Thursday, January 31, 2013

::: VDAY GIVEAWAY :::

SO EXCITED to be doing my first GIVEAWAY!

In honor of Valentine's Day - this is something from ME to YOU!

...a vintage-style necklace and turquoise flower pin accessory...
((( i put together the necklace myself! i'm pretty proud... and kinda want to keep it! )))

This will be running all week! Enter below and share with your friends!


...XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO...

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Want to run a GIVEAWAY here at The Lily Field?! I'd love to host!
E-mail me for details: lilyfieldmomma@yahoo.com




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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Mama's Got Style


I am linking up with a pretty sweet girl named Anna over at In Honor of Design
this week to bring you some fabulous fashion ideas!
You'll have to go check out the "mama's wardrobe" frenzy
that's happening NOW and get inspired!

...here are some of my favorite stitches...
i LOVE lines. found this darling shirt at Kohl's from the LC Lauren Conrad Collection.
stretchy, long, black tank from H&M.
minty skinny jeans? yes, please. comfy and stretchy. American Eagle makes it happen. similar.
bracelets make me happy. lots of pearls from Kohl's and green with gold from Forever21.
my feet like to be free and FLAT. simple, silver flip flops from Forever21.

Now that I have children I look for clothes that GIVE!
By GIVE I mean... stretchy, soft, and easy to clean!
My kids like to paint my clothes with peanut butter,
coloring utensils, and what not. I'll be their canvas any day!
I wear my hair UP a lot more now that I'm a mama.
My husband called this messy bun: "beautiful, organized chaos." *Blush*

...my top three MUST HAVES for my mama wardrobe...

FLATS. flat boots, ballet-style flats, and flip flops. flats for every season! baby chasing flats, my friends.

LAYERING TANKS/CAMIS. layers help smooth out my figure (especially right after having a baby!), add a pop of color, and keep my skin from showing as i bend in funny shapes all day wrestling my boys!

A PAIR OF JEANS THAT MAKE ME FEEL LIKE A ROCKSTAR. i want to feel good about my body! and sometimes that is hard with the seasons of motherhood! i seriously own a pair of "favorite" jeans for every stage that i find myself gracing these days: pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy, and post-pregnancy!

What are your mama wardrobe faves?! Must haves?! Has your style changed much with having kids?

Photobucket

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Monday, January 28, 2013

The Power of a Sister

We're 22 months apart.

That's close enough to drive each other crazy, get into trouble,
swap wardrobes, have the same friends, share some of the same school assignments,
and draw out the BEST comments from spectators...

"I bet you guys fought ALL THE TIME while growing up."

"You two probably didn't even want to be friends."

"There's NO WAY you didn't drive each other AND YOUR PARENTS crazy!"

But believe it or not... she has ALWAYS been one of my best friends!


I remember that two different times my parents tried to give us each our own room.
That was a waste of space. We would sneak into each others' rooms at night and fall asleep together.
That was AFTER we tickled each other to death of course.
My dad would yell from the other room as he banged on the wall in warning,
"If I have to come in there and separate you two - it's not going to be pretty!"
That just made us take our giggling UNDER the covers!

There were definitely days when we wanted our own space, our own clothes, and our own friends!
We had a cousin that we shared as a mutual friend...

"I invited her over... she's my friend today!"

My mom would remind ME all the time,
"Friends come and go, but your sister will ALWAYS be there."

Such wisdom. Why is it that we can't see that as adolescents?!

I can't imagine life without her. Or any of my siblings for that matter!!!

So how did we make it work? I'm not sure. Technically I probably should have hated her or something.
EVERYONE would said, "Oh hi, Brittany! Wow, your sister is beautiful she should be a supermodel!"
"Thaaaaaanks?!!!!??"



And they were right. She's a gorgeous, funny, out-going, creative, talented, wonderful FREE SPIRIT!!!
God knew that I needed her. I think the greatest lesson Nellie has taught me in life is: "TO LET GO."

