They're A Happy Family Now
But It Was a Rough Beginning
Dear Readers, If you’ve been following our Shady Pines stories, you already know the two, four-legged "children" of Harold and Enda Sanders are as different as night and day. But do you know their true origin story—and how they actually ended up living under one roof?
Before getting lost in our small Southern town, Boomerang was growing up out West at the U.B. Good Ranch. He spent much of his time becoming a first-rate herding dog separating and corralling cattle at will. During down time, he hung out in the bunk room with the cowboys. Boomer was such a handsome guy that the men rustled up some cash and entered him in a dog show out East. The ranch foreman was driving him there in his truck when... well Boomer never got there.
Meanwhile far away on the east coast, Halley’s Comet, grew up as a pampered pet in a manicured neighborhood up North. The young daughter of the family loved spending time with the beautiful, silver cat. They were constant companions. Halley enjoyed playing silly games with the girl. As a reward, the youngster fed her feline friend tasty, tuna treats.
The family was on a vacation heading south and, of course, Halley was making the trip with them. Much like what happened with Boomer, Halley became separated from her family. And, just like her soon-to-be sibling rival, Halley found herself alone and lost in Shady Pines.
First Encounters
Harold found Boomer wandering near his Nuts 'N Bolts Hardware Store in downtown on Main Street. Their first encounter involved a ripping sign, a nearly disastrous fall off a ladder, a bark and some licks to the face. A few blocks away on Dogwood Drive, Edna discovered Halley hanging out by the back door of the Sanders' Home. Let's just say that a trip to the recycle bin with a bag full of items nearly tripped up Edna like nobody's business!
And what Happened when Harold and Edna brought the two animals together for the first time later that same day? Well, the face-to- face meeting kinda set the tone for their long term relationship. Was there a problem, you ask? Well, there was a hilarious, high-speed chase right through the aisles of the hardware store with a determined dog racing pell-mell after a nimble, fast cat. Picture this if you will: a certain cat's claws ripping into burlap bird seed bags, tangled garden hoses, falling objects from shelves - and you get the idea.
Checking Out the New Digs
Back at the Sanders home for the first time together, Boomer and Halley had a chance to survey their new home. Those first adventures together also proved to be filled with mishaps.
Anyone who's tried it will tell you that adjusting to a "blended family" is a process filled with laughter, a bit of chaos, and plenty of heart. Boomer and Halley Lost and Found allows us to watch two total opposites figure out how to share a home and gives kids a fun, relatable way to process their own big family changes. With nearly 18 million people in the country now living in a blended family the story has real life application
As with every Boomer and Halley book, this new eBook edition is fun to read together because it has four life lessons embedded in the the storyline with built-in "Stop and Talk" prompts marked with a PAW print on the page. The lessons in this book are:
- Showing Kindness when tempers flare
- Obeying parents (and keeping out of trouble!)
- Respecting property (and take care of each other’s stuff)
- The Importance of Family (However you define it)
Floating prompting questions and a printable bookmark allow for discussion of these soft values any way that makes you comfortable. This approach is part of the Little Lessons. Big Results .trademarked program that is part of the Shady Pines Story Town initiative. The idea is that if you introduce and reinforce important life lessons early in a child's life, it will pay off in better behavior later on.
We're still waiting to see those result in Boomer and Halley!
The eBook edition of our Mom’s Choice Gold Award-winner, Boomer and Halley Lost and Found – Learning to Live in a Blended Family, is available now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble! Go to our Books Page where links to both outlets are available. CLICK HERE
One thing's for sure. These two rascals wound up with wonderful parents. And they now live in a tight knit community that supports them with kindness and caring. It doesn't get much better than that!
What a heartwarming story!
Thank you Tammy!
What fun to review another of your fabulous stories!!!
Thank you Amy!
Shady Pines is always a delightful read. Hopefully all readers take away reminders to share a little kindness.
Thank you Elaine!
Boomer and Halley—to me—are the heart of Shady Pines. Lost and alone, they are taken in by the Sanders and become part of the fabric of love and kindness that is the core of this magical place. I hope many children get to experience Boomer’s and Halley’s journey and, in the process, make better sense of their own lives.
Beautiful sentiment Sheri. Thank you!
As someone navigating a blended family I really appreciate this story
Love the message and the illustrations. Home run
Knowing the “history”
of E/H kids was delightful and
gave me deeper understanding
of these characters. There’s so
many life lessons in your stories
Beginning with a strong loving family as the foundation of a strong
loving future EXCELLENT for all
guiding the lives of young people.
Thank you Jane. That’s a really nice thing to hear!
What an inventive way to show kids about living in a blended family – something so many Americans are doing these days. Good for you
Thank you Glen
Loved finding out how the animals came together. Your stories are so creative and fun for all ages!
Thank you MK
Terrific as usual
Thank you Frank!
I love listening to Boomer and Halley. Their sibling rivalry is so familiar.
Thank you
I know at least three families that are ‘blended.’ They are different and came to their formation in different ways but they are family at the end of the day. This is a really important post
I really like how you make it obvious that no one’s back story is always perfect and happy. But, things seem to work out, no matter what your past has been. Blended families take time and patience, just like Halley and Boomer’s.
Well said Reginia!
Such timely and heart warming stories
Thank you Susan!
What a wonderful story with heart and right on the pulse of where many Americans families themselves
Thanks
Love the story and the artwork, First class site
This is good stuff
Thank you
I have known about these two characters for years. never knew how they came together. What fun
Glad you Liked it!
Such a wonderful site with very important messaging
Thank you
I love the back story on Boomer and Halley. So many families I know are “bended” these days
Thank you!
Ok, first came paperback book, now ebook. Next, I want to see this first encounter in a Saturday morning cartoon! (Do they still have Saturday morning cartoons??). Anyway, thanks again for sharing real life situations in a fun way.
Thank you Sandi!
I love Boomer & Haley’s origin story! I can relate to blended families and what it takes to unify it so it becomes just “family” The way you tie it into real life family situations is so on point!
Thank you Teresa!
This site gives us really good content. Keep it up!
Thank you Jim!
I know so many kids now living in some kind of blended family. This is very timely
Thank you Steven
I love the Boomer and Halley origin story.
Glad you liked it Sharon
I loved hearing the backstories of how these two furry kids came to the Sanders home.
Thank you Barbara!
It’s such a relief to have something nice to read these days. I need to get this book for my grandson
I really look forward to these installments from Shady Pines
So that’s ho they wound up together. Guess I’d better get the book!
Thank you Kelly
i always wondered how Boomer and Halley came into the family! Thank goodness they found a good one!
Indeed they did. Thank you Sharon!
As a grandmother to three adopt d grandchildren, I love how Boomer and Halley show that you do not have to be born into a family to truly be family.
That is so true!
Thank you Joanne