For nearly all of their married life, the couple has been raising children.

“We became empty nesters.

She described the experience as “brutally painful.”

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos smiling

“you’re able to never be ready,” Ripa said.

“We’ve done it before, but the other two stayed in New York.”

“The two of us and the dogs staring at each other, like ‘Well, now what?’

Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa with their children Joaquin Michael, and Lola

" says Ripa (viaPeople).

We sat there with this inordinate amount of food, neither one of us hungry at all.”

Ripa admits the first 48 hours were tough, but they then found a new and exciting normal.

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos embracing on beach

The couple quickly settled into going on adventures together.

“We went on hikes, we went rock-climbing which was scary, but we did it.”