Since you are getting a good deal of shade I would recommend tall fescue. There are some shade tolerant KBG cultivars (America, Orfeo), and you can try those if you like, but with only a couple hours of direct sun it probably won't be enough for KBG. You could also mix in about ten percent shade tolerant KBG with tall fescue if you want. Since you also have some wear issues, it would be a good idea to select a cultivar that is wear tolerant. Luckily NTEP runs trials, and the latest tall fescue trials have a shade trial, as well as a traffic stress trial ( http://www.ntep.org/data/tf06/tf06_09-9/tf06_09-9.pdf ). So probably the best way to go about picking a few varieties of tall fescue would be to first look at the best cultivars in the Northeast region (especially the NJ area). Then look and see where the top ten in that regional trial fall in the shade trial, and the traffic stress trial. After cross referencing the three trials you should come up with 3-5 cultivars that will be the best for your situation. Hopefully you will be able to select one of the newer cultivars that have some rhizome activity (Firecracker LS, Titanium LS, Syder LS, any of the SRP varieties like Rhambler, and some others). These varieties tiller very vigorously, and supposedly offer some spreading ability, but the jury is still out on that. If you choose to take the easy way out and buy your seed at Home Depot I would stick with Pennington's tall fescue mix. I have looked at what they are offering this season and Pennington's blend is by far the best of the three or four brands they carry. Now soil prep is a huge part of having a successful lawn. While tilling can lead to some uneveness, and some would argue you are upsetting the microbial and fungal balance of the soil, I think it's better to have loose soil when establishing a lawn. If it was me, I would till the top 4-6 inches, rake with either a thatch rake or landscapers rake to remove rocks, nails, large clumps, etc. and even out the soil. Then I would use a roller to compact the soil enough so that you can walk on it without leaving deep footprints. Then if possible I would lay down a nice layer of good topsoil/compost, rake it out evenly, and roll again. Now, when you plant your grass seed, don't plant more than the recommended amount, it will lead to problems, especially in a spring planting. If it says 7-10 lbs/1000 square feet, stick with 8-9 lbs./1000 sq. ft., spreading half of it in a north south direction, and the other half in an east west direction. Also tall fescue likes good soil contact, and I feel top dressing is the best way to go. It takes a few hours, but it will pay off in the long run. If you do top dress, you don't need much 1/8-1/4 inches, but I would stick to the low side, just cover the seed till you can't see it. Opinions on starter fertilizer vary, but I do half the recommended when seeding, the other half after the first or second mowing. Now, once that's all done it is crucial you keep the seed moist. This usually requires three daily waterings, of 5-10 minutes. Since you have shade though, you might only need two a day. Keep in mind your three year old will have to stay off the area for about two months. Hope this helps.

As far as I am concerned, NO. You may want to look up (google) the chemicals they are putting on. Over time most cause cancer, nuerological damage, fertility issues organ damage, etc. herbicides and especially chemical pesticides are designed to make living things die or sterile. People are living things. you might want to check out organic alternatives, gardensalive.com is a pretty straight forward catalog. treated lawns are bad for dogs too, as they roll, lay on them, and eat them. Kids then cuddle with the dog, and so on. On a grander scale, all the chemicals are washed away into our water supply and rivers causing damage to the entire community. Sorry to come on strong, I had cancer once and feel that I will do anything to keep anyone else from the pain of that. I really feel that lawn chemicals serve no purpose what so ever, they actually sterilize the soil, the salts and chemicals kill all the microbacteria and other living things in the soil, so over time, you will need more and more for anything green to survive in your yard. I'm may be really granola, but once you read up on soil structure, it is really mindblowing what is going on under your lawn. It is one of the few things that makes me believe in intelligent design. Please read up and make a decision... Thanks, Harriet

Hi Jill and Candy, Candy has responded to my hello out there message. At least there are 3 of us now. If you check out my page you will see a link to my web site and some of my work. I have been working with clay now for about 8 years and am still learning lots and lots. I do not throw, I really don't like it. All of my work is handbuildt. I have my own kiln and studio in my home, but also take classes at a local clay studio. Check it out www.northernclaycenter.org They have a great program the biggest advantage is being around other people and learning from them. I learn as much from the students as the teachers. I was an art teacher until 3 years ago so now the clay gets much more of my time. Jill I have learned so much from books as well as others. I go to the library or buy the books. Many of which are used. I to end up having about half of my work fired at the clay center. I know that you can also have work fired at a local studio and a clay store so check if there are any around. I bought a used kiln and it didn't have instructions so I checked around and found a place to get a manual for it. It was fairly easy to figure out. Getting the wiring put in was the slow part. Candy if you still need to have yours wired up make sure you get someone that knows what they are doing the first electricion we hired didn't use a big enough wire and the plug fused to the outlet. The same company sent out a different electricion and re-did it with the right size wire and outlet. I would love to see some of your work (both of you). Pauline

Arcy, I can speak for no one else, but I can say that I find a very important part of my job as a parent is to teach my children boundaries and to be mindful of how their actions affect others. If somebody has a nice lawn, they had to put effort into that and that effort should be respected by not indiscriminately walking on it or allowing their pets to use it for restrooms or whatever. I also strive to teach my children that being part of a family means balancing the needs of all family members. Some things can be prioritized, like just putting up with bald patches in the lawn until a kid is older, or choosing plants that can handle errant balls better (I think I have seen lists to this effect). I can tell you that in our family, my husband and I need to garden. It helps us to deal with the stresses of life. My vegetable garden is often a spiritual retreat that keeps me from teetering over the edge. My kids can still walk through the flower beds to catch lizards and butterflies, to look for ladybugs but they can do this because they have learned where to step. My nephews only get to walk through the beds if they learn where to step and if not, they need to find something else to do outside. As part of full disclosure, I do not have lawn. It is not practical where I am. I also know that I am very fortunate to have 5 acres, there is somewhere else for the kids to play. If not, I would have to find other ways to meet all of the competing needs of my family.