Look at that boring backyard! With my 30th birthday coming up this weekend, I will be hosting a BBQ with friends and family. I needed to work on my backyard so it would be more appealing to my guests! Lights, plants, seating, smoker... here we go.

Prepping the yard and the strings of lights that will be going up.

Walter sits in the foreground as he watches me pick up his poop.

In order to string up lights, I put tree stakes in half wine barrels to act as light poles.

To make the wine barrels more appealing, I put succulents and pea gravel. We are in a drought after all.

More succulents.

More succulents.

The lighting is up! All I need is to replace some bulbs and add some furniture.

The front yard/porch needed some work too. I build this porch swing and stained it to match the bench that will be in the backyard.

Another view from the front. Don't try and figure out where I live, you're not invited.

We built this picnic bench and stained it as well! Looking good.

A good place to park it.