heading for divorce court after overhearing them fight.

Kevin goes all out to create the perfect romantic setting for Valentine's Day. Lucy doesn't wanna attend because she had him agree not to propose on Valentine's Day. Eric and Annie convince Lucy to go. Kevin invites all the Camdens, his brother Ben and their mom to be there with him when he finally gets down on one knee to propose to Lucy. Meanwhile, Roxanne overhears Chandler practicing his own proposal to her but she asks him to wait so they won't steal Lucy and Kevin's thunder.

When Eric and Annie learn that Morgan and Patricia Hamilton are facing a marital crisis, they draw on their own recent problems to stop their friends from making the same mistakes. Meanwhile, juggling her studies and planning her wedding leaves Lucy stressed, but when she confides to Kevin that she might quit school, he threatens to call off the wedding.

Also, Simon and Cecilia go to a G-rated film to try to avoid thinking about sex and get kicked out for making out. Ruthie tries to find Ben a new girlfriend because Mary wants to get back together with Ben and Ruthie doesn't want Ben to get hurt. Lastly, Roxanne decides to resign from the police department when she feels that her father was kicked out of the police department unfairly.

After Ruthie's boyfriend Peter grows more suspicious of his mother's new fiancé, Reverend Camden steps in to counsel the threesome and get to the root of their problems. Meanwhile, Chandler provides pre-marital counseling to a couple who don't seem destined for the altar; Cecilia confides to Simon the reason she doesn't want her parents to renew their wedding vows; and Roxanne tries to convince Chandler to return home to see his dying father.

In the eighth season premiere, the Camden's spend the last week of summer at a beach house. At the beginning of the summer, Simon killed Paul Smith in an automobile accident. Simon is having a hard time dealing with the fact that he killed him and everyone tries to help him. Eric and Annie try to push Simon to go back to school which begins in a week. Eric would like Paul's parents (guest-stars Katie Mitchell and Mark Moses) to accept the insurance companies offer to the money. Paul's brother vandalizes the church by adding graffti to the sign saying "Thou Shalt Not Kill." Simon runs away to New York to get away from the troubles he is having in Glenoak.

Also, Lucy and Kevin discuss possibly having a child. Peter is spending a lot of time around Ruthie and the Camden family. Ruthie finds out about Mary and Carlos being married.

Mary makes a surprise visit home to deliver unexpected news to Eric and Annie. Meanwhile, Simon tells Cecilia that he needs space. Also, Lucy and Kevin adjust to married life. Chandler breaks up with Roxanne after learning that she isn't comfortable with the idea of being a preacher's wife, while Roxanne seeks Kevin's advice on dealing with a dispirited Chandler. Also, the Camdens finally learn who's pregnant. Lastly, Eric ponders Simon's academic future and Annie prepares for a potentially tense dinner engagement.

Eric is brought in by the school board to help investigate the local high school Principal, when more than one concerned parent questions her behavior. When a female student disappears, all fingers point at Ms. Jones, but Eric believes strongly that the student's father may be the real culprit. Elsewhere, rumors about Martin upset Cecilia, who then regrets talking to Ruthie about her feelings.

Eric feels he must intervene when Martin, who recently moved in with the Camdens, is recruited by a professional baseball team, the Miami Gators and considers dropping out of school. Meanwhile, Ruthie enlists Lucy's help to convince their mom that she should be allowed to attend a couples party with Peter. Finally, Chandler's mother pays him an unwelcome visit when he is named executor of his father's estate. A rift happens between Lucy and Annie where an angered Lucy considers moving. Lastly, Cecilia teaches Sam and David on how to ride a bike.

Annie's half-sister Lily shows up on her doorstep to discuss an important family matter after Annie refused to contact her. Eric tries to figure out why Annie won't contact Lily. Meanwhile, Cecilia sets Martin's friend Mac up with a girl from school, but he doesn't want to go out with her because of something embarrassing that happened ten years ago; Ruthie and Peter put a bad spin on a school project that lands them in trouble when they create a newspaper featuring false and derogatory stories about two former US presidents. Lastly, Roxanne turns to Chandler when she finds herself faced with a moral dilemma as she is keeping a secret from Kevin regarding Detective Michaels.

