What's Sleep?!?!

I have returned from my amazing trip alive and completely and utterly EXHAUSTED!!! I haven't been this worn out since............well probably not since I use to pull an all night college binder with class the next day :)

I flew out of Denver at 6 AM Thursday morning (which meant leaving our house at 3AM), arrived in CT at 2 PM, ran on adrenaline and pure excitement to stay up until about 2 am the next morning.   Friday I was a bit hungover, not gonna lie! haha But we muscled up enough effort to have some more drinks at the Hibachi restaurant.....SAKI!!!! Then of course that lead to a few beers at home in our sweats! :)  I stayed up to talk to Bruce at 12 CT time and went to bed.  Saturday we were up and at 'em for 6 am to be ready for our limo at 8am.  Needless to say we didn't sleep until about 5 AM the next morning.  Then up again at 9 AM to go and explain more of NYC.  We were all in bed by 10 on Sunday and in bed by 1 AM Monday......so sleeps were few and far between.

BUT I will say this, it was SOOOOOO worth it!!! We had an absolute blast!!! We laughed and laughed and laughed the entire time! I'm talking full on belly laughs, the kind that make your sides and cheeks hurt the following day! It was everything I knew it would be and more.  I miss those girls and am sad that we are so far away, but when we do get together, boy do we make it count! I am soooo truly blessed to have each and every one of them in my life.  They bring me pure joy and happiness and I believe that is a rare thing to find in this crazy world!

I believe every person should experience NYC at least once in their lives.  It's truly amazing.  Nothing like it in the world.  I was awestruck.  We explored China town, Little Italy, the Subway system (lost haha), Ground Zero, Coyote Ugly and much more Saturday after arriving before heading back to our hotel to get ready for our big night out to celebrate Naomi!! We met some amazing ppl that were so kind to hook us up with more limos to go to and from our hotel.....yes we took limos everywhere! So awesome! The club had a rooftop that had a breathtaking view.  We had our own space (VIP), bottle service, and even security! And to top it off we had an amazing server, she was just so kind and on top of things and our "body guard" as we like to call him, was so so so kind and did his job well also! No one got in our space, we didn't have to worry about all the liquor or our things, which was a relief!  We were also right by the DJ and basically had our own dance floor, amazing is the only word to describe it!

Sunday we got up early enough to hail taxi's (yes I hailed a taxi down town NYC hehehe :) and went down to Time Square. Then we headed out to see St. Patrick's, which was by far the most beautiful place I have ever had the privilege to see.  And Rockefeller Center and everything in between.  Then we took our limo back to CT.  We were in the city for about 30 hours and did and saw so much! I will never forget any of it!!!

I am, however very scared to weigh in this coming Tuesday.   I obviously missed it yesterday because of travel, THANK GOODNESS!!! We ate a lot of really great food, but boy oh boy!  So I am going to try and run my butt off to get back in the swing of things! I am sure the first couple of runs will be torture but hopefully I just fall right back into the swing of it after that initial torture.

Wednesday, right before leaving, Pudge hurt himself pretty badly.  He tore his entire dew claw basically off, ripping it down to the tenant and nerve.  Poor little guy, it was so sore.  So I took him to see Erin and he was on pain killers, antibiotic, and had a cast for 5 days.  He now has the cast off and it is slowly healing up.  He feels a lot better tho, he hated that cast.  He did get spoiled.  Daddy carried him everywhere and gave him lots of loving and treats while mommy was away.  Poor little man.   Bruce is so amazing, he also cleaned all the carpets and house from top to bottom while I was away and I came home to a spotless house! If I haven't said it enough before, he truly is amazing!  He got another email from Border, with another workout routine.  Ugh I wish he would just get the email we are waiting for, but I can't complain too much because he is still in the running!

Well we hope all is well!! We love and miss you all soooo much! I'll leave you with a few pics from the trip........

SAKI :) 

 Naomi opening her gifts

 The BEST gyro I have ever had 

 First cab ride in NYC

Dinner in Little Italy 

 Naomi getting our bottle service at the club

The view from the rooftop of the club :)

 We're on the big screen 

 inside St. Patrick's 

 St. Patrick's 

 The girls before going out Friday in CT 

 :)

 goofy :) 

 So funny 

 Pretty Ladies

 Gorgeous family 

 Love him!! :) 

 LIMO!! :) 

 beautiful 

 Walking thru the gates of NYC subway system 

 The girls

 Freedom Tower 

 China Town

 Loves

 :))) 

Our bodyguard pretending to kick Naomi out haha :) 

 Time Square 

Happy Birthday Dad

First and most importantly I want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the BEST DAD in the entire world.  My Dad is so supportive and one of my best friends in the entire world and I am so blessed that he was chosen to be my Dad.  He has and without a doubt will always be in my corner and my biggest supporter.  He loves Bruce to pieces and is truly AMAZING!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH DAD! I wish so badly I could be there to celebrate with you, but I hope you have an AMAZING day!!! You truly deserve it!

