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SONSHINE NEWS

Here's this week's Sonshine News links on the web.

Sonshine News

http://hometown.aol.com/wvhaze/page/index.htm
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SONSHINE NEWS August 14, 2000
Issue # 46
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Without music, life is a journey through a desert.

- Pat Conroy


------------========| SONSHINE CHIT CHAT |========-----------

Wow, a different look for Sonshine News. I hope you enjoy the facelift. I am trying to make this newsletter more reader friendly to those that are not on AOL mail. If you have any extra suggestions for improvements, please let me know. I am willing to try new things.

My dear friend Alice is now an official staff writer of Sonshine News for What's Cooking On The Web. She has helped out before in past issues of Sonshine News and I asked her if she wouldn't mind doing that section from now on. I have to mention that I have "known" Alice for over a year by chatting with her by instant messages and email. I have also met her and her family in person. She is a very sweet person and I am honored to call her my friend.

There is also a special guest writer for Hints and Tips. I hope that you will enjoy Rachel's back to school hints.

In case you didn't know, I am married to a wonderful man that plays in a bluegrass band. I just wanted to mention a great festival that my hubby will be playing. It is the C & O Canal Days in Williamsport, MD. His band The Stoney Creek Bluegrass Band will be playing August 26 and 27 from the hours of 1-2 and 3-4 PM. I love this festival. It's got a great craft sale that has lots of nice things really CHEAP. :-) They have a lot of neat activities going on. I have included the C & O website in case you would like more details. If you live around the area, I hope that you will be able to come and enjoy the festival.

C&O Canal
http://www.nps.gov/choh/


------------========| MY PICK OF THE WEEK |========-----------

Amy's Place in CyberSpace
http://www.geocities.com/Skunk8/index.html

Amy's site has a lot of different things for different interests. I really enjoyed her poetry and art sections. One of her paintings which was "School's Out", I had put on my puter as a wallpaper. It brightens up my puter screen. Sonshine enjoyed her Astronomy page.

In case, you want to know how to do a quick change of wallpaper on your desktop screen on your puter, just right click your mouse on a graphic and then click "Set As Wallpaper."


------------========| GOOD DEED ON THE WEB |========-----------

webreleaf.com
http://www.webreleaf.com/

Click the button to help ENN, Shaklee and American Forests' Global ReLeaf program plant trees! It's free to you. Every 10 clicks plants a tree to restore forest ecosystems that provide clean air and water for everyone as well as habitats for endangered species and wildlife.

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. -- Helen Keller

------------========| JUST FOR FUN |========-----------

Search Systems - Largest Free Public Records Database Collection
http://www.pac-info.com/
Over 1510 Free Searchable Public Record Databases. You can use this maybe to find a lost friend or loved one.
eteamz
http://www.eteamz.com/
Very cool site for sports fans. Local and national sports are here. You can even make your own sports web site here.

PublicFigure.com
http://publicfigure.com/PublicFigure/static/home.htm
Last newsbreaking stories on Public Figures.

Forum One Communications Corporation
http://www.forumone.com/index.php
Search almost 300,000 different discussion groups on the net. You are almost sure to find your interest.

The Vincent van Gogh Information Gallery
http://www.vangoghgallery.com/
Great online Gallery with all of Vincent van Gogh's works.

GOALS: Global Online Adventure Learning Site
http://www.goals.com/index.htm
This site is a wonderful adventure. Travel with the different people going around the world. This is one to enjoy with the kids because they put emphasis on science, technology and nature.

MysteryNet.com
http://www.mysterynet.com/
This is a fun site if you love solving mysteries. There are several mini mysteries to solve and get you thinking.

THE ASTOUNDING B MONSTER
http://www.bmonster.com/
Fun B movie resource site.

Can You Solve The Golden Dollar Puzzle?
http://www.usmint.gov/GoldenDollar/puzzle.cfm
Fun jigsaw puzzle.

ItsYourTurn.com
http://www.itsyourturn.com/
This is a great site if you would like to play games at your leisure. You can take your time playing one move at a time each day or you can complete it the same day. No Java on this game so WebTV can play also. You can also play different games at the same time with different people. I played with a very nice person named Robin from Canada and so many different wonderful people from around the world.

