Creative Little House: I'm BACK, here in the backyard!!

Hi guys!!! I'm back, here in the backyard! It sure has been a while and would say I'm sorry for leaving you guys hanging a few weeks, but I'm guessing you guys have felt the tug to go outside too. For me it's not a tug a war, I just let go of the rope and let nature win!! OH, it's been beautiful here! We've had one hot day of 86 but otherwise it's been perfect weather! Our backyard has been our summer project this year. We are so excited! We been busy tilling, grading, watering, wearing our rubber boots and keeping the mudroom busy!
Wanted to show you guys a little peak our of backyard project....

Here is our backyard before. Our fence was about 10 feet back from our house. Before we bought the house, we were hoping our neighbor would give us the same offer as the previous owner, and let us buy some land from him. He did, the paperwork was a nightmare, but it's ours now! And well worth it for our two active boys running below....

Scotty and the boys went on an airplane ride with my uncle Bruce and got some aerial shots of our house. You can't really see our house with all the trees, but this marks out our yard when we 1st bought it.....

Here's the outline of our yard now...... soooo much better!

1st thing we did was put up this lovely Home Depot fence.....

Then my dad came over with his kitty cat and took out the old fence poles and started grading the yard level....

There were lots of dips and holes. We graded the whole area.....

Then he tilled the whole thing with the bobcat and leveled it more. Dug up some stumps and picked up rocks. Then racked and racked the heck out of it with the riding mower.... I look like I'm prego here, the wind got my shirt! Not to say I have a six pack or anything ;)

I sound like my dad when I say the ground is so dry. Iowans are not used to dry at all. We are so spoiled with our rich soil and warm and humid air! After we seeded it, it rained really hard and got real dry again. Almost like the rain didn't phase it. We racked it up with the mower so the seed would be covered with soil.....Below in the middle of the picture you can see how dry it is.

After racking it several times it's started to look better. We are hopeful but not counting on having great grass for a while, fall is the best time to grow it!

Watering is added to the daily chore list!

I am a little sorry for not being on my blog as much, I always miss it! I feel like I'm having an outside overdose. And who doesn't need a little electronic rehab/break?!

Just look at this view! I would be crazy if I didn't go chase a rainbow now and then!!