Sometimes things just don't work out the way we plan.  We have some idea in our head and that somehow it doesn't quite work out the way we had visualized.  The other day I decided that we would have a PE day on the ski hill.  I thought strike while the iron is hot.  We had a virtually empty day on Thursday.  John had to work but we've taken field trips before without him so why not go skiing/snowboarding.  We arrived on the hill around 10.  Signed up for lessons, bought lift tickets, checked out rental gear, suited up, let Skagit run around.  Found out the bindings John bought for Isaac's board are too small for the boots.  The ski rental guy, who was wonderful, tried to make them work.  He also showed me how Isaac's boots work.  The hero of the hour.  The bindings wouldn't work so we rented bindings and bought new base plates for his old bindings.  We had everything switched out just in time for lessons to start at 11:30.  I am so thankful that we had 1 1/2 hours to get everything done.  Isaac and Job had a guy named Dain and he was young.  I can say that because I'm sure that I'm old enough to be his mother.  Away they went onto the chair lift.  Lona met up with two other kids and her instructor from last time.  She loves him, and away they went on the chair lift. I met my instructor and he was great.  the first thing he said that I didn't look old enough to be 37.  Some people have issues with their age but I love my age.  I don't mind who knows.  So a little flattery goes a long ways.  He analysed my abilities on the tow rope and away we went on the chair.  I learned a lot.  It was a great refresher course.  Skiing is a little different since I first learned and I'm learning all over again.  Bob knew everyone on the hill.  He has been a ski instructor director for two different ski areas and has been instructing forever, or so it seemed.  We made about 4 or 5 runs.  I was able to view Lona in her class and Job and Isaac in their class.  Bob told me that in the beginning it takes snowboarders longer to get the hang of boarding but once they get it they can be on harder hills faster than skiers.  Lona was doing great, she just needs to practice keeping her arms up and shins kissing the tongue of her boots.  Me too.  I saw the boys being able to complete turns and link turn after turn.  Bob took me down the half pipe and showed me how to ski it so that I could go with the kids.  We all met after 1 1/2 hours down at the lodge, stored our skis/ boards and had lunch.  Still everything was fine.  We let Skagit run and play in the heavy falling snow, gave him a drink and back up on the slopes.  (Note to self:  leave Skagit with someone at home, go inside the lodge for lunch, and buy handwarmers for Job, make Job wear mittens not gloves).  They slowed the chair lift down for us (mostly me I think - the kids did great getting on) and up we went.  I messed the boys up getting off the chair and they crashed up we had time to get organized.  It was so windy at the top you could barely see.  Around we went.  Lona could just cruise so fast, but always in control.  Job and Isaac were heel sliding and toe sliding and doing great.  Then they wanted to ski the half pipe.  So in we went.  My rule was that we all had to stay together.  Things were going great guns until the bottom of the half pipe and Isaac fell backwards.  He started shouting "I can't get up".  I had heard this the day before when he went down in the house trying to take a corner too fast. I told him he could and made him stand up.  Job was cold, Isaac was crying, and Lona was ready to go again.  I had Lona and Job go to the lodge and wait for us thinking that they could warm up and Isaac and would come down, collect them and take another run.  I thought that he might have jammed his arm but that by the time we got to the bottom (which we were almost there) he would be fine.  I was not going to call for a snowmobile for a child that might have hit his funny bone and was just being a wimp.  I made him snowboard to the lodge, take off his board and we went inside to find Job and Lona (it took us about 15-20 minutes when it should have taken us 5).  I couldn't find them.  Great, I have a child that hurt his arm and I can't find my two youngest.  Back outside I look around for their skis and board.  Don't see them.  I went down to the rental shop and Lona and Job had turned in their gear, Job was behind the counter whimpering having his hands warmed up by the rental guys.  They have some equipment that is heated metal made for warming gloves, boots and hats.  He was warming his hands up and Lona was just chatting away to the guys there.  I took another look at Isaac's face and decided that we needed to see the first aid station.  I grab Isaac and take him over to the first aid station, came back to pick up Job and Lona.  I heard the guys say welcome to the rental shop, part-time child care.  I was glad that Job and Lona had the presents of mind to go some place that they were comfortable with the people instead of just being by themselves.  We then all head over to the first aid and Isaac has the nurse Melanie take a look at his wrist.  Sure enough it was swollen.  She pushed on it in a couple of places, made up a splint of cardboard, ducttape, and paper towels.  Job and Lona head to the car, I turn in my equipment and Isaac's bindings and away we went.  20 minutes down the mountain, I asked Isaac to check his blood sugar.  Couldn't find his coat.  I left it at the mountain.  Back up the mountain, by this time the snow had gotten deep and I wasn't sure if I was going to make it back up.  Got to the top, found his coat in the rental shop, picked up a hitch hiker (wanted someone else to help me if the van slipped off the road) and down the mountain we went.  (If I would have known I could have picked up Job's helmet and gloves from the first aid place at the same time.)  As it is, they are still in the first aid place.  Back down the mountain, drop off our rider at Maple Falls (he works in the rental shop and was there in the morning when we picked up our gear).  And finally arrived at home just in time to send our SLP our weekly email.  I dropped off Job and Lona, and headed to the walk in Care clinic.  We had a nurse who I'm sure was just out of high school (skater shoes and all) and a PA who may have been 3 years older.  They were very nice and funny.  They x-rayed Isaac's wrist.  Sure enough he fractured his left arm.  It's actually a buckle fracture and it's both bones, the ulna and the radius near his wrist.  Mark the PA gave him a temp splint, wrapped his arm up and sent us home.  Justine the nurse gave me the x-rays to take to his doctor that I need to return next week.  Oh joy.  You can clearly see where the buckle is in the x-ray.  Very amazing.  So for the next six weeks, Isaac is done with soccer, snowboarding, computer games, and piano using both hands.  He thinks that he needs to take time off from school and chores (like pooper scooping), but since he is right handed and broke his left hand I don't think that his teacher (me) is going to go for that.  He is looking for a little sympathy and he did admitt that on the slope he wanted the snowmobile to get him.  My mother talks about the time my brother complained for three days about not feeling well and she still made him go to school.  Turns out that he had strep throat.  My Mom and I are cut from the same cloth.  Make the child prove that they are truly sick/broken bones before believing them. 
As far as Isaac's wipe out the other day, he may have broken his nose.  It is still very sore and now a little swollen and a touch discolored.  Oh well.