The School Holidays are almost here, kicking off from July 6 and running for two fun-filled weeks until July 17. Do you have a plan to keep your kids entertained?

Or have you started pulling your hair out already with the very thought of winter holidays?

Have no fear, NZS.com is here. There are loads of things you can do to keep your kids occupied during the school holiday period.

If your kids are younger, you can do fun indoor activities like furniture obstacle courses, musical chairs and scrapbooking. Need to get out of the house? If you strike a fine day, how about a trip to the local wildlife park, or check out one of the great holiday movies at the local cinema. For more ideas, check out our other school holiday entertainment tips.

And don’t forget to treat yourself to a babysitter during the school holidays, you are sure to need a break yourself!

One lucky person who shopped at Trafalgar Lotto in Wanganui has won the largest prize to date from the NZ Lotteries Commission and is the Big Wednesday Winner of a 1st Division prize of $36,193,461 as well as the 2nd Division prize of $696,795.

You can see full details of the Big Wednesday draw winners here:  Draw #192, 24th June 2009

The winning numbers of each weeks draws are available through the Big Wednesday Results page.

Congratulations to the winner!

It’s an exciting week for many who regularly buy lottery tickets as the maximum Big Wednesday draw must be hit this week. You’ll be able to see the Big Wednesday Results on the NZS.com New Zealand Lotto pages following the draw.

Last week (Draw #191) was the final week where the jackpot could have gone before it reached its maximum allowed level of $30 million. There was no 1st Division winner, so the jackpot rolled over to a “must go”.

On the MyLotto.co.nz website the must win jackpot work is described as follows;

If the cash prize component of the prize reaches $30 million and there is no First Division winner, Big Wednesday must be won, therefore the First Division prize is added to the next lowest prize division which has one or more winning tickets.

Good luck if you’re buying a ticket and if you’re a keen fan of the games, you can bookmark the New Zealand Lotto pages or read more about the History of Lotto on NZS.com.

Caught the ski-bunny bug? Now the slopes are open for the season skiers and snowboarders from all over New Zealand and abroad are booking time out in their diaries to take to the mountains.

It may be getting a tad cool to take to the countryside for campervan holidays, but winter doesn’t mean you still can’t get out and experience the majestic beauty of New Zealand’s great outdoors.

Whether you’re a novice or old-hand, taking a skiing holiday over the winter is a great recreational option given the range of fantastic New Zealand ski destinations.

If you decide to ski in the North Island check out Mt Ruapehu, located in the Tongoriro National Park. Just four hours drive from Auckland you’ll pass through some of the world’s most spectacular scenery on the way.

In the South Island the choice is fantastic. If you want to enjoy a true New Zealand holiday in winter, try your hand skiing or snowboarding at Mt Hutt. The Arthurs Pass region and Hanmer Springs have several smaller ski fields which are great for day trips.

Queenstown is of course New Zealand’s premier skiing destination.

Surrounded by spectacular alpine scenery, there are four major ski resorts and several minor ones in the Queenstown and Wanaka region. The most famous of these and the closest to Queenstown’s accommodation is Coronet Peak, which recently underwent a multi-million dollar face lift and is only twenty minutes drive from the center of Queenstown along a sealed road.

The Remarkables are about 45 minutes drive, and Cardrona is situated further into the range. Cardrona has the highest snowfall in the region and is the only south island ski resort with on snow accommodation. Treble Cone is closer to Wanaka, is the largest ski resort in area in the South Island and has the highest vertical drop.

It does pay to remember that most ski and snowboarding fields in New Zealand do not have their own accommodation, so you’ll need to find somewhere nearby if you plan on staying overnight. Get in touch with a travel advice expert to ensure you get the best deal and advice in planning your skiing adventure.

Warm up your winter with a skiing adventure and find travel information and tips in the NZS.com directory.

The 2009 Super 14 competition has finally come to an end, with the Bulls beating out the Chiefs a whopping 61-17 in Pretoria over the weekend (May 31).