Prospective homeowners Lucy and Kevin are ready for a fight to the finish when they learn that Chandler and his soon-to-be-adopted son Jeffrey are their rivals in a bidding war on a house. However, the conflict sparks an idea with Eric and Annie who decide to use their savings to buy their house from the church. Meanwhile, Ruthie is upset with Martin because she thinks he will get the garage apartment instead of her when Lucy and Kevin move out, and Peter suspects that his dad might be having an affair.

It's Camden chaos all around when Matt, who is having problems in his marriage to Sarah, returns to Glenoak for a visit and runs into his ex-girlfriend Heather on his flight to Glenoak. Simon unexpectedly announces he's coming home for the summer.

Also, Lucy sets out to discover why Roxanne is suddenly too busy to hang out with her as she's convinced that Roxanne is secretly trying to become a detective behind Kevin's back. Ruthie keeps a secret about a fellow student from her parents. Lastly, Martin learns that his baseball teammates think he's having sex with Cecilia.

The Camden chaos continues with Matt, who is trying to salvage his marriage, questioning whether he still has feelings for his ex-girlfriend Heather; Simon's return to Glenoak creates conflicted feelings for his ex-girlfriend Cecilia, who is torn between her feelings for Simon and her current boyfriend Martin; Ruthie's foreign exchange student friend Maria, appears to be making the moves on Ruthie's boyfriend Peter; and grandparents-to-be Eric and Annie hop a plane for New York, despite Mary's repeated pleas for her family to stay away.

In last season's finale, Simon returned home from college and realized he still had feelings for Cecilia; Matt's marriage was tested when old feelings for his ex-girlfriend (guest-star Andrea Ferrell) resurfaced; and Eric and Annie became grandparents when Mary gave birth to her first child.

In the ninth season premiere, Simon appears to be getting extremely close to his new girlfriend, Georgia (guest-star Rheagan Wallace), causing Eric and Annie to suspect they are having sex. Meanwhile, Kevin worries that mother-to-be Lucy may be in denial about her pregnancy when she refuses to go shopping for maternity clothes. Also, Matt returns home for a visit and is instantly pulled into the family drama. Lastly, Ruthie and the twins find themselves in a heap of trouble on their first day of high school and kindergarten, respectively.

Although she is worried about the lesson plan for the class she is teaching on abstinence, Lucy is excited when Eric tells her she is now the Associate Pastor and will soon give her first sermon. Meanwhile, during Simon's visits with Dr. Gibson (guest-star David Piel), he confesses that he has been using his relationship with Georgia (guest-star Rheagan Wallace) to block out the guilt he still feels about the fatal traffic accident. Lastly, Ruthie falls for a guy she meets in detention, Harry (guest-star Aaron Carter), a foster kid currently living in a county facility, despite Martin's reservations.

As election day approcahes, Ruthie is on a mission to develop her own opinions about politics after seeing how much Martin knows about world politics. Meanwhile, both Eric and Annie are suspicious that the other did not vote in the last election. Also, Lucy is feeling the pressure of registering to vote and is surprised to learn that Kevin hasn't changed his address and therefore isn't registered either.

Eric is having a hard time teaching the twins that politics are not stupid. Lastly, the family gets a nice call from Carlos and baby Charles.

Kevin learns that Simon has been kicked out of his dorm for allowing a school friend, Christina (guest-star Lauren Storm), to stay with him. When Eric comes to the rescue, he learns that Christina is a product of social services and has three younger siblings separated from each other and all in need of homes. Eric realizes that their situation may be more than he can handle alone, and with the help of Annie, encourages the congregation to make a difference by becoming licensed foster parents.

When a pregnant Lucy is put on bed rest following her recent hospital scare, an exhausted Camden family, especially her husband, Kevin suffers the consequences of Lucy's foul mood towards everyone. Lucy is also not able to go to her graduation ceremony and is having a hard time getting her paper done. Meanwhile, Ruthie's discovery of a disheartening e-mail on Martin's computer may explain his uncharacteristically bad behavior at home and school.

