1) My Mother in law is having open heart surgery
2) It's Fat Tuesday
3) It's free mutha-lovin Pancake Day at IHOP, on National Pancake Day!*
The premise is that IHOP will serve you a stack of free pancakes in the hopes that you will donate some cash to a worthy cause.
Don't lie, this makes you drool and you know it:

I'm not a fan of breakfast restaurants, but it's been for good causes in the past, so check it out if possible.
edit* Whoops, sorry guys. For some reason the date has been moved to next Tuesday. Donations benefit the Children's Miracle Network. The pancakes are still free:
http://www.ihoppancakeday.com/