In a fast-paced final game the home team used its advantage to run in eight tries to two by the Chiefs who, despite scoring first, met a disappointing end at the hands of a side who had dominated throughout the competition.

The Bulls had made it to the top of the table going into the semi finals, with10 games won and only 3 lost after 14 weeks of game play. They beat the Crusaders 36-23 in their semi-final match on May 24.

For more detailed information from throughout the season, check out the Super 14 results and standings articles on NZS.com.

Latest super 14 results from this weekend’s competition (week 13, May 8- 10):

• Crusaders beat the Reds; 32-12
• Lions beat the Highlanders; 27-22
• Chiefs beat the Hurricanes; 16-8
• Brumbies beat the Blues; 37-15
• Sharks lost to the Waratahs; 12-16
• Bulls beat the Cheetahs; 29-20
• Stormers beat the W Force; 25-24

For more detailed information, check out the Super 14 results page on NZS.com. Also be sure to check out the Super 14 standings to find out which team is on top, and stay tuned to the blog for the latest results every Monday throughout the season.

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, so make your Mum feel extra special this year with the best gift you can give.
Yes, it may be cheesy, but the gift of time will truly be the most valuable gift you can lavish on your Mum this year.
There are endless options when it comes to spoiling mums with flowers, lavish meals, pamper packages and gifts, but as long as you schedule some time out with your Mum on May 9 she’ll be delighted.
If the weather permits, why not try celebrating Mother’s Day with a special picnic with all the trimmings at the local botanical gardens or park?
Or organise a day of cinematic fun at home, watching a selection of her favourite chick flicks from the comfort of the living room with a bag of hot popcorn at the ready. If you’re unsure which films to choose from, have a look at our tried and trusted ideas for Mother’s Day DVDs to get you started.
If you want to add a little something extra to make the day all the more special, you don’t have to spend huge amounts of money. Just remember the perfect gifts for Mother’s Day are always personalised, and as unique as your special Mum.

Your mum is a special lady - so don’t forget Mother’s Day coming up on May 9 this year. Dedicate your whole day to your mum, making sure she doesn’t lift a finger herself.

Planning a day just for mum can be as fun-filled or laid back as you like. Whether it is breakfast in bed, brunch and flowers, or a ride in a hot air balloon, mum will appreciate any effort if it comes from the heart. Check out our guide to celebrating mother’s day in New Zealand.

While you’ve got some time to prepare, make a card for Mother’s Day, using a Mother’s Day poem. It’s a simple, heartfelt way to show mum you love her with your words.

With the first official month of autumn coming in this weekend, it’s time to start thinking about activities for the colder months. With the balmy temperatures around the country we’ve enjoyed throughout the summer in New Zealand, most of us probably got out to the beach or pool for a dip, and don’t yet want to pack up for the year. Not ready to curl up in layers of clothing just yet?

Your togs haven’t finished their run of the season - in fact you can keep them on all winter by going to a thermal pools facility! New Zealand has over 100 natural thermal hot pools around the country, some 35 of them commercially operated. They’re a great place for the whole family; kids can have fun on slides and rock pools while parents relax in adult-only pools and use the day spa facilities. Perfect on cold days, find a hot pool and health spa near you from the NZS.com directory and warm your bones for the day!

With tertiary education campuses about to fill up in the next two weeks with the start of the university and NZ polytech year, student antics will next week kick off the first semester with the biggest event of the year, Orientation 2009!

Organised by Student’s Associations around the country, tertiary students are privy to a week of challenges, concerts, promotions, pub crawls and the dreaded infliction of Fresher traditions by older students onto First Years.

Before the educational programmes begin and young Kiwis are forced to knuckle down for two semesters of late night studying and nerve-racking examination periods, Orientation is a great time for both new and returning students to get into the spirit and enjoy their last week of stress-free living for 2009.

Image from Flickr.