Lowering terrain in back yard

[Ross/Kzoo]

I seem to be doing something wrong because I can't seem to be able to lower the elevation in the rear yard. Actually the lot is about 3' below road elevation and I'll need fill for the front yard. I would like to have a daylight basement with windows in the finished rooms and a stairway to the outside with a normal exterior door to an outside landing, 6' x 6', and garden stairs leading up to the backyard elevation. I hope that I've explained this correctly.