Harder than it seems

We tried the Sno-cones and realized why our parents didn't like the contraption... it's too darn hard to put together, as Graham demonstrates here.

Here's video of the experience.

Sno-cones!

When those of us in the newsroom get the chance to bring back a pleasant part of our childhoods, we jump on it. Such was the case when we found out the makers of the Snoopy Sno-cone machines were bringing them back.

We determined that most of the younger crowd had one - Joy Scott, The Star's interactive editor, reporter Cherish Wilson and I each had one.

Allison Flynn, the assistant lifestyles editor always wanted one, but her mother never would buy it.

So we contacted the company that makes them.

After a week's waiting, our Snoopy Sno-cone machines have arrived!

I called my mother at work and hassled her about the one I had as a kid. She wouldn't let us use it. She claims today that our ice cubes were too large to go through the grinding mechanism. Lame excuse, mom. (Just kidding) I suspect that it was really because the darn thing was so messy.

In either case, we're going to break this thing out!

Oh yeah, we got a second one to give away to a lucky Star reader. So, if you're interested in winning one for yourself (or your kids), use the following requirements:

Did you have a Snoopy Sno-cone Maker as a kid? Do you want your children to experience it?
Are you willing to share what you or your children think about the reissued machine? If so, send us a card or e-mail telling us about yours as a child or about how you wanted one. We’ll give one away so you can review it.

Remember to include your name and phone number with your reason.

E-mail: starlifestyles@shelbystar.com

Mail: P.O. Box 48, Shelby, NC 28151, attn: Lifestyles Sno-cone

Freedom communications associates and their families are not eligible to win.

Memorial Day

When I left The Star Friday afternoon, I wasn't particularly looking forward to Memorial Day weekend. I anticipated a lot of family drama...

But to my pleasant surprise, I had a fabulous time.

The weekend was filled with family dinners, meeting new people and learning a lot about what it's like for soldiers in Iraq.

My cousin who just came back from Iraq brought her new fiance with her for my aunt's wedding. Mandy (my cousin) is an Air Force nurse and her fiance is also in the Air Force. They're both a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to a lot more family get-togethers with the future cousin-in-law.

The two of them put together a slidewhow of pictures they took while they were in a hospital in Balad, Iraq. Highlights of that photo show include a thermometer that read 120 degrees in the shade, a giant scorpion made out of scrap metal, patients' before and after photos and pictures of what it's like to work in a tent hospital. It's fitting that we watched the show on Memorial Day.

I also had the chance to have a few brief, but frank talks with my little sister about her future job and future husband, and got to have a little fun with my littlest sister.

We also had two births while I was home. One was a new cousin, and the other was a horse. I'm not sure which is cuter...

Overall, a good time... I wouldn't mind doing that about every weekend...

Anyone else do anything for Memorial Day they'd like to share? Post it in the comments section.