Martin is having a rough time on the baseball team lately with his foul mood toward his coach and teammates, including Mac (guest-star Kyle Searles). Lastly, guest-starring singing legend Wayne Newton shows up on the Camden's doorstep with a message for Martin from his father, who is serving in Iraq.

Ruthie is on cloud nine when an emotional Eric and Annie reluctantly agree to let her go on her first official date. However, Ruthie isn't surprised to find the family handling her big news with their usual crazy Camden ways: Annie and Lucy decide it's their job to help Ruthie prepare for her date with Vincent (guest star Thomas Dekker); Kevin takes it upon himself to give Ruthie ""the talk""; Sam and David change into their Sunday best so they can go on the date as well; an overprotective Martin and Mac (guest star Kyle Searles) decide to spy on Ruthie and Vincent's date; and Matt volunteers to play chaperone, but finds himself in a web of lies to protect Ruthie's feelings.

Although he practices safe sex, Simon panics when his girlfriend of the moment, Sandra (guest-star Olivia Allen), confesses to him that she has an STD. Meanwhile, Martin and Mac (guest-star Kyle Searles) catch Ruthie's boyfriend, Vincent (guest-star Thomas Dekker), on a date with another girl. Also, Matt, Lucy, Kevin and Ruthie have second thoughts about telling Eric and Annie that Mary (Jessica Biel, who does not appear in the episode) is pregnant again, but also to hide the fact that she has deserted her husband Carlos and her baby son Charles. Lastly, Annie decides to go to New York to pay Mary a visit.

After being taunted for wearing second-hand clothes at ""Second Hand Rose"" by Vincent's (guest-star Thomas Dekker) new girlfriend, Margot (guest-star Ashley Benson), a distraught Ruthie runs into the bathroom and finds Martin's girlfriend, Zoe (guest-star Katie Cassidy), recovering from a fainting spell as two girls try to help her. Zoe confides that her family doesn't have enough money for food and makes Ruthie promise not to tell anyone.

However, when Martin breaks up with Zoe because he doesn't like her conceited attitude, Zoe thinks Ruthie has betrayed her confidence. Meanwhile, Kevin unsuccessfully tries to create some alone time with Lucy, but is frustrated with Lucy's obsession over Savannah. Also, Eric and Annie suspect that Sam and David are feigning being sick so they can stay up late and eat sweets. Lastly, Sam is jealous of the attention being given to an ill David.

After discovering that Mary (Jessica Biel, who does not appear in the episode) has filed for divorce and signed away custody of her son, Matt is at a loss for how he should to break the awful news to Eric and Annie. Simon informs his new girlfriend, Rose (guest-star Sarah Thompson), that he won't have sex with her, but avoids telling her the reason behind his decision. She gets fed up with him but comes back to him when she finds out his true intentions for them---marriage. Meanwhile, Ruthie's boyfriend, Vincent (guest-star Thomas Dekker), asks Martin to get Ruthie to break up with him.

Also, Eric gets involved once again with the Davis family children when little boy Danny (guest-star Drake Johnston) is being adopted by Cecilia's parents, George and Gwen (guest-star Brad Maule and Holly Fulger), but forgets to mention that the kid is part of a package deal as Danny has three sisters in Social Services as well, and try to take them in as well. Kevin is about fed up with Lucy as he's fr

When Simon and his new girlfriend Rose (guest-star Sarah Thompson), make an unexpected visit to Glenoak to meet their respective parents, Annie begins to suspect their relationship might be on a fast track. She let's them know they are not allowed to sleep in the same room together in the house as they spend the night. Rose puts up a fight with both Annie and Simon over the sleeping arrangements, but eventually take will. Meanwhile, Eric hides the news of Mary's (Jessica Biel, who does not appear in the episode) divorce, worried that it will most certainly break Annie's heart.

