The Tampa Bay Buccaneers played their final game of the 2006 like they played other games this year. They made a a lot of mistakes and their offense failed to score enough points to win against a talented Seattle Seahawks team.

There is hope for the future in Tampa Bay football because the Bus just resigned Chris Simms to new contract. He knows Jon Gruden’s system better than any quarterback in the NFL. Gruden has a complex offensive system and it is imperative has has the right players to make the offense succeed.

Tampa Bay has a chance to add more pieces to the offensive puzzle with the $35 million in salary cap money they have to spend on draft picks or free agents. With Mike Alstott possibly playing his last game as Buccaneer, it is necessary to use some cap money to help Michael Pittman.

Chris Simms has signed a $10 million 2 year contract with the Buccaneers.

Last February, Simms agreed to a one-year pact with the Buccaneers shortly before he was scheduled to become a restricted free agent. Simms could have become an unrestricted free agent at the beginning of the 2007 league season, and that would have allowed him to sign with any team without the Buccaneers receiving compensation.

Instead, Simms will return and work to reclaim the starting job that he took into the 2006 season.

Source:Buccaneers.com 

More about Chris Simms and his new contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Christmas day was a very rainy day. Rough weather and tornadoes touched down throughout Florida.

Cleanup begins after 2 Florida tornadoes

Operation Safe-Not Sorry was conducted at 15 Hillsborough County public schools on December 13th-15th, 2006 during the mornings and afternoons.    Students were issued traffic citations for not having wearing seat belts.  A total of 162 traffic citations were issued.
Breakdown of  Students Receiving Traffic Citations:

• Alonso High School – 20
• Armwood High School – 11
• Bloomingdale High School – 10
• Brandon High School – 5
• Durant High School – 4
• East Bay High School – 13
• Gaither High School – 34
• King High School – 3
• Leto High School – 8
• Newsome High School – 5
• Plant City High School – 4
• Riverview High School – 19
• Sickles High School – 13
• Tampa Bay Tech – 4
• Wharton High School – 9

The Buccaneers fought hard at the end of the game. Consider that going into the third quarter the Buccaneers were losing 21-3 against the Chicago Bears. They rallied back and came on strong in the second half of the game. Buccaneer fans were on the edge of their seats as the end of the fourth quarter neared and the game was tied at 31. Fans continued to hold their breaths as the game went into overtime.

But to the regret of Buccaneer fans everywhere the Bears scored a field goal and the game was sealed. Buccaneers lost 34 to 31. I have to say that Tampa Bay Buccaneers were spirited and showed some promise. Even though the Buccaneers will not make it to the playoffs this year,I do see promise for the next season.

My husband is a Bucs fan. Christmas 2004 I bought him the Tampa Baby Buccaneers Super Bowl DVD. He has been watching it constantly. He says it brings him joy and takes him back to a night that he will never forget. Watching it also bring him hope that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will once again return to Super Bowl or at least a winning season.

Mosi Kids in Charge is a fun place for the whole family.  This is such a cliche term, “Fun for the whole family.”, But it is actually true and accurate in this case.  The exhibits are interactive and engaging.  The children can actually learn from the fun.

The is a little play area for toddlers and infants to just run round and have fun.

There is bed of nails that is fun to lie down on.  The snag is that it slightly snagged my clothes.

Bernoulli BreezeBall  is a fun ball in which you try to use the force of are blowing through tubes to try place the balls in baskets

More About Mosi Kids in Charge

Across the web there are several places to get Hanukkah coloring pages.

• Hanukkah Coloring Pages from Kaboose
• Hanukkah Coloring Pages from Lil’ Fingers
• Hanukkah Coloring Pages from First School
• Hanukkah Coloring Pages from Primary Games

December 16 is the first night of Hanukkah 2006.

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights or Festival of Rededication, is an eight day Jewish holiday that starts on the 25th day of Kislev,  which may be in December, late November, or, while very rare in occasion, early January (as was the case for the Hanukkah of 2005-2006). The festival is observed in Jewish homes by the kindling of lights on each of the festival’s eight nights, one on the first night, two on the second night and so on.

Source BigDates.com 

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has Christmas celebration happening for those that want to go enjoy it.  In true Busch Gardens style there will be singing, dancing, and Santa.   The Christmas celebration started on November 30 and is still going on.  More information.

Like to have the spirit of Christmas all around you?  Including your computer.   There are some of us that just cannot get enough of that Christmas Holiday feeling.  It seems like Christmas just creeps up on you and then the new year has come.  Well, you can celebrate this Christmas season with some free Christmas Screensavers.

Most schools in Tampa Bay had their last day of school before the Winter Holiday today.

Many parents still have to work while their children are out of school  Several parks and recreational departments, and YMCA offer day week  programs during this time.

While children are home from school they can use this time to study and read.  This does not have to be a day long thing.  Thirty minutes of ready a day can be a great to keep the mind working while away from the regular schedule of school.

Free Printable worksheets