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From a quick look to your sites I am not sure what you are trying to accomplish?
Looks like you want a regular main site, a forum and a blog of some sort.
Unless I am mistaken you could do all three with currently available modules and not use separate items.
If you get the latest module pack I believe you will find both a forum and publisher in that pack. The Forum module included would work well for you in place of the forum you post there and publisher would work instead of your current blogging system.
If publisher doesn't work for you then there is a wordpress module available that allows you to use wordpress as a module under xoops. Although I am unsure if it is updated for 2.5.6.
Mamba, I haven't heard of that one. I will have to check that out. I am using an add on to Visual Studio to edit with but it is supposed to require a paid registration to work fully. If you are used to using Visual Studio I have used PHP tools for Visual Studio. $79 for individual or $149 for commercial. Free version is somewhat limited but works for me.
http://www.devsense.com/