BACKYARD dreams

CReaTING a BaCKYaRD for a FamIlY ON a BUDGeT

IN APRIL 2007, we moved to Fargo and we’ve loved our home, our incredible neighborhood and downtown living. One thing we’ve lacked at our residence is a backyard for the herd of children we have. This really never bothered us much as we frequent the well-kept Fargo parks. Admittedly though, we’ve always dreamed of having an outdoor living space of our very own. I’ve never understood why sugar plums would be dancing in anyone’s head the night before Christmas when you could be instead dreaming of fire pits, fairy gardens or tree houses.

Here we are 10 years later and the time has come to make our family’s outdoor living dreams a reality. We purchased a “new to us” house, and with it: a big ol’ backyard, and we’re calling it Sunrise Hill. Let me sell you on this thing: It has an acre of land — a full acre! I was raised on a farm in western South Dakota so a backyard has always meant all the land as far as my eyes could see. But I’m no longer a kid, and as an adult I am in awe of just an acre of land — oh, the space and the potential! My country mouse heart is rejoicing. The good news is that I’m not the only one. My four kids and husband are elated. Yes, yes a new house is all well and good, but a yard, people. A yard!

My husband is imagining putting his 14 plus years of working summers on a landscaping crew to great use. My 11-year-old girl has designated a spot where a fire pit will go for roasting marshmallows with her friends. The 10-yearold boy has deemed the entire acre as a massive Nerf war obstacle course. The 3-year-old boy wants a play set to swing and climb the hours away on. And the two year old says things like “puppy” and “meow-meow.” And me? I would be content with a large cedar pergola over a brick patio with a built-in brick pizza oven landscaped with boxwood bushes and peonies. No big deal.