------------========| HEY BUDDY, OLD PAL |========-----------
(Send to your buddies online)

EMAIL CARDS:
FREE Love Friendship Greeting Cards
http://www.eforu.com/cards

Flutter Inn
http://www.flutterinn.com/

Action Cat Postcards
http://www.actioncat.com/

Postcards of the Native American Spirit Native Spirit
http://www.spiritscents.com/postcard.html

funnypages
http://www.spiritscents.com/postcard.html

------------========| * |========-----------

FRIENDSHIP SITES:

Send Me - Passion Thoughts
http://www.passionthoughts.com/sendme/

Friend Star
http://www.funlaugh.com/friendstar.html

Send this hug to all your friends!
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/ladylynn/guardian.html

cavedan
http://www.funnygreetings.com/cavedan.htm

I Was Bored...
http://www.funone.com/fun2/07/bored/

AlphabetLoveSong
http://www.geocities.com/SongExpressions/AlphabetLoveSong.html

WB II
http://www.funone.com/fun2/06/wb2/

The Values of a Friend
http://www.happymails.com/funpages/friend/index.html

Friends Are Keepsakes
http://asadesigns.com/treasures/friends/keepsakes.html

F R I E N D S
http://www.shockeys.com/friends/non-friends.htm


------------========| JUST FOR THE KIDDIES |========-----------

Georgina's Winnie the Pooh Page
http://members.tripod.com/~eeyore98/index.html
Very fun Winnie the Pooh site for the kiddies.

CIA Homepage for Kids
http://www.cia.gov/cia/ciakids/index.html
Lots of interesting facts about the CIA for the kiddies.

Carmen Sandiego
http://www.carmensandiego.com/
This site is a lot of fun. The kiddies will love trying to catch Carmen Sandiego.

KID EXPLORERS: Family-friendly Entertainment and Education
http://www.christiananswers.net/kids/home.html
Wonderful Christian Kids Site. Lots of neat coloring pages.

World Surfari @ supersurf.com
http://www.supersurf.com/
Each month a new country is featured for the kiddies to learn about.


------------========| HINTS AND TIPS |========-----------


A mention about my special guest spot writer Rachel Webb. Rachel wrote a wonderful great "back to school" article and I thought it would be great to put in Hints And Tips. I have one of her calendars and I just love it. It has come in handy more times then I can tell you.


Back to School Organization

Soon our homes will be filled with the sounds of "Mom, where is my homework?" As moms everywhere get geared up to battle the Back to School stress and vow once again to be more organized This year, let me offer some preventative medicine and time saving tips.

1. Mark the Stuff! Put your child's name on the back of everything...most of you probably figured this one out and already mark the backpack, books & jackets but what about their shoes? Last year my 7 year old daughter wore 4 different pairs of shoes home that were not hers and couldn't figure out why they didn't fit right! I gave up trying to figure out how that could possibly happen and just started writing her name on the bottom of the shoes!

2. Notes from Home A friend of mine who is an elementary school secretary, spends most of her morning sorting through a "ga-zillion" unmarked notes and wads of lunch money. She suggests that before the school year starts, pre-mark envelopes with your child's name and grade on it. You may want to get a rubber stamp made up or order personalized address labels. Get Free labels at http://www.FreeAddressLabels.com. You can use them for lunch money envelopes, identifying books, returning fieldtrip permission slip’s, etc.

3. Photocopy Parental Release Forms How many times are you going to fill out the emergency medical form, you know, the one required by every school. One for every child. I have 4 children x 13 years of school = 52 times! What a waste of time! This tip was shared by Anita from Ohio she pointed out that It can be very tedious looking up address and phone number of the doctor, dentist, hospital, family friend to call in an emergency, etc. Do it once, and file photocopies on hand for the next year.

4. Magnetic Fridge Calendar As the kids bring home a note about an event, transfer the information to a Fridge Calendar where everyone in the household can see planned activities and that is easy to write-on/wipe-off. Last year I wanted one that included a notes area that would match my kitchen so I made my own. You can see examples at : http://www.Note-Ables.com. Calendars should be made entirely of flexible magnetic material so it won't slide off when the kids slam the fridge door!

5. Pre-Pick Daily Clothes 90% of our school morning battles take place regarding what to wear. Laying out clothes the night before helps, but if that hasn't solved your problem try this idea from Tandy a mom of four. She bought a 5 compartment sweater hanger for the closet and helps the child choose the wardrobe for the whole week. Even socks and underwear get put in each days "cubby" Sunday Afternoon. Ok Moms, that creates your deadline for getting the laundry all caught up!

