Inc, sounds like you and the future Mrs. Inc ought to be looking at a townhouse instead of a house. I used to have a huge vegetable garden and tons of flower beds scattered around my acre and a quarter piece of ground. I have given up the garden and let most of the flower beds return to lawn, yet I still spend the better part of a full day each week doing yard work. I am guessing housing is more affordable in your part of your state than where I am.
My mortgage payment each month is less than what it would cost me to rent a cookie cutter two bedroom apartment here. I could actually pay someone to bring in a crew to take care of the lawn and still be ahead of renting.
You should definitely update your thread. People will be excited to see all of the progress you have made in the past 16 months!