Great resource for learning

I have just rediscovered a community resource - the University of Illinois Extension.  I have seen its signs on some of the roads our family has drove on but have never really known what it offers. I have been thinking about either starting homeschooling my children or get Montessori certified and start the training this year and have been looking for resources around the community that will help with either goal I will decide upon (I know I have to decide soon as Montessori training starts this summer) and I saw on a page in our local newspaper about a natural resources educator and I said to myself - she's going to be a good resource person for science/nature topics :).  I searched her name on the internet and found out that she is a staff member of the University of Illinois Extension office in our county and read more about what their office is for and what they offer in terms of programs for the community they are in. I learned that their "programs aim to making life better, healthier, safer and more profitable for individuals and their communities". You can learn more about home & families, 4-H & youth, natural resources & environment, nutrition & health, and many more. In the home & families section, you can find topics such as stain solutions, dealing with clutter, getting through tough financial times, schools online (I am excited about this because it has games that teach children to think for themselves as well as learn something new, like in The Great Plant Escape, or learn life skills such as how to get along with others), dealing with toddlers (this one I am also happy to learn about as I have one I am having a difficult time understanding sometimes), etc. For those living in urban areas, the urban programs in urban Illinois link is here.

Update on Sending Coupons to Overseas Military Families

There is an update on the Overseas Coupon Program website that says that as of March 19, 2011, everything is now self-service and that coupons should be sent directly to the bases that you adopt. This page tells you how to send the coupons directly. The site suggests that the coupons sent be not older than 2 months expired as of the date of shipment.

I noticed that all the bases in Japan wants to be adopted (I think this is another way of helping out in Japan). If you adopt a base, please make sure that you are able to send in coupons every month as they count on these coupons. I suggest you and a friend/s help each other out, adopt a base as a group and take turns sending the coupons monthly - I think that having mailing "envelopes/pouches" ready (with correct address labels, postage and filled up customs form attached) will be easier.