Add New Tables To Replication

Using SQL Server 2000 with sp4, I have setup a merge replication with a snapshot, currently if we do a schema change we have to:

-break replication,
-stop the subscription,
-make our modifications to the publisher,
-then create a backup of the database,
-push the backup to all of the subscribers,
-restore the database to the subscriber,
-reinitialize the subscription and push the subscription to the subscribers without pushing the contents of the initial snapshot

the reason why we do it this way is that the various servers are located hundreds of miles apart from the publisher and even with broadband connections, re-initializing the subscription always fails.

this is incredibly cumbersome and time consuming and i know there must be a better way to do this.

i need to add two tables to an existing database that is currently being replicated via merge replication, is there an easier way to make the schema changes and have them replicate to all the subscribers?