Back Yard To Do.

Well, of course, because I was so excited about hiring out for the back patio... we decided to DIY it.The architectural world is still a little slow around here, and Marc got spooked about getting laid off. The patio would have ate up a good chunk of our savings cushion, so we decided to DIY it. 
(Not only that, but I wanted the whole thing done in 3 weeks, and wouldn't you know, it has been about 6 weeks and we still didn't have a start date from the contractor. Dude. We suck at hiring out. It is totally (almost) all our fault too. We are wishy-washy. We are not firm. We are so hard on ourselves, but get all school-girl around contractors. Weird.)
Anyway, I went a little crazy and did a huge list of all the stuff we have to do. Here goes:

1. Tear up patio area. (Done!)
2. "Reclaim" stone/concrete pieces to reuse. (Done!)
3. Relocate plants. (Done!)
4. Install gutters (Marc is on it this weekend.)
5. Bust up concrete "troughs".
6. "Reclaim" patio flooring flagstones from garden. (3/4 way done.)
7. Mark fence posts.
8. Get samples and select pea gravel. (Done!)
9. Rent equipment.
10. Move dirt.
11. Dig post holes.
12. Trench for pipe and footing at new site wall and house.
13. Pour footing.
14. Install metal edging.
15. Install site wall reclaimed stone/concrete pieces.
16. Place road bond gravel.
17. Compact gravel.
18. Lay reclaimed flooring flagstones.
19. Install pea gravel.
20. Install trench drains.
21. Install fence posts and fence.

Phew!
Here is Item 1 completed:Before
After

Before
 After
BeforeIt was pretty damn overgrown with invasive plants. (Mint, fennel, etc.) In the right of the photo is the concrete "trough" I still have to bust up.
Here are Items 2 & 3 completed:On the palettes are the reclaimed stones & concrete and in the old sinks I temporarily transplanted two of the large shrubs. Most of the other plants were transplanted to the front yard.

Here is Item 8 completed:We are going with the gravel on the top. I like the color of the one on the right, but the pieces are sharp, not rounded.
These samples are sitting on the large flagstone pavers that I reclaimed from the yard.
They are terrific! and FREE!
I showed a plan for the backyard here. That is still the general idea, but because we are DIY'ing, we are going to make lots of decision on the fly. Also, we aren't going to buy the 12"x12" concrete pavers (huge $ savings!), instead we are going to do a pea gravel patio and use the flagstones that we are reclaiming from other parts of the yard.
 Items 4-7 to be done this weekend and week and then 9-13 the next weekend??Wish us luck!