The pine needles don't contribute acidity to your soil....that's something of a myth. They do add much needed organic matter, however. They are known to inhibit the germination of certain seeds, though. Pine straw is a very popular mulch in some parts of the country.

can you recommend a type of grass that would grow better? It has been so mild lately that I am ready to seed the yard. I thought I would aerate the front yard to see if that helps.

Trees also use up all the nutrients surrounding them along with the
water and often too much shade for grass to grow well. In order to grow grass around trees, you have to feed and water
it, a LOT. Grass is a real pain to keep cut, green, weed free and
growing well, in addition to sucking up a lot of chemicals to look good.


Personally, I prefer no-grass
lawns designed with patios, rock, gravel, shrubs, the odd water and stone
features, IMHO. Here are some pics to demonstrate what can be done in case you decide that grass is too much trouble:[pics #1[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/landscaping-without-grass-phbr0lbl-bl~l_47140) and [pics #2[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/rock-and-mulch-front-yard-landscaping-phbr0lbl-bl~l_37109)
Natural mulch looks nice and is easy to sit and walk on.