WOW! The yards are being completely transformed. Here's some pictures to give a brief status update.

Front yard:

Back yard:

Side yard:

The sitting walls are still being built. Hopefully should be done in the next couple of days - if it doesn't rain!

After almost 3 years without a backyard in my new house, I decided to hire a landscape architech. After meeting with her to go over what i wanted, she drew up plans on redoing the front yard, and get the back and side yards done too. Even before hiring the designer, I already knew I would be ripping out the grass in the front yard, and redoing the courtyard.

Before...

Me removing grass, with Albert's help.
Step 1: Cut -

Step 2: Roll -
Step 3: Haul away (no picts, but thanks goes to Lance for helping with this and using his pickup.
After grass is gone: (That's a chalk outline of the pavers - ran out of spray paint)

Remove Front court yard boring concrete. For this, I left for Chicago and couldn't get any pictures. But, here's the crew showing up just before we left for Chicago.

I'll try to post more pictures in the next couple of days.