Backyard beginnings...

After 3 years of living here in our home, I am finally getting a useable backyard! Each and everyday, I would look out into the "jungle" - there were SO many trees and a slope that made only a very small portion of our property useable. I really hated it! To have so much space there but not being able to make use of any of it is beyond frustrating!

So, finally (!) we're doing something about it. We're going to tier the yard! The first tier will be even with our house and will start directly outside our back doors going back about 15 feet. We're planning on pouring concrete so we can have a patio-type area for BBQ's, bike riding, basketball, eating outside, etc. Then, the 2nd tier will be leveled for a grassy area for playground equipment and a trampoline (I hope!). That 2nd tier may be about 10-15 feet wide. It will be a backyard large enough for the kids to go outside and play - they can have hours of fun and scream to their hearts content without giving me anxiety and a headache.

This is our original backyard:

(Yes, that is lychee on the tree - our ONLY big crop. However, the tree guys ate it all...sorry folks!)

Then, after the 8/21/09 tree cutting:

This is taken from the same angle - before and after:

On 8/25/09, the wall work began:

I'm super happy and it shouldn't take too long - they said less than a month. Oh JOY! I'll keep you posted!