Suggestions???

Okay, so for the past 3 weekends, Kent and I have been attempting to make some homemade ice cream. We started the day that football kicked off. Kent decided that we needed to make some. Well, we got an ice cream maker when we got married as a gift. It's one of the counter top kind that the bowl has to be frozen at least 6 hours before you start. We didn't have this much time. Kent had a cheapo model he bought at WalMart for like $20. However, the motor and the bowl were in the garage, and the rest of the parts...who knows. Ice cream maker heaven!?! We went to WalMart to get the stuff and hopefully an ice cream maker. Guess what? Apparently in Sept. no one has the cheapo ice cream maker. WalMart, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, the only one that was in stock was the wooden old fashioned one which costs a whoppin' $60. Kent is adament about making some homemade ice cream so we purchase one. I think this is going to be the best ice cream that the world has ever tasted. I mean, made in a wooden maker that costs $60. Seriously!!! Well, our first attempt was okay. We ate it, feeling as though we should try to improve the recipe. The maker never actually stopped churning after 2 hours, but it tasted like a milk shake. Second attempt-inedible!!! This is also the time that I poured the salty water in our flower bed. (The night Gus had a hay day in the neighborhood.) Third attempt-I used our countertop maker. I was prepared. I left the bowl in the freezer overnight and used a recipe from the booklet that came with it. I got it churning and we ate our dinner. I didn't think about the fact that this maker does not shut off by itself. By the time I checked it, it was whipped cream. Don't get me wrong, I like whipped cream. But I wanted ice cream!!!! It got thrown out too. Fourth attempt this weekend. A lady at WalMart and a friend I work with shared the recipe for ice cream just like a Wendy's Frosty. Three ingredients-fool proof-so I thought. It churned for 2.5 hours. I finally just take it out-LIQUID!!!! Poured it right down the sink, along with the salty water. No flower beds this time. :) Therefore, I took myself right to WalMart and bought some Eddy's Slow Churned Mint Chocolate Chip and Kent some Starbuck's Mud Pie. Apparently it is not meant for us to make any homemade ice cream in our $$$$$ maker. If anyone wants a new "old fashioned" ice cream maker. I think that I will retire mine. And I might even cut you a deal. Only used 3 times. :)