The countdown is and and vacation is days away. It's going to be....MAGICAL!
It's not that often we get out of town but man oh man, it's definitely time. And what better occasion than to celebrate my 40th birthday!! EEEK!!
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando has been on my bucket list for quite awhile. It was during my senior year of high school when I first read the Harry Potter book series and I've been hooked ever since. I'm a #harrypotternerd and proud of it!
I'll be honest here, leaving home for even a weekend away is difficult for me because I can't just pick and leave on a whim. Not only do I have to plan for my fur kids, but I have to make sure business needs are covered.
1) Pet Sitter Checklist
I'm an over-the-top dog and cat mom and their care and routine is pretty complex. Two of my dogs have a history of fights and my littermate kittens can be a handful, so I don't trust my to pack to just anyone. Abby (my sister!) has been hanging around since she was two and knows my pack really well and knows I have high standards for their care. (It's also why I hired her!) Here's my apology to her for my lengthy notes!!!
The biggest part of my pet checklist before I travel is pet food. They don't eat kibble and their food isn't left out all day for them to graze on. Meal prepping is a must! My cats (Violet, Clementine & Finnegan) normally get fed a mix of canned food (I like Tiki Cat!) and raw, but will be fine with just canned while we're gone. That's the easy part.
My dogs, on the other hand, require a bit more preparation. Rizzo normally gets raw while Sam gets a mix of The Honest Kitchen and Dr. Harveys base mix with cooked turkey or fish. Variety is key for them, which makes it a little more difficult while I'm gone.
My senior dog, Mackie, is as picky as they come. We've recently sampled The Farmer's Dog and she loves it. It's super easy to feed so she'll get that along with freeze-dried raw and whatever else I cook up for her ahead of time. The girl likes her options!
2) Packing Checklist
We're not just going anywhere for vacation...we're going to spend a few days at a major theme park then head to the beach for a few days! I want to make sure we have everything we need to have as much fun as possible. Definitely cannot forget the sunscreen!
We decided to drive to Florida, not only to avoid crowded airports and flight delays, but also to enjoy the flexibility driving offers. We can pack extra, because how often do you travel to Florida in February and don't know what the weather will be like?! Also, we can bring home more goodies...hello HP souvenirs!
3) Business Checklist
Owning my own business is a challenge in and of itself, especially when trying to take time off. Both sitters and clients are used to me being available to respond to questions and concerns when they arise. Making sure my sitters are prepared in my absence is a top priority, so they have the tools to keep clients happy!
There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes...pet sitter schedule, invoices, client follow-up, social media, etc. Luckily, Chrissy has been around for awhile (almost 4 years!) and has learned the ins and outs of scheduling in Time to Pet so she'll have access to it while I'm gone. My team of sitters are self sufficient and can usually guess correctly at the game, What Would Amy Do. (haha)
Yes, I will have my business phone with me and will check in occasionally, only because I'm not the type who likes to be bombarded with everything all at once when I return. But it will stay in the hotel room while we're out enjoying the day!
What's on your travel checklist? I'd love to know!
Stay magical!
Amy
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