This is a tree I made today to decorate a column in my library. My hope is that I’ll be able to leave it up all year and just change the seasonal accessories (apples and pumpkins become snowflakes or flowers, etc.). The apples are all the classes, the pumpkins at the bottom are administration and specialty staff. My 4th and 5th graders helped me make the apples and pumpkins, but I can only blame myself for that tree.

I’m not thrilled with that tree. It just looks weird right now, totally out of proportion. And it’s as tall as I can make it using the stepstool I’ve got in the library. Any taller and the kids won’t be able to read the apples. I need to fix those branches at the top, but rather than making it taller I may try to cut down into the tree trunk to make them seem longer. They look short and stubby, like I didn’t get full growth points for a tree in Viva Pinata. I hope that works, but I don’t know. Adam suggested I try to cut some off the sides, too, but I don’t want to have to take that whole sucker down. It took me two hours to get all that done after school.

Here’s hoping some strategic carving of those branches will help. Right now it’s just not right.