weekend project

My parents came down to Champaign this weekend to help us landscape our backyard. We had a big spot where grass just would NOT grow, so we had the great idea to put in a stone pathway, and some new landscaping. It was quite a project!! We were really blessed though, that we had them to help us, and that we could get it done so inexpensively. We got the flagstone from someone in an email group I belong to for 1/2 retail price, the river rock for free from freecycle, the mulch 1/2 price at Home Depot (4 day sale!), and then the plants and edging from Lowe's. We also found a $40 bench at Big Lots, Jason's mom gave us some solar-powered lights for Christmas, as well as a frog statue at easter, and a birdfeeder last year. Put it all together, and you get:

Before:

After:

It was exhausting, but worth it! We leveled out a good portion of the rest of the yard, and today seeded and are hoping the grass starts to grow soon!!