Grass

Ok so I posted a couple of days ago, how I don't like mowing grass, it has taken me more or less a better part of two days including a tractor break down just to mow the font yard, and rake up all the grass because I haven't mowed in about a month. Here is my front yard. I am looking for ideas on what I could do with it besides mow. All the maple tree roots are exposed so its very bumpy also. I was thinking about planting understory trees like dogwoods and redbuds, then fill in with shrubs and bulbs. Turn it into a woodland lot. Any ideas?