Balloon Boy Mom Mayumi Heene Grounded, Begins Sentence for Hot-Air Hoax

FORT COLLINS, COLO. (CBS/AP) Who can forget balloon boy? (Try.)

The whole inflated saga brings a tear to our eye.

Now it's mom's turn to pay a price for the Heene family's reality-show-seeking... vomit-inducing...helium-balloon-chasing melodrama, which ended in anger and deception last fall, but luckily, nothing worse.

PICTURES: The Bizarre "Balloon Boy" Incident

This weekend, Mayumi Heene, who along with her husband Richard, told authorities that their son Falcon had flown the coop in a runaway balloon, will begin her community service sentence for her role in

the hoax. She'll spend 10 weekends working at non-profits. Tough gig.

Richard Heene - inventor, dreamer, and schemer (that's a euphemism) - completed his 90-day sentence Sunday. His punishment included jail time, work release and home detention.

PICTURES: The Bizarre "Balloon Boy" Incident

You'll recall Colorado authorities eventually determined the Heenes' protestations that their precious son had floated away in a flying saucer-shaped craft was every bit a stunt.

Richard Heene pleaded guilty to falsely influencing authorities; wife Mayumi pleaded guilty to filing a false report.

They were allowed to serve their sentences separately so they could keep on caring for their three sons.

We plead guilty to caring, too - but just a little bit.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: Did the Heenes get off easy?