He wrinkled his nose. "He kissed you!" He stated pointing to Howie. "That's GROSS!"

"Oh you think kissing is gross do you?" She walked over and scooped him up in her arms. She kissed all over his face as he giggled.

"Stop it Sam!" He laughed. "Stop and I promise not to call you gross anymore!" Samantha set the boy back on the ground. He promptly scrunched his nose up as he wiped his face with his hands. "Yuck" he muttered.

Samantha giggled. "Howie this Brad. His brother Bryant is on the teeter-totter with Kara." She pointed across the sandy playground. "That is Justin sliding down the slide and you've met Kait and Steven." She turned to Howie. "I hope I didn't leave anyone out!"

"Even if you did Sam, I don't think I would know!" He shook his head "I was worried you would have trouble remembering the people in my family. I had no idea what I was in for meeting all of your nieces and nephews!" He gave her hand a squeeze "This is all of them right?"

"Yes. This is all of them." She laughed.

"Auntie Sam!" Kara bounded off the teeter-totter and came running toward Samantha and Howie, sending her cousin to the ground with a thud.

"Kara!" Samantha cried out. "You should have told Bryant you wanted to stop before you got off. You could have hurt him."

"He's a boy. He can take it."

Samantha rolled her eyes, trying hard not to laugh at Kara's nonchalant disregard for her cousin's safety. She picked the little girl up. "That is not the point Kara."

"I know but he did it to me a little while ago so I was just getting even with him." She hugged her aunt. "Will you PLEASE push me on the swings?"

"I promised Malia I would help her with her gymnastics." She put her lips close to the little girl's ear and whispered "If you ask him really nice, Howie might push you."

Kara looked at Howie. "Will you please push me in the swings Mr.?"

Howie and Samantha both laughed. It was obvious Kara was oblivious to who Howie was. Howie reached his arms out to her. "It would be my pleasure to push you on the swings Kara."

"Oh cool!" Kara exclaimed as she dove for Howie's arms. "I like to go REALLY high!"

"As high as the sky?" Howie asked.

Kara nodded. "OH YEAH!"

As Samantha headed off toward the tumblers she heard Howie say, "That is what my niece Kassidy tells me too. She is just about your age."

"Really?" Kara asked already enthralled by Howie.