A memory I will never forget :) xoxo

This week I will be reunited with the BEST friends a girl could ask for and I couldn't be more excited! We are headed to CT to stay with the Ginop family and celebrate Naomi's Bach party!! We will also be heading to NYC Saturday for a day of celebration!  We are going all out, the whole shebang.....limo, beautiful hotel right downtown, and VIP at the club.  I can't wait to have an unforgettable girls weekend.  Not to mention I will finally get to meet Tucker in person! YAY! I will be sure to post pictures when I return! 

Bruce is still sick, stupid annoying cough! He called into work yesterday, which he never ever does, to rest and relax.  I loved it tho, because not only was he getting some much needed extra rest but I also got to spend some time with him before leaving for a wk.   I was very "wifey" and made some homemade chicken noodle soup for my sickly husband :) He says after yesterdays rest he feels a ton better!  

This week I lost 4 POUNDS at WW!!! YAYAYAYA! I was super excited and even hit my first goal weight!! I contribute a lot of it to........the more I lose the longer and faster I run and the more weight I drop and it all comes full circle! :)  Hopefully I don't gain too much on my vacation splurge.  

Today it was beautiful, 75 with a slight cool breeze.  Perfect day to do some yard work! So Bruce (feeling much better) and I raked up all the old grass, pulled weeds, sprayed for weeds and bugs, and swept everything! :) Our yard looks so good! We are going to plant all of our flowers and veggies when I return from CT, I can't wait....it's one of my favorite parts of summer!! 

Well we hope you all have a WONDERFUL week!! I won't be blogging for at least a week, but promise to when I get back! Love and Miss you all so so so much!

Love, 

Nichole, Bruce, and Pudge xoxo

Sunbathing and Baking

Today was dedicated to relaxing in the sun! It was so beautiful! And I am happy to report that Bruce is feeling a bit better, just in time for the gorgeous weather! :)

I promised my amazing mother-in-law, who purchased our KitchenAid 600 stand mixer for us, that I would post pictures after I got it up and running and baked with it for the first time.  So after coming in from sunbathing, I decided to bake up a storm for Bruce.  What's better than your favorite cookies to munch on when you're feeling a little under the weather?! So I finally used our amazing mixer.  Now I will admit that I was not much of a baker, but I am slowly but surely learning and beginning to enjoy it! (Thanks to Pinterest for some great recipes!) And it helps when you have a great mixer to play with :)

So Rosie, here it is!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!! THANK YOU!! :) So Blessed

Sad Broncos fan

I am one sad Broncos fan today.  It is official, Peyton Manning is now the new starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos and Tim Tebow is in the process of being traded.  As much as I like Peyton, I mean come on he is truly an amazing quarterback, I am sad that Tim Tebow didn't get at least one more year to show his stuff as a Bronco.  So many people dislike him for all of the attention he gets, but I adore him.

Anyways...we are doing very well and had a great week! But Bruce did end up getting sick last night.  He has a head cold and he never gets sick, so it hit hard and fast. It makes me so mad, it's like COME ON, we are sick of being sick already!!!!!  But he is a super healthy man in general and I'm sure he will be back to 100% by tomorrow.....my poor hubby.  And the weather has been so weird.  We had such beautiful weather all last week, in the high 70's everyday and then came the clouds.  It was like we had traded states with family and friends back home.  They had the amazing 70 degree weather and we were stuck with windy cloudy overcast days and for CO that is very rare.  But starting tomorrow it is suppose to warm up and be in the 80's by this weekend.  So because of the weather a lot of this past weekend was dedicated to a bit of spring cleaning, organizing, and online shopping......which wasn't too bad :)

And because it was a bit too windy and chilly out to do anything outdoorsy we decided yesterday would be a perfect day to head to Pueblo to see Gram.  We had a delicious dinner (she is an AMAZING cook) and some quality time to visit, which is always so wonderful.  Then we came home and took a nap.....yes we, the Browns, took a nap! hahah We NEVER take naps because we would usually much rather be out doing something, but I guess it was much needed.  I set an alarm for an hour later so we didn't sleep too long and we were able to get up and have some quality family time before bed.

Weight Watchers went fantastic again this wk! I lost 3.2 pounds!! This was actually a bit of a surprise to me, not because I didn't think I lost but because I didn't think I lost that much.  I was so happy, all the hard work is paying off!!! I can't wait to keep on this path and reach my goal!! It is so refreshing and encouraging to see the number dropping each week.

Not too much else to report....just a happy, calm, and laid back week in the Brown household.  We hope you all have a fantastic week and weekend.  We love and misssss you all so much!

Love,
Nichole, Bruce, and Pudge xoxo

Quick Update

Not too much to report......we are healthy (again!!) and VERY happy :)  We went on our first hike of the season and it was BEAUTIFUL!  I did get some horrid blisters from my new hiking shoes, but it was my own fault, should have broken them in first.....lesson learned!  I lost 3.8 pounds this week at WW!!!!! YAY!! So exciting! And Bruce is excelling wonderfully with running and studying!

