The backyard "dream"

Alright, so the first thing that you will notice in my yard is that I have kids lol, there's dirt being dug in and toys all over (I cleaned up most of them prior to this picture being taken), and this picture doesn't show the other half of my yard, but since i'm on a corner lot I have a very wide yard. Basically what the plan is, I am going to remove all the stones and rebuild the wall, which will be pushed back about 2-4ft.

So in this picture you'll see the stones. What don't I like about the stones? 1. I think it looks messy. 2. You can't put a lawnchair or any chair on it without it being wobbly. 3.Weeds are growing up and through the stones. 4. Carter (and probably all my babies) finds all the tiny rocks and things - fingers to mouth. 5. My kids can't play on it - its awkward and uncomfortable to sit on, ride on or play on.

Okay, so looking at this picture you'll probably better envision my dream. Where the wall is will be extended out more into the yard in almost like an oval shape from the tree in the far left of the pic to the start of the wall at the front left. On that oval shape will deck rail or fence of sorts (i'd love to the glass railing if I can afford it). Then we will lay down DECK instead of stone. That will cover basically everything you see in the picture (except the cement patio of course)

So as far as the wall goes, being we have the material, we will rebuild the wall in its new location with the same stone, just farther out into the yard. So in the end there will be a wall, a flower bed approx 1.5-2ft wide, then the railing, then the deck.

The only thing I didn't mention is that along the fence by that same mentioned tree (which I like and will stay where it is) I will leave a dirt area for the kids to dig around in in the shape of L in and around the tree.

So the plan is for this year: 1. Pull out all the rocks and take down the wall. 2. Mark where the wall will go and start leveling out the dirt (hoping with what we'll have to dig down in order to the lay the deck will almost fill the 'holes' and we won't have to buy much dirt). 3. Rebuild wall and fill in/level ground.

Depending how much the deck costs will determine if we get it in this year or not. I would hope so but cost is everything! I spoke to a landscaper and he basically told me if we do the work ourselves theres no reason we couldn't lay a deck for around that $1000 mark. I will go and speak to Home Depot and see what they say as far as supplies go.

PS. Leftover stone will be used to build a firepit in the far corner of the yard (not shown in any of the picture), and possibly the ground for a fort for the boys in the other corner (not visable in pictures above either).