Merry Christmas to all our loved ones! We hope that this year has been one filled with love, laughter, growth, and peace!
The Bingham clan has been up to our usual tricks. We haven’t done much traveling this year, but, thanks to the grandparents’ babysitting, we have sneaked away to see U2, Switchfoot, and the Civil Wars in concert, and even got a couple of days in Las Vegas for the annual Fasteners Show.
Dan continues to work as the GM for Hill Threaded Products where, despite a down economy, they are experiencing growth! We know we have God to thank for that. Also, after a bit of a break due to baby-busyness, Dan has begun playing with our church’s worship team on Sundays again on a semi-regular basis. I know approximately 1200 people who are happy about that.
I (Britt) am loving being a stay-at-home mommy. Benny and I spend a lot of time taking neighborhood walks, playing with his best friend Zoe who comes to our house 2-3 days a week while her mommy’s at work, and trying to keep a clean house with a thousand toys underfoot. We are truly blessed to have this time together! I have also recently taken up Extreme Couponing. Before you get concerned that I have a garage full of air fresheners and mustard bottles, consider this...we have no garage...it’s a music studio, so I can’t get too crazy. Ha! But in all seriousness, it has been so much fun to watch how God is using this little hobby to help cut our grocery bills and make my stay-at-home existence a little more doable. Ben and I also meet with a New Mom Group almost every Friday where we fellowship with first time moms and their little ones who are all between 1-18 months. It’s so sweet to see our little guy learn to share, be gentle, and play with others.
Benny continues to grow like a weed. In September, we celebrated his first birthday with a Beatles-themed BennyMania bash! He loves to dance to the Beatles, and since he’s not old enough to request anything specific, we jumped at the chance to have a rock-and-roll inspired party. He is walking and half-speed running now, climbing on everything, singing to himself in bed, and saying a few words. “Dada”, “Mama”, “Cheese”, and “Cracka” (cracker) give you a glimpse into his priorities. He also knows many signs like “Please”, “Water”, “Bath”, “Help”, and “Bird”. He is a Daddy’s boy who loves to give kisses, wave to strangers, point to all the balloons in the store (“Ba-oon”), and hide Cheerios in the couch cushions just in case you forget to give him a snacky-cup later.
So what’s on the horizon in 2012? Well, Dan will be turning 30, Ben will turn 2, and Brittney (who has refused to age anymore) will throw them parties paid for with coupons! We hope to make more music, spend time with our friends and family, enjoy our little man, and find ways to serve our Lord.
In February, Brittney will be joining her sister Heather in completing the Rock ‘n’ Roll Pasadena 1/2 Marathon. The funds raised will go directly to Cure Mito which supports the research of Dr. Boles at CHLA. He is the doctor who treats Heather’s kiddos- Jaxen and Maddox, who both suffer from Mitochondrial Disease. As the boys' doctor, what he learns directly affects their treatment. To view a video of the boys and their struggles, go to http://youtu.be/fCsJLBrChkQ or browse You Tube for the Cure Mito Montage.wmv. And to donate to our team, visit www.active.com/donate/curemito/hudgins. Anything you could contribute will help bring us closer to a cure for these precious angels.
May God bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon, and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Merry Christmas