Howdy, y’all!
We’ve been at this whole blogging thing for a few months now, so it feels about time to offer a proper introduction of ourselves. Sure, you can check out our little bios on the website, but those are a far cry from thorough.
Don’t you fret; we’re not going to give you our life’s story–we’re pretty private folk and ain’t nobody got time for that anyhow.
Instead, we’ll keep things brief by giving you a little background on us as individuals and as a couple. Consider it the welcome mat to our lives. So, brush your boots off, make yourself comfortable, and stay awhile, why don’t you?
Things to know:
As we build our little community of adventurers, explorers, and full-time travelers, we want to take a moment to introduce ourselves on a deeper level, say howdy, and connect with all of you (the best we can on the internet).
Hey there, we’re the Woods
Hey, that’s us! This photo is from our self-shot engagement session on the Oregon coast.
A little bit about Riley
Riley is the curly-headed, red-bearded (though he mostly sports a mustache these days) leader of this ragtag bunch called the Woods.
Born in central Florida horse country and raised in a rural-turned-small-town-turned-big-town setting, he’s got a strange mix of good old American grit and civilized learning. For context, he grew up with a pet cow and went to graduate school for poetry–so, yeah.
Growing up, he was a bit of a sports star, excelling on the football field and (especially) the basketball court. While he remains active and passionate about fitness to this day, he had to fight to reclaim his physical health after falling ill as a kid.
In elementary and middle school, Riley battled an inflammatory disease that led to years of doctor visits and hospital stays. He was poked and prodded, ultimately undergoing a couple of major surgeries to give him a fighting chance.
Today, he’s healthy as an ox–talk about a comeback story.
Photo courtesy of Tori from Come to Bliss.
After his ordeal, Riley turned more to creative and intellectual endeavors. He started writing creatively and got heavily involved with a charity to help kids in similar positions to his own (you can check this out by clicking “Help the Kids” on our website).
From there, life was pretty straightforward. Finish high school, go to college, and then head off to grad school in Montana–a huge change that only deepened a love of adventure and travel for a lifelong Florida boy.
Now, Riley works full-time for our business, Boundless Copy, goes to the gym consistently, and still makes time for creative ventures like photography and writing!
Hanna’s hello
Born in Texas to a military man and his bride, Hanna moved around as a child before her family settled down in (you guessed it) central Florida.
A spunky young thing with an affinity for newsboy hats, Hanna thrived in her new home as she grew. You could find her outdoors at any given time, running around endlessly in the Florida sun.
As she entered her middle and high school years, her love of physical activity evolved into a passion for volleyball. Soon, she was leading her high school and travel teams to victory, and her hard work showed in the form of scholarship offers to play for smaller colleges in the state.
Hanna was no slouch in the classroom, either, excelling in academics despite her busy schedule. Ultimately, she chose to attend the University of Florida, exchanging her volleyball dreams for a spot in the prestigious journalism program (and a role on UF’s club volleyball team).
Hanna on Orcas Island off the coast of Washington.
While she did intern and work at several major Florida papers upon graduation–including the Orlando Sentinel and Tampa Bay Times–she quickly discovered her passion was in storytelling, not in breaking news.
So, she made a change and pursued her own path by founding Boundless Copy–the business we both work for today.
It is Hanna’s adventurous, ambitious spirit that drives us forward toward new experiences. Whether it’s conquering a bucket list hike or launching a new educational course, she has a fearless, go-get-’em attitude that is simply contagious.
Chowder’s story (the moment you’ve all been waiting for)
The most charismatic member of our little crew is Chowder, our Springer Spaniel. As sweet as he is floppy, Chowder came to us by chance one day.
We had talked about getting a dog–actually, Riley promised Hanna before we got married that we could eventually have a pup–but we weren’t actively looking for one.
On one of our many trips to western North Carolina, Riley and our friend Mike were out on a hike (Hanna was feeling under the weather and stayed back to rest). Lo and behold, there’s Chowder at the trailhead, full sploot in the dirt.
The photo Riley sent to Hanna from the trailhead.
He was with a family of four who were visiting the area from Florida, of all places. Chowder was the last of his litter, and the people who were supposed to adopt him had backed out at the last minute.
Naturally, Riley took this as a sign and exchanged phone numbers with the strangers at the trailhead. A few months later, we reconnected with them at a restaurant in Florida and left with our floppy new family member.
Chowder is an unusual Springer Spaniel. He’s laid back and mellow–not high-strung like many of his counterparts. He’s never met a person (or dog) he doesn’t like, is great with kids, and is as far from being an alpha as possible.
Most of all, he’s loyal to a fault. He is obsessed with Hanna, and when she’s not around, Riley will do. He’s the type of dog you could set loose outside, and he’d just sit there staring at you.
While he does have some downsides–he sheds, smells, and makes horrendous mouth sounds–he’s about as good a furry friend as you could ask for!
From our family to yours
We hope this little introduction helps you feel like you know us a touch better. While we’re relatively private people, sharing these glimpses of who we are with you is our way of rolling out the welcome mat and inviting you into our community.
We’ll definitely be sharing more insights with you in the coming months, but feel free to drop a comment below with any questions you might have. We’d love to connect with you and get to know you better, as well.
Another exceptional photo by Tori.