Here are the instructions: Just let me know if you are confused.
I finally found a program that even super dummies can use...just for me. Although I don't have the programs some of the other people do,and I'm not willing to go out and get them just to make an avatar. So, all of these programs are for free..at least for a time.
I resized with irfanview
http://www.irfanview.com/ all you do is open the page on your desktop, copy the pics to your desktop and save them as a GIF file, drag and drop the shortcut of the pic to the box, click 'image' to the resize and resize them to 125, then resave them.
I downloaded
http://www.blumentals.net/egifan/download.php
for free...so easy to use. save to your computer, open it and click 'evaluate', go to 'create a new animation, close the first little box that comes up that say 'frame images', click the little film icon with a +, that will allow you to choose the photo you want, choose the resized GIF pics you want, you can also add names by clicking the little 'A'. You keep adding pics until you get 6 or so. You can test it by clicking the 'preview' tab. You want reset the times for at least 2 sec. Save it, go to the test forum and upload it, I think for an avatar you have to keep it under 64kb (or something) if it is too big it won't let you upload as an avatar.
I also got some cute images from this site
http://www.wishafriend.com/graphics/...hristmas/3.php
I also downloaded them to my desktop and resized them, and used them in the middle.
I hope this is clear (as mud)..if you get stuck just pm me. I check in pretty often
Good luck!!