Because we get plenty of rain in the PNW, our grass is usually green on top and mud on the bottom. And our backyard had a lot of mud! Mud that was eventually turning in to moss and mud. Add the 'neighbor from hell' who leaves his sprinklers on for far too long, and there is so much mud that you can't walk in the back yard and the fence is rotting away.
So I wanted rock. A lot of rock and a tiny patch of grass. A lot of rock, a tiny patch of grass and bird feeders/baths.
Here is the yard, before:
Then the landscapers came in and pulled out all of the grass. (And I'll admit that it was a little hard to see it go.)
Then came in the small patch of sod and plants that Jamie and I picked out.
A few of our sprinkler pipes were hit in the planting process, so we had a little delay.
But then the rock arrived and everything started to come together! I even went shopping for bird baths and feeders to add to the yard. And got my garden planted!
Before everything was finally finished:
And I'm loving it!! I even bought a new reel mower so that I can just push it around my little patch of grass. I am enjoying all of the birds that have returned to my yard, as well as the squirrels. Even though I've already gone through 20lbs of birdseed.... 
