Dirt in the Yard

The grass in the yard, both in the front and in the back, is very uneven.  There are spots where it almost like a hole, and other areas where there seem to be little hillocks.  It's been frustrating to me as I've worked to make the yard look good, so I decided to do something about it.  I went online to try and find out what options I've got, and found two separate videos explaining how you can level your yard with a dirt/sand mixture that you sort of rake over the sod to even it out.  It seemed straightforward enough, a project I could handle.  

So today I called Mikayla and asked if she and her little people wanted to join me for a trip to the nursery to buy dirt.  Of course they did, so off we went.  It was very exciting to watch the front-end loader fill the truck with dirt!  Upon arrival back at home, Mikayla and I began unloading dirt.  The video said to dump small piles around the yard, then disperse them with a shovel, then rake the dirt into the grass, making sure it springs back up because needs sun to grow, and if you get too much dirt and cover it all over, it will die, thus completely defeating the purpose for which you began.  I sort of forgot the step where you use a shovel to sprinkle it over the yard, so Mikayla and I were struggling for a while trying to move huge (small piles that felt huge) piles of dirt.  

The best part of the project was Cora who, after getting two or three piles of dirt on the lawn, began throwing her into the dirt.  She was all in, loving the feel of the dirt on her bare arms and legs.  It wasn't great for her cast, but she didn't seem to mind, and Mikayla said they could have it recast if the original got too filthy.  I'm not sure how it can't get filthy, but that's okay.  Brick was, in his words, "an awesome helper," and I completely concur.  He used a small shovel and helped as best he could.  After having worked on it all day long, I've realized it's going to take a while to get all the dirt evenly spread across the grass.  And I've lost my enthusiasm for having an even lawn in the backyard.  It's all a bit too much effort for me.