My Garden Needs a Spring Cleaning

My grass in better days and one of the
reasons it has been neglected
(the boy at around 9-months-old)

Though it's a little chilly outside this week, the warm weather we had in March got the trees and flowers into action. Little buds are appearing everywhere and my children are begging to be outdoors instead of for another video, thank goodness!
This morning I was watching over my little guy (that's him in the pic nearly two years ago) as he investigated the plants around our front porch. We looked along the side of the house that has been sadly neglected over the past couple of years. It looks wretched. An old broken pot, weeds running wild and overgrown perennials begging for a trim. This didn't matter so much when my only neighbors on that side of the house were field mice! Now, however, there is a house just a few feet away and people who are preparing to make their backyard an enjoyable place.
They've built their deck and the other day I saw them preparing to do patio paving. They even mowed their lawn and they don't actually have any grass! We, however, have plenty and it's getting a tad high. It makes me feel like I'd better get to work and do some clean up! I don't want my property to be their eye sore.
It's the same all over my front and back yard. Last year we were busy preparing to open our store and barely did more than maintain the garden, but at least we maintained it. This year, we'll have plenty of time, but no garden budget. Thankfully, my mother owns a greenhouse and the kids and I are headed this week for a visit. We'll see what goodies Grandma will give us and after a few days at home (my childhood home, that is), I'll surely be in the mood to spring clean my own yard! I just need to borrow a lawn mower.