This column is for all the dads out there.
Well, really it's for the moms - but since Mother's Day is coming up, we're going to rely on the partners and husbands out there to remember to mark the day in special fashion.
I've found a few fun things to do to mark the day for the special mother figure in your life - whether she's your mom, your foster mom, your grandma, your godmother or a wonderful friend.
First off, don't forget some of the offerings from the City of New Westminster.
There are a couple of events in the spring Active Living Guide that caught my eye.
You can't go wrong with a special Mother's Day Tea being served up in the Grandmother's Room at Irving House.
You can enjoy tea and refreshments, then join costumed guides for a guided tour of the home of Elizabeth Irving, one of the city's pioneer mothers.
There are eight seatings for tea altogether: four on Saturday, May 10 and four on Sunday, May 11.
Each seating can accommodate six guests, and seatings are available at noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Individuals can sign up for the 3 p.m. seating on Saturday.
It's $17 for an individual or $102.10 for six people.
Call Irving House at 604-527-4640 for details or registration.
On Sunday, May 11, dads and kids are invited to take part in a special cooking session. The kids and dads create a hand-crafted Mother's Day brunch that includes a main entrée, salad and dessert - then moms join in the class at 12:15 p.m. to be served the meal.
The fun runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Queensborough Community Centre, and the registration fee is $24. Call the community centre at 604-525-7388.
You can also check out the Active Living Guide online at www.newwestpcr.ca to register online or find other programs of interest.
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Once you've mastered the art of cooking together, why not put your skills to good use?
Here's a fun one that came to my attention on Twitter (thanks, Jen Arbo!).
B.C. families are being invited to take part in The Hands-On Cook-off Contest, which challenges families, friends and relatives to join in groups of two or more and create a home video cooking show - in three minutes or less.
The contest is open until May 15.
It's being put together by Better Together, which promotes the joys of cooking and eating together.
Check out all the details about the contest.
Incidentally, the site also has some other great information about cooking with kids - there's a whole section devoted to kid-friendly recipes. (I'm definitely bookmarking the veggie and cheese muffins and the salsa bread.)
There are also lots of tips, answers to parents' questions and links to other resources about family eating and cooking. Check it out - and start making that video!
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Why not treat mom to some Mother's Day music?
The New Westminster Symphony Orchestra is once again offering up its traditional Mother's Day concert.
The concert is set for Sunday, May 11 at 2 p.m. at the Massey Theatre.
The orchestra's website notes that featured works include Mozart's Overture to Ideomeneo, Dvorak's Symphony No. 8 in G major, and Dvorak's Cello Concerto, with cello soloist Tate Zawadiuk.
The Massey Theatre is at 735 Eighth Ave.
Check out www.nwso.ca for more details.
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This one's not specific to Mother's Day, but it's definitely something that moms (or dads) and kids can enjoy together.
There's a new Yoga for Kids class being offered at Downtown New West Yoga Fitness and Meditation - aimed at the three- to five-year-old crowd.
It runs on five Mondays from May 5 to June 2, and it costs $52.50. That price includes one parent and two children.
Check out www.downtownnewwestyfm.perfectmind.com for information about the class offerings, or register for the Kids Yoga directly.
Thanks to Melinda Michael (who helped to organize the class) for bringing it to my attention.
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And, of course, what would Mother's Day be without taking mom out for some food?
Why not treat mom to a special brunch or dinner at your favourite local eatery?
Not sure where to go? Check out the past Family Ties column that featured kid-friendly eats in New West.
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Got any Mother's Day ideas of your own? If you know of any events happening in the city or places that we should all take our moms, then let me know - shoot me an email at [email protected], or find me on Twitter, @juliemaclellan.
