Computer troubles and a few new layouts

It's been almost two weeks since my laptop started locking up unexpectedly- usually in the middle of my trying to work on something. It completely freezes up and has to be rebooted with a cold start. Mark has tried everything he can think of, and nothing has helped or even let us figure out what exactly the problem is. He's reformatted the HD and reinstalled the operating system from scratch twice now and it is still doing it, so we are fairly certain at this point that it is some piece of hardware slowly going out- we just don't know which one. Every test we run says that each is fine and doesn't have any problems.....

So, we broke down and ordered me a new one on Monday from Dell. I was really trying to hold out and not get Vista, but I'm getting it now. If I really really hate it or one of the programs I use all of the time won't run, then we have an unopened copy of XP that Mark has been hoarding we can 'upgrade' the machine to. Dell has all of the drivers and info you need to do that on their website, so at least it should be easy to find what we need if we decide to try it. Unfortunately, it's going to be another 2 weeks probably before I get the new laptop. So in the meantime I've taken over the computer in the family room. It has PSE3 and CS on it- not exactly the state of the art but they work. It's been interesting, and frustrating, learning my way around these versions. The newer ones do things differenly in several ways and things I'm used to that make some things eaiser just aren't available in the older ones. I'm happy to have something to work with, though not having everything set up the way I want it makes it slow going sometimes. I have managed to get a few new layouts done this week, so here they are.

journaling: I love this old rocking chair- I was a baby who liked to be rocked to sleep, and even as I grew there was nothing more comforting than a few minutes sitting and rocking back and forth. I have the rocker now and it’s definitely showing it’s age, but that doesn't matter. It provided a seat for nursing my babies and comforting and rocking them to sleep. ~Melinda, Feb 17, 2009
credits: Lullaby by Birgit Kerr at scrapbookgraphics.com; Blueprints {Bundle 2} by Tangie Baxter and Decrow Designs;
fonts: Natural Script

Yes, this really was her nickname when she was little :P She broke practically everything she touched! I used to send weekly email updates to family with the twins' latest escapades.

credits: by Kim Jensen at Scrapdish.com: Damaged Goods, Spell It! Plastic Beads, Garden Pop [Exploded]; Templates with Attitude Trios 3 by Tracy Blankenship at FunkyPlaygroundDesigns.com; Sequin Spills by Rachel Young at Scrapartist; Road Rage Alpha and beads from Deep Blue Sea by Dani Mogstad at SweetShoppeDesigns; Worn Overlays by Manuela Zimmerman at scrapbookgraphics;
fonts: CK Constitution, Horse Puke

journaling: Brenna’s grin was huge when she finally found her valentine from Karina in her bag. She was so happy to have received one from her friend.
credits: Heart Sweet Heart Collection and Heart Sweet Heart Alpha by Dianne Rigdon at Scrapartist; P52 Week 7 template by Tracy Blankenship at FunkyPlaygroundDesigns; 365 International Edition by Monica Guerra Leiria (mglScraps) at scrapbookgraphics;
fonts: CK Becky

journaling: Sarah loved playing with the playdough at church so much today, that I figured it was time to make her some to play with at home. We mixed up a new batch and got out the playdough tools and she went right to it. Brenna had fun playing too! Feb 8, 2009
credits: by Tracy Blankenship at FunkyPlaygroundDesigns.com: Templates with Attitude Trios 3, Toolbox 13- A Boy's Life, Saltdough Elements Plain; Scrapdish Designers April 2008 Collaboration Kit; Fun Dough 1 and 2 by Jill DZines; fonts: Kindergarten

I can always tell what sort of day Brenna had a kindergarten by the expression on her face when I pick her up at the end of the day.

credits: Impressions of Imagination by Scrapbookgraphics Designers at scrapbookgraphics.com; P52 Week 7 template by Tracy Blankenship at FunkyPlaygroundDesigns; 365 International Edition by Monica Guerra Leiria (mglScraps) at scrapbookgraphics; sparkle, eraser and scissors from Pack to School by Helene Douchet at scrapbookgraphics
fonts: FO Imagination (from Impressions of Imagination SBG collab)