Growing up I was the polar opposite of a free spirit. I needed structure, routine, and MY WAY all the time. I'd like to think that she rubbed off on me a little bit and that I'm not so "uptight" in my adult years!!!

The power of a sister
- she didn't use her obvious beauty or God-given talents to hurt me.
She BLESSED me by affirming me as her SISTER; always relishing in the beauty and talents that I possessed - complimenting me with HER gifts and grace.

We did that for each other.

And THAT is how it worked and still works today.
If you've got a sibling, remember that you hold POWER to bless or curse them!

So with the sister power I've been given...

I'd like to shout out to my best friend for LIFE, Nellie, and wish her a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
We've spent 24 years together. We STILL swap wardrobes, share some of the same friends, and enjoy a lot of the same mom-wife-life activities! I look forward to the years to come - of raising babies,
watching our hair turn gray, and making fun of each other as we turn into HOT, old ladies!!
Love you forever, Nell-Bell. XO













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Friday, January 25, 2013

Traveling with Allergies 101

Ready + Set ... have a melt down.

That's how I feel about traveling with kids and allergies. It is HARD and a LOT of work.
But this is my life... and I'm learning how to live this part out gracefully!

I'm not a PRO at this by any means. But this is how we do it - and it works!

Cute babies on cooler?! Makes EVERYTHING better!!!
I'd do this EVERY weekend for the rest of my life to keep them healthy!

STEP #1: QUESTIONS & AN EXPLANATION

I am still not very gifted with this step. I don't like people to feel uncomfortable or that they are not appreciated - and I always feel like my questioning could give that impression. Basically I get the low down...

"Do you have a menu plan for the weekend?"
"Is there anything I can bring to help?"
"Will there be any partying (birthday, Christmas, game night, etc.) going on?"

Then I usually give an explanation for my questions...

"We have so many allergies/sensitivities to food.
I would hate to put the burden of cooking for us on your plate. Ha! But seriously.
It is quite OVERWHELMING to produce a meal that we ALL can eat and enjoy."

I have seen a number of responses to this...

"Send me a grocery list - I'll buy whatever you can eat and we'll cook together!"

"Teach me. I'll try my best to accommodate you and your family."

"Bring whatever food you guys can eat - use my kitchen - it's all good!"


Soooooo... based on these responses I probably should never have a melt down ever again!

STEP #2: MENU PLANNING & GROCERY SHOPPING

Our latest family trip took us to Tennessee to visit some family! SO. MUCH. FUN.
2 days of driving and 2 days of hanging out with people we LOVE!
Not to mention a BIRTHDAY PARTY for our niece!

Since so many people were going to be hanging out in the same house/kitchen -
I decided that it would be easiest on all if I just brought food for my family.

...this was my menu plan...

THURSDAY:
(dinner only/driving)
veggie wraps, g-free grilled cheese (kids),
sweet potato chips, cucumbers, grapes/oranges, popcorn, and Clif bars

FRIDAY:
breakfast - pumpkin bread and bananas
lunch - pure veg stir fry, salad, and clementines
dinner - stuffed peppers, guacamole, and black bean/quinoa chips
***BIRTHDAY PARTY*** - bring flourless zucchini brownies and strawberries
Lindsay over at Delighted Momma is loaded with yummy recipes!!!
LOVE her space! You'll have to check it out :-)

SATURDAY:
breakfast - g-free cereal with rice milk and banana/kale smoothies
lunch - Daiya-broccoli rice noodles with fresh fruit
dinner - creamy kale soup with apple wedges
**We ended up taking the soup home for dinner after travelling and enjoyed some gluten-free pizza from Domino's this night! Crazy - I was shocked they make a RICE crust!
With a little cheese and some veggies - this was a SPECIAL treat for my babies!!!**

SUNDAY:
(lunch on the road/driving)
breakfast - rice flour waffles with applesauce
lunch - veggie wraps, Daiya quesadilla (kids), sweet potato chips, cucumbers, apples/grapes, and Clif bars
dinner - CHIPOTLE... one of the few places that we ALL can eat with no issues!

I made my grocery list based off of this menu and hit my favorite stores with these crazy kids!

STEP #3: FOOD PREP & PACKING

This is the most involved step.
I wanted to have most things ready to prepare or eat to make things easier on me.

...this was my prep list...



Rice Flour Waffles (recipe coming soon!)(made and froze for travel)
Zucchini Brownies (made and froze for travel)
Granola/Popcorn
Pumpkin Bread
Veggie Stuffing for peppers (made and froze for travel)
Creamy Kale Soup (made and froze for travel)
Stir Fry Mix (dumped bags of chosen frozen veggies into tupperware for travel)

Freezing was a GREAT idea!
It all was pretty much still frozen when we arrived in Tennessee
and we didn't have to buy ice to keep it cold in the cooler! GENIUS.

STEP #4: PLAN OF A SNACK

With kids, every five seconds:
"I'm hungry!" "I want a snack!"
... if you just move in the general direction of the kitchen they freak out: "FEED ME!" They have small stomachs - gotta meet their needs!
Now I don't usually have all of this on hand in general,
but these are quick, easy, and healthier option when on the road!

Clif Bars - my husband LOVES these
Cascadian Farm Granola Bars
Homemade Granola
Popcorn
Gluten-Free Cereal
Sunflower Seeds & Yellow Raisins (trail mix for a 2 year old!)
Fruit Leather
Fresh Fruit - enough to FREEZE when we got there to whip up smoothies!
(I brought my knock-off "Bullet" with me! TINY and perfect for travel!)

STEP #5: EAT & BE MERRY




HAPPY + HEALTHY... and NO MELTDOWNS!!!

COUSINS

Traveling is a complicated, blissful business!

It IS a lot of work to plan, prepare, and pack-it-all-up...
but eating and KNOWING the benefits of sticking to our way of life PAYS OFF!



































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Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Meet Me... At The Lily Field!

Hi, I'm Brittany. Just another sparrow in the field. Happy to see you've landed.

 photo e860c49a-7177-40fd-9dda-50e399661e50_zpsc9ca0a1a.jpg

I am a wife. I married my best friend in the summer of '09.
He is the WILD fire in my life - a passionate, child-like, creative, life-giving,
loving, handsome man that drives me back to my Father in heaven.

I am a momma. Two beautiful sons have blessed my life thus far and I wouldn't trade
them for anything in the world. They are my WILD wonderfuls that keep me on my toes,
running in circles, and ever-so-playful on a daily basis. LOVE them.

I am a domestic engineer. Yes, a stay-at-home momma that can't get enough of her vocation.
I am recklessly abandoned to cooking, cleaning, organizing, decorating, designing, playing, etc.
The homefront is my WILD frontier. Everyone is welcome.

I am a woman. Feminine with a touch of WILD whimsical.
I am usually rocking a skirt, a pair of leggings, and a frilly shirt with a stain or two
put there with loving thoughtfulness by my children. I love girly things and
enjoy spreading femininity around the world!

I am a daughter of the King of kings. He has held me so tenderly -
always leading me back to His WILD, tender, and merciful heart... back to the field
where He cares for me as He does the sparrows and the lilies.
I rest there knowing He loves me so much more than I can possibly imagine.

MATTHEW 6:25-34

If you want to chit-chat about family, food, fashion, or faith - you've got the right girl!
I hope you have enjoyed meeting me and can find what you are looking for here in the field.
I would LOVE to get to know you TOO! Don't be a stranger.

XO - Brittany









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Monday, January 21, 2013

a confession of bodily proportions

I've always been pretty comfortable in my skin.
Minus that pudgy awkward stage... oh between 10 and 12 years old. We all went through that, right?!

I've been 5'7" for as long as I can remember.
Always seeming to weigh in around 135 pounds.

That was... until I had babies.

My first pregnancy won me 60 pounds of baby love spread all over my body, a c-section scar,
and lots, and by lots I mean "too many to count", of stretch marks from my neck to my toosh.


Pregnancy and breastfeeding took me from a solid B cup to a voluptuous D.
It was like I had implants... but NOT.
That took a little getting use to. Not gonna lie!

As my first child was weening, I found out I was pregnant with baby #2!
My body didn't really have a chance to ever go back to it's "normal" size.

Even though I started pregnancy #2 off by weighing in at 135 pounds (that was relieving),
my hips, thighs, boobs, pelvis, etc. just seemed OFF.
Not quite the body I remembered or saw in old pictures!

9 months later I found myself to have gained 55 pounds... and the stretch marks became little trenches.
You have those too? Phew! I'm glad I'm not the only one!


My second baby weaned himself around 13 months old and things drastically changed.
(Remember, I fluctuated between 135 and 195 pounds for over 2 years)

I grew an INCH,
I lost all the baby weight and THEN SOME (putting me in the 125 range),
And I landed myself back in the land of B cups!

Sounds good, right?! I'm not going to lie and say that the journey has been easy. But it HAS been worth it! I've shed tears over not feeling comfortable in my skin as I have gone through the stages of being a mother. Maybe you can relate?

My body has been ALTERED, STRETCHED, TORN OPEN, and REALIGNED!
My kids have stamped their little "fingerprints" all over me.
My hips were jammed open, my boobs grew so much I thought they would burst,
and every once in awhile, pelvic pain likes to remind me that I gave birth to two very large babies!

And... I would do it all over again. Truly.

Every pound, stretch mark, pelvic cramp, bra size, etc. is NOTHING compared to the PRIZE I have received in my children.

My husband refers to all my "lines" as my "baby tattoos."

The other day he gave me a spiel that brought tears to my eyes.
I was having a little pity party for myself - ya know... being all sad about not having the same body that I got married with.

"I'm small and wrinkly!"
... and I'm seriously self-conscious about my c-section scar. STUPID. I know. But I am sure some of you mommas understand.



He reassured me, with tears in his own eyes - the softy!,
that my body is a beautiful representation of the sacrifice made to bring such beauty and joy into our lives.

He's a good man. I'm a lucky girl.

Within the walls of this frame God gave me - the tiniest, most precious lives took form...
and they stretched me, in more ways than one, into the MOTHER I am today.

Our bodies, as mothers, will forever be a canvas of LOVE. When our children have grown and gone, we will look down at our tummies and breasts and KNOW that we gave LIFE to them... the ones that so intimately know the beat of our hearts and sketched each "mark" on our bodies with such tender, innocent CARE.


I will wear this skin with THANKFULNESS for the rest of my life!
-- love you Zay & Judah --
XO



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Thursday, January 17, 2013

The Art of Raising Warriors

My husband and I have been reading "Moments Together For Couples" by Dennis and Barbara Rainey every evening. My parents gifted this to us for the Feast of St. Nicholas - and we are really enjoying it!

______________________________
BOOK REVIEW IN A NUTSHELL

One page for each day of the year: short and sweet enough to squeeze in after dinner WHILE the two crazy baby boys run around!
The format is perfect: Scripture, very personal and down-to-earth reflection, discussion question, and prayer prompt.
It is a beautiful thing.
This has enriched our marriage in so many ways:
inspiring us, bringing up new topics that we've never discussed, enabling God-centered conversation, allowing us to encourage and uplift each other, and giving us ideas on how we want to
build our marriage and family.

It looks like you can find daily reflections HERE. A neat idea if you are looking to save some money! The book makes a LOVELY gift though!
_______________________________


So earlier this week, a reflection on raising a generation for God really hit home for me.

I like to refer to our home as my "cloister"
- a very quiet, peaceful (most days!) place that is hidden from the eyes of the world.
When I look out my "windows" and see what violence, war, abuse, natural disasters, abortion, contraception, pornography, etc. etc. etc. is doing to our nation and our world I honestly get a little freaked out.
My natural tendency is to pull my kids closer and minimize their exposure to the ever growing darkness.

Then the Holy Spirit taps me on the shoulder and reminds me...

"For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should teach them to their children, that the generations to come might know, even the children yet to be born... that they should put their confidence in God,
and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments."
- Psalm 78:5-7


And then I put my Warrior-Momma face on. Because I have one!

God works in QUIET ways. I have been reflecting on how Christ was placed in a FAMILY and for 30 years nothing crazy happened... at least that we know about! Not many people knew or understood who He was or what He was going to do. Christ grew up in a "cloister" of sorts.
And then... He shook the world and conquered sin and death by taking on our sins and allowing us to nail Him to a cross. It looked like Satan had won as he led the world in crucifying the very Son of God.
But just the opposite had occurred... as God QUIETLY, but RADICALLY turned the tables and served all of Hell the message that HE HAD INDEED WON THE BATTLE FOR THE SOULS OF HIS BELOVED CHILDREN!

The nature of evil is LOUD, dissonant, cacophonous, in your face, blatant, and disturbing.
You can't miss it, unless you are numb to it of course.
You just have to turn on your television and I think you'll see what I mean.

I believe that God is raising up a generation of warriors in the QUIET recesses of homes that honor Him.
This alone encourages me to get up every morning and run drills with my baby warriors... teaching them the faith, helping them practice virtue, showing them a way of life that can bring LIGHT when it seems that darkness has swallowed everything up.

The art of raising warriors requires sacrifice. It requires patience and time.
We do not wish to keep our children from the world, but to equip them with the necessary tools they need to stand against the evil presence that seems to be taking over.


I think there is something to the generation of "mis-fits" that is quietly growing "underground," in the "cloisters" of our homes. We, the mis-fits, who give our children a Christian education, take them to Church, teach them to respect life from conception to natural death, show them the beauty that God intends for the male and female body and sexuality, and enable them to fight the battle that wages with spiritual weapons... are God's secret reserve.

Do not be discouraged by what the WORLD tells you. Do not be discouraged by the cost that it requires to raise up a God-fearing generation. Every sleepless night raising babies, every ounce of effort to stand in the trenches of toddlerhood, every tear you shed in guiding a teenager, every moment spent pointing that child toward HEAVEN... does not go overlooked. Trust me.

God sees you and me...
and I'm hoping there is a special retirement plan up in heaven for those of us who practice the

art of raising warriors.






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Monday, January 14, 2013

Date Night: Target & Thai Food






We started our date night off with a trip to one of MY favorite places... TARGET!

...bearing a Target spree was BIG of him.
Not only did he tolerate the circles I was doing up and down every aisle, but he patiently bore all the commentary I had to share on every product that caught my eye.
AND he carried my stuff around. What can I say?
He loves me :-)


Here's a peak at what I DID buy!!! Loving the colors here. Can you tell I'm anxious for SPRING?!


Then we headed on over to...





... and it was a GREAT experience!
Remember the Crossword Puzzle Date Night?!
THIS is what he set me up for with the "mystery date" clue!

I love the niche this restaurant is working:

LOCAL MEAT & PRODUCE
NO GMOS
NO ADDED HORMONES
NO ANTIBIOTICS
COMPLETELY SEASONAL
TONS OF FRESH OPTIONS


... right up my alley!



Took a little culinary adventure with fresh-vegan spring rolls. HOLY COW. I've been day dreaming about them EVERY couple of hours since we left this place. They were TO DIE FOR. I've already decided that these WILL BE the food item that I crave next pregnancy. I can see that will be the only way to make Nathan buy them for me on a regular basis! Haha.

Oh man - and we tried strawberry mochi. Not a fan. It was unique. I'll give it that! Probably won't order that ever again. I just wanted the fried doughnuts! Stupid gluten allergy.







So when the mochi failed...
we ran across the street to Whole Foods
to pick up some Rice Dream and caramel sauce!!!
You know those flourless-zucchini brownies I've been raving about?!
Threw that all together - WHA-LA.


We had fun spending Date Night OUT this past weekend!!!

So I'm going to start featuring OTHER couple's date ideas once a month!

Anything YOU want to share?! Catch me on FACEBOOK ;-) Don't forget to LIKE me!

There's a link right on my blog now :-) Leave a comment on my wall with your idea or private message me if you want to be part of "DATE NIGHT" in the coming months! XO








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Thursday, January 10, 2013

A Party with Options

I love snack food. I love parties.
When they come together I pretty much think I died and went to heaven.
Ok not really, but it's a little like that!

I'm all about healthier options when it comes to partying.


This past weekend we had friends over for a game night. Oh it was fun!

Here are some snacks we made up to keep us fueled as we tried to save the world from diseases...
(We played Pandemic!)


#1: gluten-free/dairy free puppy chow

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"HEALTHIER" PUPPY CHOW

use unsweetened/unsalted peanut butter,
Enjoy Life chocolate chips,
and Earth Balance butter in place of the usual!

there's nothing you can do about the powdered sugar... unless you try coconut?!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

#2: sweet potato pop chips with homemade guacamole


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GUACAMOLE

2 ripe avocados
2 tsp. minced onion
1 tsp. minced jalepeno
sea salt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

#3: popcorn with Earth Balance and sea salt



#4: edamame


#5: bacon wrapped dates

...ok we LOVE these.
Using organic bacon here: no nitrates, no added hormones or antibiotics, no gluten, etc.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BACON WRAPPED DATES

cut bacon into 3 inch strips
roll around pitted dates - you can stuff the dates with whole almonds (if I wasn't allergic I would do it!)
secure with toothpick & bake for 18-20 minutes at 375 degrees (turning over once)

**I have had these with meat-free bacon before and lo and behold - they are GOOD!
I can't have the gluten that comes in the meat-free option though :-( But for all my plant-based/vegan readers - you won't regret the meat-free option!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

#6: bosc pears with strawberry-poppyseed sauce


#7: coffee with french vanilla soy creamer


go organic/fair trade - and enjoy that cup of joe!!!

So this is a party with options.
Completely animal free - except those little bacon wrapped dates that are TO DIE FOR!
Luckily quality bacon doesn't fall into our list of allergies!!!



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Monday, January 7, 2013

12 Days of Christmas & 3 Kings


Here in America we get started with "Christmas" as soon as the turkey is cleared from the Thanksgiving table! Sometimes Advent can seem rushed with all the holiday bustle. Christmas comes and goes and by December 26th - most of the country goes back to its normal routine. Holiday music ceases, Valentine's Day decor takes over every store, lights come down, trees go to the curb... but WAIT! What about the 12 days of Christmas?!

Traditionally the 12 days of Christmas fall between December 26th and January 6th.
December 26th: The Feast of St. Stephen - the first Christian martyr
January 6th: Feast of the Epiphany - the day we remember the visit and worship of the WISE MEN


THIS IS A HIGH FEAST TIME!
The carolling, partying, feasting, etc. should continue!!! Our family has been living it up!
Yesterday was the 12th day of Christmas and here's how we celebrated...

CROWNS + KING'S CAKE + HOUSE BLESSING

We all made CROWNS to remember the 3 Kings that came to worship baby Jesus
- bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
These were gifts for a KING and they make sense in light of the identity of the the CHILD.
Gold is a symbol of kingship on earth, frankincense (used for incense) is a symbol of deity, and myrrh (an embalming oil) is a symbol of death. Crazy prophetic huh?!


Traditional King's Cake is a little too much CRAZY for this family to handle... so I made these lovely, vanilla cupcakes with strawberry cream (melted Rice Dream with strawberries)! Wow. Completely plant-based too!


It was quite the party!

It is an old tradition to put the current year and initials of the Magi above the door of your home with blessed chalk - an outward symbol of faith to all those who come to visit! Here is the blessing we used.

20 C+M+B 13

"20 "being the millennium and century
"C" standing for the first Wise Man, Caspar
"M" standing for Melchior
"B" standing for Balthasar
"13" standing for the decade and year

It is popularly believed that the Kings' initials also stand for:
"Christus mansionem benedicat" ("Christ bless this house").

BEAUTIFUL. LOVE IT. HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GOOD 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR. XO.


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