6. File System for School Papers In preparing for the multitude of papers your kids will be bringing home keep a three tired wire basket by their bedroom door, or your kitchen counter. Teach your kids basic organizational skills by having them sort through their own backpacks and put papers that need "To Be Signed" by mom in the top basket, Another basket is for "Important Stuff Mom Needs" (PTA info., fund-raisers, school policies, etc.) and a basket for "Art & Awards" to be used as scrapbooking ideas and keepers. One mom has a Rule for the top basket, if it's not in the top basket by bedtime, it doesn't get signed that night. This eliminates the last minute papers waving in moms face as you rush out the door and gives you a chance to actually READ what you are signing!

About the Author:

Rachel Webb is a WAHM (work at home mom) of 4 and designs write-on/wipe-off Magnetic Fridge Calendars. Made entirely of flexible magnetic material, her organizational calendars are guaranteed not to slide off when the kids slam the fridge door! Visit her site: http://www.Note-Ables.com or E-Mail: Rachel@Note-Ables.com


------------========| PUTER STUFF |========-----------

iKena - Share and Surf the Web Together
http://www.ikena.com/
You can surf and chat with your buddies on the same web pages. Sorta like group browsing together.

Welcome to 1Nation Online
www.1nol.com
Tammy a Sonshine News reader sent me an url for free internet service provider. She said that there are no banners or anything else to put up with. She said it was an excellent service. It's not available in my area yet, but you can check to see if it is in yours.

It's Time!
http://edienske.homepage.com/
Neat free program. It's time reminds you to take a break every so often from your puter. Use it just a reminder to stretch and take a break time to time.

Dolphin Dice 2000
http://www3.ewebcity.com/dolphin/
Fun download dice game that is very close to Yahtzee.

BrowserWatch
http://browserwatch.internet.com/
The latest information about browsers, plug-ins and ActiveX controls.

Cool Tool of the Day
http://www.cooltool.com/
Want to get the best tools for your puter? Check out Cool Tools. They have tools for Windows or Mac.

Email Stripper
http://www.printcharger.com/emailStripper.htm
Hold on guys, it's not what you think! This is the neatest thing since "sliced bread". You know all those emails you get that have been forwarded and forwarded and forwarded. This little program "strips" all those >>>>>>>>>>> from the email if the message is good enough to send on to your friends. Simple procedure of "cut
and paste". Try it..you'll love it!

Quickdot
http://www.quickdot.com/
Quickdot is a way that you can send a short message to your friends. It is sorta like a bulletin board of notes. You can have group messages set also for everyone to read.

Search Engine Showdownhttp://searchengineshowdown.com/
Guide to web searching, compares and evaluates Internet search engines from the searcher's perspective. See what search engine best suits your needs.

PBS Kids: TechKnow
http://www.pbs.org/kids/techknow/license.html
Click on Get Your Web License and see how well you do. This is one to share with the kiddies.

------------========| WHAT'S COOKING ON THE WEB |========-----------

It's that time of the year again! Canning season! It's a lot of work, but for those who work all summer on their gardens, it is very rewarding to put up all those great fruits and vegetables. The jars of summer hit the spot on those cold winter days and bring a little bit of sunshine back. Here are a few websites you can find helpful hints and recipes related to canning:

Mountain Breeze Home Canning
http://www.mountain-breeze.com/canning/index.html
I am unsure if the person who made this website is from West Virginia or not, but I did see a WV canning recipe. All of these recipes are family ones and tested.

Home Canning and Food Preserving
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/3331/index.html
This one offers many helpful tips and information concerning canning. Also, there are a few good recipe links for you to try.

Canning and Preserving the Harvest
http://members.tripod.com/~Lasaan/can.html
After you get your food canned, wouldn't you like to put a nice label on it? You can find recipes here, but also some nice labels to decorate your wares.

Sandy's Place-Home Canning Tips
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/1012/canning.html
This is a completely thorough website concerning canning and anything you wanted to know about it. A great place to go for beginners or pro's!

Homecanning.com
http://www.homecanning.com/
Chock full of recipes, products, and information...this site is a must for everyone who is up to their elbows in produce!

! Canning & Preserving Food
http://www.thevision.net/DMS/canning.htm
More canning information and recipes

Carol's CookBook-Canning
http://www.homenfamily.com/canning/index.html
Not only will this website assist you with recipes and information about canning, but it will take you from the start of gardening season to the finish. Wonderful resource!

Tomato Recipes
http://extension-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/recipes/tomatorecipes.html
Here's a place for you to go if you are overrun with tomatoes. Many great tomato canning recipes here.

