Shortly after we moved to Maine, Michael and I, bright-eyed and eager at 22 years old, wrote our first 30 by 30 list. We’ve revisited the list twice in the eight years since we made it, because plain and simple, when you’re 22, you don’t know what life will look like when you’re 30. As our priorities have changed, we’ve realized that things like spending more time with Orvis or traveling to new places were of a greater priority to us and our relationship than some of the other, more material items on our earlier lists. That being said, we’ve left a few gems indicative of our younger selves – like “own a Kitchenaid mixer” – just for a few smiles.

We’ve mentioned our 30 by 30 list on the site in the past, and we thought that since 2016 is the year we both turn 30, we should finally share our list on Map & Menu. If anything, it will hold us a bit more accountable, right? We’re cheating just a bit and giving ourselves until we’re no longer 30 to tie up any loose ends, and boy, are there more than a few. I guess we’ll have a busy year!

Meredith & Michael’s 30 by 30

1. Own a house April 2010
2. Plant a garden July 2009
3. Buy a Kitchenaid mixer November 2008
4. Visit the Pacific Northwest August 2011
5. Buy new cars September 2010
6. Establish a workout routine Ongoing
7. Visit the White Mountains with Orvis September 2008
8. Paddle to Richmond Island Summer 2013
9. Go surfing
10. Practice a foreign language
11. Go on a ski trip January 2016
12. Update our kitchen November 2014
13. Attend a cooking course
14. Extend the patio November 2012
15. Catch a game at Fenway July 2016
16. Invest in good furniture Ongoing
17. Plant a tree April 2013
18. Plan a joint 30th birthday trip Carmel + Big Sur in April 2016
19. Go sailing in Casco Bay together August 2016
20. Visit Nantucket
21. Visit Canada with Orvis  October 2017
22. Spend a night in all six New England states (New Hampshire is left!)
23. Make an Orvis photo album
24. Return to Europe France in 2012 + Scotland in 2014
25. Take Orvis to Bald Head Island February 2015
26. Visit a wine region Sonoma in 2013
27. Run the Beach to Beacon 2010, 2013, 2015
28. Visit museums in new cities Ongoing
29. Own works of original art Ongoing
30. Get married November 2014

#1. Own a house

#4. Visit the Pacific Northwest

#11. Go on a ski trip

#12. Update our kitchen

#15. Catch a game at Fenway

#18. Plan a joint 30th Birthday trip

#19. Go sailing in Casco Bay together

#21. Visit Canada with Orvis

#22. Spend a night in Massachusetts

#22. Spend a night in Rhode Island

#22. Spend a night in Vermont

22. Spend a night in Connecticut

#24. Return to Europe

#24. Return to Europe

#25. Take Orvis to Bald Head Island

#26. Visit a wine region

#28. Visit museums in new cities

#29. Own works of original art

#30. Get married

Photos of us by the immensely talented Graham Terhune (top) & Sarah Der (bottom wedding photo).