Life in Pieces

As the Short family's lives unfold in four brief stories each week, they try to savor the moments that add up to what life’s all about.

After Matt walks in on Joan and John being intimate, Joan attempts to lead a group therapy session. Also, Jen hires a breast-feeding consultant couple, Matt and Colleen have the most enjoyable bad date ever, and Heather and Tim move to a new home with the help of a moving company that employs ex-cons.

When Matt invites Colleen to brunch with the family, he coaches her through the difficult task of connecting with them. Also, John, Matt and Greg try to prove their masculinity by cutting down a tree in Greg's backyard, Tim has an adverse reaction to espresso, and a sleep-deprived Greg has a run-in with the cops.

The siblings congratulate Greg after word spreads that he stood up to Joan for passive-aggressively questioning Jen’s parenting skills. Also, Chad insists on having one last meal with Colleen’s grandmother before heading off to jail, Matt and Greg discourage Tim from beating John at a round of golf and Sophia gets a peanut stuck up her nose.

Tim and Heather unintentionally make things incredibly awkward for Tyler when he brings his gorgeous new girlfriend, Clementine, to meet the family. Also, Matt and Colleen are caught canoodling at the office by their obnoxious co-worker, Will, Jen and Greg vow not to become germaphobes, and John buys Sophia a cell phone behind her parents' backs.

When Matt and Colleen catch Chad trying to kidnap her beloved pup, Princess, Chad uses the opportunity to pitch them his new business venture. Also, Jen and Greg try to be intimate for the first time since having a baby, Heather “breaks up” with her longtime hairstylist, Lynette, and Tim ruins Samantha’s birthday party.

In the second season opener, Heather and Tim ask Clementine's parents to convince Clementine and Tyler to get a marriage annulment; Matt moves in with Colleen, much to the dismay of her roommate; John takes the wrong dose of his daily pill, which leads to complications.

Greg lies to Jen about voting in the presidential election; Heather starts working with Tim at the office; Tim gives Joan a medical marijuana prescription; Matt takes Colleen to the emergency room.

When Tim accidentally shaves off a huge chunk of eyebrow before an important photoshoot, he hopes Jen and Colleen's grooming expertise can fix it. Also, when Gigi passes away, Greg makes an anonymous donation with the money she left him, but later realizes he wants to be recognized for it; John learns firsthand what Gigi's life was like at the nursing home; and Joan honors her mother's memory with unusual jewelry.

When Colleen teaches Matt her frugal ways, he gets hooked when he realizes how much saving money turns her on. Also, Tim attempts to fire Heather from her receptionist position at his office, John tries to break Sophia's fear of flying by taking her for a quick flight on a small plane, and Jen plans a quiet affair for Lark's first birthday, until the family takes over the celebration.

When Joan's creative writing teacher, Professor Sinclair Wilde, praises her work, John assumes it is because he has a crush on her. Also, Tyler and Clementine invite Matt and Colleen over for an awkward dinner party; Jen tries to hide it from Greg when Lark takes her first steps while he's away on a business trip; and Colleen, Heather and Jen take Dougie out for ladies night when she realizes she might be gay.

John's plan to encourage Samantha to skip her ballet class and take up boxing with his trainer, Troy, behind her mother Heather's back has unexpected consequences. Also, Jen tries to discreetly seek a second opinion when Tim tells her she needs tonsil surgery; Joan constantly scares Matt by hiding spiders around him; and Greg grows a wiry beard that irritates Jen.

When the entire Hughes family moves into John and Joan's home after their kitchen is destroyed, their presence creates chaos for Joan. Also, Matt and Colleen are set to receive a huge monetary settlementfrom Colleen's fall off the motel balcony on their wedding night; John tries to get Sophia back on track when she starts misbehaving; Tyler and Clementine make a surprise announcement to the family; and Jen and Greg attempt to persuade Lark to get rid of her pacifier.

When Jen invites her boss, Paul, and his wife over to dinner to impress him, she and Greg can't remember his wife's name and scramble to avoid embarrassment. Also, Tim urges Tyler to start dating; Matt ends up having a nightmare about parenting after he and Colleen discuss having children; and Joan grows increasingly stressed about Heather living with her.

When Heather finds a map to a time capsule she buried with her brothers as kids, they all set out to find it and dig it up. Also, Jen learns she has a low car service rating so she books rides across the city to charm drivers and increase her score; Joan joins her neighbor's poker game in an effort to win an unusual prize; and John finally gets hearing aids but they aren't having the effect he was hoping for.

When Heather, Clementine and Jen offer to save Joan from the stress of preparing the Thanksgiving meal, the free time leaves Joan every more frazzled. Also, Greg has a boost of self-confidence after learning he has high levels of testosterone.

When Tim and Heather go to an expensive dinner to celebrate their anniversary, they are determined to finish every bite of their pricey 20-course meal. Also, Jen and Greg try to quickly potty-train Lark before her first day of preschool; Tyler gets jealous of the attention Clementine is getting at work; and Matt and Samantha team up for a “Middle Child Day” and go to a trapeze school.

When Heather tries to become Tyler's cool best friend, things take an awkward turn. Also, Jen and Greg get their first overnight away from Lark; Matt and Colleen regret returning their wedding presents for cash when they learn what John and Joan hid inside their gift; and Tim goes overboard when keeping a watchful eye on Samantha and her boyfriend.

When the Short family arrives at their vacation resort in the Yucatan, their accommodations aren’t quite what they expected. Heather is ridiculously overprotective of Sophia during the family activities. Jen and Greg discover that Matt and Colleen have been duping everyone. John and Joan get separated from their tour group in the jungle.

When Colleen and Matt try to impress a potential birth mother, they have a hard time competing against another rich, swanky couple. Jen’s pregnancy takes a toll on Greg; Heather lets John take credit for her housekeeping while Joan recovers from knee surgery. Tim arranges for Tyler to record a demo at a friend’s studio

While Joan is bedridden recovering from surgery, she persuades Sophia to spend time with her, which she quickly regrets. Jen and Greg select a name for their new baby only to learn that Matt and Colleen chose the same one. Colleen and Matt invite the family over to get to know Morgan. Heather has a new business idea.

When Colleen and Matt learn they may not be allowed into the delivery room for the birth of the baby they are planning to adopt, they try to convince Morgan to have the baby at home. Heather is thrilled when Samantha has a falling-out with a friend who was a bad influence. Jen thinks Greg bought her a beautiful present only to discover it wasn’t for her. John encourages Tim to see a cardiologist.

After Tim has a heart attack, he becomes super clingy and annoys the entire family. Also, Greg and Jen make a pact to keep their baby's gender a secret; Sophia's new pet frog turns out to be a dangerous species; and Matt and Colleen receive news about their impending adoption.

After John befriends the janitor at Sophia’s school, Mr. Sissel, John learns that Sophia and her friends believe a childish rumor about him. Also, Heather pushes Tim and Joan to go for walks together while recovering from their health issues; Matt and Colleen try to tame Dougie’s bad habits; and Jen is desperate to not go into labor during Lark’s birthday party.