Pickles, Relishes, Jellies, Jams, And Preserves
http://ext.msstate.edu/pubs/pub220.htm
Are you more into pickles, jellies, relishes, and jams? This one is for you!

Home Canning Guide
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/scripts/htmlgen.exe?MENU_HE:HOME_CANNING_GUIDE
Fruits and vegetables are not the only foods you can preserve. Try meats! This site not only has some great veggie and fruit recipes, but also some meat recipes as well.

Enjoy!
Alice


------------========| GREAT FREEBIES AND DEALS |========-----------

Please if the site ask how you heard about their site, please put a friend or just surf in. If you put down Sonshine News, you might not get them. If you have an opportunity, say "thank you" in a comment field or email message. Only order freebies that you have an interest. Don't just send for it because it is free. If there is a restriction on who can order, only order it if you qualify. Honor any requests such as "one per household." Use a free internet address service so that you will not get spam. Yahoo.com or hotmail.com is an excellent one to use just for freebies sites.

Carl Buddig
http://www.buddig.com/favorite_cookbook.html
Free cookbook with proof of purchase and mail-in form.

Bayer Everyday Science CD Order Form
http://www.everydayscience.org/cd/main.html
Free Everyday Science audio CD.

Walker's Ice Tea Order Form
http://63.64.250.5/walkerstea/free.html
Free sample of Ice Tea

Pledge for a Brighter Future
http://www.readersdigest.com/adcouncil2000/pledge.html
"Pledge for a Brighter Future" T-shirt

Free sample of Stickels refrigerator magnets!
http://www.iceboxcreations.com/html/test_drive.html
SASE for a sample pack of Stickels.

Val-Pak Coupons On-Line
http://www.valuepak.com/
Free, one-year magazine subscription to a national publication of your choice. I am receiving Reader's Digest right now from this. :-)

MVALUE
http://mvalue.com/
Surf and get paid.

Titleist Ball Stamping Survey
http://moneytour.titleist.com/ballfit/
Free CDROM for golfers

TheFreeSite.com
http://www.thefreesite.com/
Great freebie site.

Grainger.com
http://my.grainger.com/Grainger/homepage.jsp
Get a free Flashlight Tool Kit when you register and order online at Grainger.com from NOW until September 30, 2000.

FREE Essential Kitten Care Kit
http://offers.purina.com/kittenchow/kitten_care1.asp
You get a coupon for Purina Kitten Chow, Essential Kitten Care Booklet, Pet Music CD (soothing music for your kitten while you're away), and A Purina Kitten Chow magnetic photo frame.

SmartSource
http://www.smartsource.com/
National known brands coupons sent to your home.

Folgers Café Latte
http://folgers.directsite.com/folgerslatte/default.asp?
Free sample of Folgers Latte

------------========| FOR INSPIRATION |========-----------
Bible Gateway
http://bible.gospelcom.net/
The Bible Gateway is a tool for reading scripture online. Additionally, it provides advanced searching capabilities, allowing readers to find particular passages in scripture, based on keywords.

Michael's Pennies From Heaven
http://www.geocities.com/michaelsmommy2000/index.html
A wonderful touching story.

Before I Go
http://members.aol.com/mempenny14/before.html
I love the message on this one.

GodIsNeverFarAway
http://liftyourspirit.homestead.com/GodIsNeverFarAway.html
Isn't it great that God is never far away?

Call of a Prayer Warrior
http://www.grtgsfmtheheartandsoul.net/prayerwarrior.html
Wonderful poem about Prayers.

Clean Christian Fun!
http://www.angelfire.com/nv/sands/index.html
A very nice Christian homepage. Make sure to click on what is a wife.

Today
http://www.justsaywow.com/today.htm
Very sound advice on this page.

Not Too Far From Here
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/5472/not.html
Who to pray for is covered here on this lovely poem.

I Wonder
http://members.aol.com/mempenny11/iwonder.html
Something to make you think about.

Believe In Your Heart
http://dobhran.snap.com/greetings/GRinspire235.htm
Great words of wisdom here.


------------========| ONE LAST SMILE TO GO |========-----------
The Smiley Break-Out Game
http://sendafriend.com/Breakaway/

Smiles and Sunshine,
Deneen, Editor
Ronnie, Coeditor and Hubby
Alice, Wonderful Friend & Staff Writer for What's Cooking on the Web
My Sonshine Joey, Game Tester for some of Just for the Kiddies links


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