The Frozen Tundra Team is Superbowl Bound!

Oh my goodness, I am SO EXCITED that my Packers are GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL!!!!!

The first time I clearly remember sitting on the couch watching a game and really considering myself a Packers fan was the superbowl in 1996! It was the first time I had a heartfelt connection to an NFL team. For the last 14 years, my love for the Packers has only continued to grow. In Oklahoma, I was somewhat of an outcast and got tons of crap from my multitude friends who were Cowboys fans. Now, after 13 years of waiting, we're back in the superbowl!!! While, I always kind of liked being the person people thought of when they thought of the Packers (because I was one of few in Oklahoma), it is so much fun to be in Wisconsin during this exciting time. And even better, we beat the Bears to get here!

My favorite Packers memory ever and one of the best weekends ever - going to a Packers game with my dad my freshman year of college... I think I need to see Rodgers play now haha

Also, it has been freezing here. Like brrrrrrrrrrr cold. It's actually not too bad when you're all bundled up (which I always am). My body never feels cold but you still walk outside to immediate eye watering and cold inhalations. The cool part though - I saw the prettiest snow I've ever seen the other night. I was walking outside downtown right by the capitol and it was sparkling unlike I've ever seen snow sparkle. It was beautiful.
Yep, no ice here in Wisconsin just fluffy, sparkly snow!

Xoxo.

My Dearest Dimwit Was In Town...

So, guess who came to visit me ...my wonderful, amazing, beautiful sister!!

Her thoughts on Madison ...I like the people here and It's cold - I can't wait to come back during the summer haha

It was so much fun to have someone to explore the city with.

We ate LOTS of food - pizza, Chinese, lots of brewery/pub food, ice cream, donuts, brunch!!!

We drove around and explored and of course, checked out all the shopping in Madison!

I had a blast!!!!

Xoxo,
Danielle

In the Middle of an Amazing 4 weeks...

Hello All!

My New Year's resolution should be to update my blog more and take more pictures. I think I will try that. I don't have a New Year's resolution - any suggestions?

Why am I in the middle of an amazing four weeks???

The last two weeks were amazing because...

• #1 - Lots of time with family and the boyfriend!!
• Christmas 
• Feeling grateful to have so many generous people in my life - I always feel so blessed on Christmas - I receive way too many presents
• Oklahoma for the first time in four months
• New Years and football watching in Iowa
• OU finally breaking their bowl losing streak

The next two weeks will be amazing because...

• My birthday - and yes, we're going out on the wonderful town of Madison tonight!
• MY SISTER IS GOING TO BE IN MADISON!
• MY BOYFRIEND IS GOING TO BE IN MADISON!
• Snow
• Back in a routine

Therefore, I am right in the middle of lots of amazing time with lots of amazing people!

I am so extremely excited to spend some time tonight with my Madison friends (lab mates, roommate, Kely, etc.)!
I am so grateful that two of my favorite people - my sister and my boyfriend - are coming to visit me and I cannot wait to show them Madison and spend some time with them!

Pictures to come...

Xoxo,
Danielle

Madison = Winter Wonderland

Hello. Hello.

I am so sorry it has been so long. I just feel like I haven't had that much to tell, but here we go.

I am immersed in a winter wonderland and I love it!! It has officially snowed twice and we apparently have an 8-incher snow coming Saturday. And when I say it has snowed, that means at least 3 inches each time. I have not seen the bare ground in over a week, am planning on it being that way til March, and am not complaining one bit. It's beautiful, powdery snow :)
--I promise to post pictures this weekend.

Thanksgiving = amazing. TONS of incredibly good food. LOTS and LOTS of family. And a big bedlam party in Iowa (on my grandparents new TV - Merry Christmas). I believe most of our out-of-state family are now crimson and cream followers (after the Iowa Hawkeyes, of course). *BOOMER SOONER*

Here is a picture of all the grandkids present making silly faces. I adore my cousins.

Xoxo.

P.S. I definitely do not miss undergraduate finals weeks at all haha

My Research

Hello everyone,

I went to California last weekend and had the most amazing time ever! We explored some Stanford landmarks:

This is called The Gates of Hell, and was sculpted by Rodin, himself. Stanford has a huge collection of his works. This was a very unsettling piece, especially considering we were there alone at night. The shadows of Adam and Eve on the wall make it even more so.

This is one of the older buildings and is a residence hall. Why take a picture with this building? Because President Herbert Hoover and even cooler, Mr. John Steinbeck both lived in this dorm while students at Stanford.

I was also very very excited to see family a few weeks ago even if for a sad occassion. I can't wait for Thanksgiving!

Other than that, not much is new here. I've just been working in the lab a lot. Since it's kind of consuming my life, I thought I might tell you briefly what my research and next few years will be all about. I give you full permission to skip over the next paragraph if you do not want a science overflow...
All actions in your cells are a result of signaling pathways. A signaling pathway consists of some factor that uniquely binds to a type of protein on the cell known as a receptor. The receptor is then activated, which can activate some other protein, which activates another one, etc. etc. until a cell response happens - cell growth, cell death, etc. I am studying a certain cellular pathway in ovarian cancer cells. I am trying to figure out which of these factors are present, which receptors they bind to, what happens next and how different pathways may be connected. Understanding this could help us formulate drugs that will better target ovarian cancer tumors and stop these pathways that cause the cancer cells to grow.

I think that's enough science for today. Miss you all.

Xoxo,
Danielle