He and I are LOVING the 70 degree weather.  Yesterday we were able to run a couple miles in the morning and go for our hike in the afternoon.  We are trying to take full advantage! So next weekend we are going to try and go golfing....wish me luck!  We were also able to have a family movie night!  We pulled out the spare bedroom mattress into the living room and curled up as a family, one of my all time favs!! :) Here are a few pics from the hike! Hope you all have a beautiful and wonderful week & weekend!!

Love & Miss you tons,
Nichole, Bruce, and Pudge xoxo

Family Movie Night!! 

Tunnel hike 

 Love him 

 Beautiful 

 my boy :) 

 Pudge exploring the tunnels 

TVP!

LOOOOVE TVP products!! They have a giveaway going on as we speak, go check out their blog and amazing store!

http://www.thevintagepearl.com/blog/2012/03/love-connection-collection-win-one/#comment-58674

** I have my amazing hubby and my black lab Pudge :)

Have an AMAZING rest of the weekend everyone!

Taco Soup

So the dumb flu has plagued our household......again.  The kids were all sick, so it was pretty inevitable.  It didn't hit too hard until Monday though, so there were a few days of weekend bliss.  We are currently trying to sweat it out!!!  I'm hoping to feel better by Friday for my long run of the wk, but either way I'm sure Pudge will be pushing me out the door! :))

Nothing too exciting to report.  Just working and enjoying the weather!! It was 73 both Monday and Tuesday, and despite being sick, we did get outside to enjoy the weather.  The park was right out of a story book.  Kids flying kites with their Dads, Moms taking pictures, families playing soccer, it was beautiful!! I loved seeing it and of course this had my mind wandering into the future picturing Bruce teaching our children how to fly a kite.......love love love!! Bruce was also able to give both vehicles a bath, and also Pudge!  I of course kept him company..... hehehe :) Bruce is doing well, he is still studying his hinny off for his upcoming Sgt. test.

Weight Watchers went well this week.  I lost 1.2 pounds, and although I'd like to say I am one of those people that is happy losing any amount of weight, sadly I am not.  I was a little disappointed about only losing 1.2 pounds, but Bruce quickly set me strait by showing me a picture of what one pound looks like.  I was also a little bad this week, we went on a surprise date night.  Bruce surprised me by taking Saturday off and taking me to Denver out to dinner and to the Avs game! It was so much fun.  But I haven't been out to eat since my WW journey started and that was a bit of a splurge for me.  Not to mention I had already had my splurge day for the week (I always have a "splurge meal" once a week and it is on Tuesdays after weighing in) and we made homemade pizza!  So I had twice the splurging than I usually do, and still lost.  Thinking positive here people!! Bruce is such a wonderful support system, he is def my biggest cheerleader! Thank goodness for his encouragement and for setting me straight!! So in the end, thanks to my wonderful hubby, I am happy with my weight loss this wk.  BUT can't wait for next weeks weigh-in!!

And let me continue the WW talk by saying that we made the MOST DELICIOUS taco soup EVER yesterday!!! Since I splurged twice last week, I decided to not splurge this Tuesday, I gotta stay disciplined.  So we looked up a few taco soup recipes because Bruce has been dying to try it and surprisingly I found one on WW that sounded delicious.  And boy oh boy was it ever!!! I can't even put into words how good it was.  It was better than any other taco soup recipe I have ever made!!! We both were swooning over it! hahaha :) 1 cup is only 3 points! And it's very filling. I also added 1/4 cup of shredded cheese and 1 tbs of fat free sour cream to mine, which made it a total of 6 points and DELICIOUS!!  I honestly felt like I was splurging, but was far from it!!

Here is the recipe:
2 cans Healthy Harvest Tomato Basil soup (it calls for progressive tomato parmesan, but healthy harvest was "healthier" so I went with that ;) or you can use any tomato soup as long as it is only 2 points per serving.
2 boneless skinless cooked Chicken breast (shredded)
1 3/4 cups canned black beans
1 3/4 cups canned yellow corn (NOT cream corn!!)
8 tbs diced green chilies (you can buy canned chilies, but if you have fresh ones, def use those! We always have fresh ones and it is so much better! Also, we just add to taste, we like it a little more spicy!)
1/4 cup Chunky Salsa
1/4 cup Taco Sauce (we used the Taco Bell medium spice home originals, can buy really cheap at WM)
1/2 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Taco Seasoning (we used 2 tsp just for more flavor)
1/2 onion (it doesn't call for onion but we like it so we threw it in and it was so good!)
** We threw all of that in the crock pot to simmer for an hour and a half and it was good to go!! 1 cup = 3 points.  And remember you can add 1/4 cup reduced fat cheese and 1 tbsp of fat free sour cream for an addition 3 points! Seriously, soooo good!!! I hope you all get the chance to try it!!

Well we hope you all are having a fantastic week!! We love and miss you all so so so much!!!

Love,
Nichole, Bruce, and Pudge

Pudge running back with his ball!! :)

Washing the car! :) 

 And washing Pudge :)