OK I decided I am going to try to revive the lawn this year. It has been a very dry summer and the lawn looks like a desert. Here is my idea. I feel I can water the lawn between rains which are few but being it is basically new grass I do not have to water deeply to get it started. Winter will take over and then the grass will go dormant till the spring but it will have a quick start from the fall seeding.

OK. I am raking the thatch and dry grass out of the lawn and almost done. Lots of bare spots. Here is what I want to do. I want to core aerate the lawn figuring this will give me the best chance to bring the lawn back. Here is what I have. Seed, top soil, and aerator.

I figured I would seed entire lawn and then cover all bare spots with top soil. Then I will aerate the lawn and then lightly top seed again hoping the seed finds the holes and the cores will break down over time. My question is would this be the way to do this or should I aerate the lawn and then seed and then add top soil??? I am afraid this will cancel the aerating because now I will fill the holes with top soil. Hope this makes sense.

Looking for suggestions. Thanks.