Also, Martin becomes the third wheel again in Ruthie and Vincent's relationship as Ruthie thinks Martin is jealous of their relationship despite the fact that Vincent wants Martin to convince Ruthie to dump him. The adoption process for George (guest-star Brad Maule) and his wife over the Davis children becomes more complicated when their biological mother fights for the adoption process to not happen. Lastly, Ma

When Simon and Rose (Sarah Thompson) decide to make some changes to their relationship, Eric and Annie happily assume that the two are breaking up. A pregnant Sandy decides to move into Rose’s old apartment as she no longer wants to stay in the college do

After Eric and Annie discover that Simon and Rose (Sarah Thompson) are living together, they demand that she move out. When Simon doesn’t object as strongly as Rose would like him too, she questions his feelings for her. Meawhile, Lucy is counseling a gir

When Sandy's (Haylie Duff) father (guest star Michael McDonald) approaches Eric and Lucy with plans of helping his daughter, they are suspicious of the large sum of money he leaves with them. Meanwhile, Martin decides it's time to confront his father (gue

Racism comes to light at the high school when Alex, a new African-American student, wants to give a report on Dr. Martin Luther King, but his teacher argues that they have already covered that topic in class. When Martin inadvertently supports Alex's case, he falls victim to a hate crime. His car is defaced with racial slurs, and he refuses to wash it off until the culprit is caught. Meanwhile, for her own report, Ruthie attempts to recycle an essay that she wrote three years ago.

Annie and Ruthie spend the day together to unwind, while Lucy's world becomes complicated by both professional and personal news, and Eric unintentionally shakes up things between Rose and Simon.

The men have secrets they're trying to hide from the women in their lives: Kevin and Eric keep their wedding-ring troubles to themselves, and Simon leaves Rose in the dark about his schoolwork problem but all three guys come to realize the gals are not as clueless as they'd hoped. Brenda Camden and Nixon return to town with their one-year-old son Oliver, as the couple try to keep their news a secret but can't seem to that they are expecting their second child together, giving more happiness within the family. Eliza Jones returns to town finding out she's going to be a great-grandmother again bringing happiness to her. Brenda and Nixon take Oliver and return to New York after business gets in the way of family time together. Eliza heads back to Texas to celebrate the news there with her family.

Strenuous events impact all the Camdens as Kevin and Lucy cope with an unexpected tragedy in their young lives. Matters worsen when Lucy convinces her father to let her deliver next Sunday's sermon while she is still in an emotionally unstable condition. Martin frustrates Sandy by suggesting that they get married and build a family for their infant son, then becomes angry when he realizes why Sandy is really holding back. Ruthie is studying in Scotland for the time being, and Annie can't shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong with Eric.

Eric continues to manage the household in Annie's absence. He begins home-schooling the twins and finds even more stress added to his life when their third grade teacher shows up at the house, eager to start a relationship with him. Meanwhile, Kevin and Lucy start noticing Eric's strange behavior, but their attempts to uncover the truth only make matters worse.

Ruthie is nervous when she finds out that Eric and Annie are heading to Scotland. She reveals a very unattractive side of herself when she openly admits that she's not about to sacrifice her own freedom and happiness to come home and be with her sick father. Kevin has a difficult time helping Lucy come to grips with Eric's illness; Sandy accepts Martin's marriage proposal just to get rid of her clingy boyfriend; and Kevin finds out a secret about Jane.

Ruthie is informed of her father's health prognosis when her parents show up in Scotland, but she shocks them by reacting with very little sympathy or understanding. Sandy calls off her marriage plans with Martin after his best friend questions why they are in such a rush. Back at home, Lucy steps up as a much-needed source of stability for her younger siblings, as well as T-Bone, who needs help making a dramatic decision.

Eric and Lucy tell everyone that they're going out of town on "offical church business," which isn't exactly true, while Annie and Kevin seek the truth about their spouses' little white lies. Meanwhile, Sandy takes over Lucy's teen class for the day, and Ruthie will do anything to prove that she is not a little girl anymore.

Ruthie tries to hide her tattoo from her parents, not realizing that they already know something's up with her. Lucy knows about the tattoo, but she has a very specific reason for keeping it to herself. As it turns out, most of the Camdens have dirty little secrets that they'd rather not reveal...

With plans for another child, Lucy tells Kevin that it might not be a good idea to move so far away from the rest of the family. T-Bone confides to Eric that he's having second thoughts about breaking up with Ruthie, who is spending all of her free time lately with her former crush, Martin. Sandy's boyfriend surprises her with a marriage proposal, and T-Bone's estranged father shows up on the Camdens' doorstep.