So, the family picnic at the lake or annual 4th of July cookout at Uncle Marvin's is over … and we hunker down through another 12 months of silence in our extended families, as hectic schedules and incompatible time zones make correspondence virtually impossible. 

But there's hope. Many families have turned to the ease of electronic newsletter programs to keep the conversation rolling throughout the year. The e-newsletter programs that are available today are extremely affordable (most are FREE!), easy to use, and customizable. 

Here's what you need to do to get started:

1. Announce your intentions. Tell your family members about your plan. You may be surprised who might step up to the plate to help with your newsletter endeavor. "Many hands make light work," as they say.

2. Begin collecting email addresses. At your next family gathering, pass around a sheet of paper asking for everyone's current contact information (might as well update your address book, while you're at it). Then start an email chain to collect email addresses from those family members with whom you may not be in direct contact.

3. Come up with a plan. Who will receive your newsletter and how often do you plan on sending it? Monthly? Quarterly? Biannually? Then decide what categories of news you'd like to include. Special announcements (births, marriages, graduations)? Family history tidbits? Family recipes? 

4. Select an e-newsletter service. There are a number of great programs available. A couple to consider: www.mailchimp.com and www.ConstantContact.com.

5. Follow the directions, and you're off and running! M newsletter program will walk you through a simple step-by-step process to getting started. And once you've selected your design and loaded your contacts, the next issues will be a snap!