Backyard: Before and After

Who doesn't love a good set of Before and After pics?  Three years in the making and we happen to LOVE these...

Here's the scoop:
- In 2010, we had an 80 ft dying tree cut down before it fell down on our house.  Lost a shady backyard, but don't miss the enormous palm-sized acorns that fell.
- Our neighbor built the top retaining wall and tore down overgrown bushes/trees.  YEAH!
- We gave our neighbor the picket fence from our yard and he used it to build the fence on top of his retaining wall.  Not pleased with the City of Ballwin for not making it mandatory for the "good side" of the fence to face us, but at least the fence was professionally built and is a lot of privacy for us.
- We had lower retaining wall built and Chris planted 21, yes 21 bushes and waaaaay too many wheelbarrows full of rock to complete the landscaping.
- We gained 7 feet (!) of yard and grass is growing in as planned.

We can't wait until the mud is gone and Ruby can run around on her own (we've been taking her out on a lease for 3 yrs), the girls can play, BBQs and dinner outside and just plain enjoying the backyard we've waited so long for.

 BEFORE:

AFTER: