Hello, friend! 🤍
February flew by, and I can’t believe we’re already heading into the third month of the year! March is shaping up to be a big month—my little brother is getting married, we have several family birthdays, and another wedding to celebrate!
Before stepping into a fresh new month, I wanted to take a moment to slow down and reflect on the little things that brought joy, inspiration, and comfort. And that’s exactly what this post is about!
So, welcome to my first-ever “Favorites” roundup! Each month, I’ll be sharing the things I’ve been loving—from beauty to home, wellness, style, and small but meaningful moments that made this month feel extra special. 🫶🏼
Beauty & Skincare Favorites
✨ Spray Tans with The Golden Girl Tanning
The Golden Girl Tanning is a mobile spray tan service in western Iowa. Maria is the absolute sweetest, and let me tell you—she is so dang good at this little side gig she just started! She was incredibly thorough in asking about my skin type, what solution I wanted, and my tan goals. We did a trial tan in early February, and she’s spraying me again later this week for my brother’s wedding! I love how she pays attention to the little details and creates such a comfortable and seamless experience.
Home & Lifestyle Favorites
✨ Monin Pistachio Syrup
If you’ve been following me for a bit, you already know I’ve been on a pistachio cold foam americano kick for a hot minute. (Hehe 🤭) This pistachio syrup is even better than Starbucks in my opinion!
✨ My Cozy Kitchen Lamp
If you don’t have a lamp in your kitchen yet, you absolutely need one. I’m not a big light girl—give me all the cozy lamp light all the time, please. 😂 Instead, I love using lamps and soft, cozy lighting to create a warm ambiance. I found a $3 lamp at Retail Rebel last year, and it just adds the dreamiest vibe to my kitchen, especially during these darker winter months! I found a cutie $10 at Target that I linked in my LTK post here!
Clean Living Favorites
✨ Just Ingredients Supplements
One of my 2024 goals was to invest in high-quality supplements, and I finally pulled the trigger and gifted myself some for Christmas. The quality of Just Ingredients is unmatched, and Karalynne (the founder) is so sweet! I actually first discovered her through a reel she posted of healthy Costco finds. 😊 I’ll be sharing a full blog post on these soon, but for now here’s a link for 10% OFF, or use code LaurenCarstens at checkout!
✨ My Lumebox
Purchasing a red light therapy device was another 2024 goal, and let me just say—I’ve used it nearly every day since it arrived in the mail! The benefits of red light therapy are incredible, and I can’t wait to do a full post on this soon, too!
Style Favorites
✨ Cozy Matching Set from Target
We’re in a budget season, so I didn’t do much shopping this month, but I’ve been living in my matching set from Target that I bought in January. It’s cozy, cute, and has been on repeat! If you missed it, here’s the link!
Books, Podcasts & Content I Loved
✨ Relaxed Bible Study
I’ve mentioned this before (and in my prayer card freebie!), but this is the Bible study my women’s group has been working through—and it has been exactly what I need in this season. It’s been such an encouragement to rest in God’s faithfulness and let go of my anxiety.
✨ Easter Worship Playlist on Spotify
This playlist has been playing on my Alexa on repeatttt lately! Easter is my husband’s favorite holiday, and honestly, this season just makes me extra reflective of God’s goodness. If you need a little uplifting, cue it up ASAP! 🎶
Meaningful Moments from February
✨ Gretta’s First Birthday!
Our sweet Gretta Faye is turning ONE on the 28th! (Technically the 29th… she’s our Leap Day baby, but since it’s not a Leap Year, we’re celebrating on the 28th. 😉) We had her birthday party last weekend with family and friends, and I still can’t believe how fast this year has gone. Fastest, hardest, slowest year of my life. (A blog post is coming soon on the wild year the Carstens had in 2024!)
✨ Maren’s 4th Birthday Celebration
We also got to celebrate our niece, Maren, turning FOUR this month! Her party was everything you’d expect—balloons, Elsa, unicorns, and all the sparkles. ✨ It was so good to spend quality time with family.
✨ At-Home Valentine’s Date Night
For Valentine’s Day, Brett & I kept things cozy and simple with an at-home date night. After the kids were tucked in, we uncorked a bottle of wine from our favorite winery and turned on some Frank Sinatra & Billie Holiday for background music. 🎶 Then, we played game called “Couples”—a fun card game designed to spark deep conversations. It was such a sweet and intentional evening to reconnect. 🤍
That’s a Wrap on February’s Favorites!
And just like that, February is in the books! 🫶🏼 I hope this little round-up brought some inspiration your way.
I’d love to hear—what’s something you’ve been loving this month? Drop it in the comments so we can swap favorites! 🤍✨
P.S. If you’re interested in any of my favorites, I’ve linked them all throughout this post! Some may be affiliate links, which means if you decide to purchase, I’ll earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting this little space. 💛
Here’s to March and all the goodness ahead!
Warmly,
Lauren
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