MINUTES WITH A MARVEL: Allison Vidourek

When time is scarce, I'd rather tell a bit about a brilliant woman than miss an opportunity to share an inspiring story. So, I've been peppering some wonderful women with four simple questions in the hopes that the answers are immediate and effortless (of course I'd love to sit down and interview but that's not always in the cards!). MINUTES WITH A MARVEL is meant to briefly highlight an outstanding lady and share her quick responses to meaningful questions that might inspire you or at least get you thinking...

The questions:
1) Where do you get your energy/what motivates you?
2) Who (other women) inspires you? Or are there any specific social media feeds that inspire you?
3) Pie-in-the-sky dream or ambition?
4) Go-to recipe

Today's MARVEL is Allison Vidourek. 

When you’ve known someone almost 20 years, you’re bound to witness some transformation. But I never could have imagined watching my dear friend Allison ride such a roller coaster of big life events with such grace, maturity, and courage. She stepped out of her comfort zone on more than one occasion to lead her household while her husband deployed, and she’s challenged herself professionally to grow from a critical care nurse to a clinical educator for a medical device company…all while working crazy hours around her daughters’ schedules, ensuring her role as mom be the most important. So, if you find yourself climbing a mountain when all you envisioned was life among the wildflowers, know that no matter your dreams, they are within reach, and that there’s a season and reason for everything. Life truly begins at the end of your comfort zone. 

1) WHERE DO YOU FIND YOUR ENERGY?

“I get my energy from my family and friends. They are always inspiring me to grow and improve as a wife, mom, co-worker, and friend. My husband and kids are who inspire me every day to bring all that I have to share with them. I want the raise independent, smart, and kind girls, and at the end of the day, I’m OK with being exhausted if I know they are turning out to be good people and that my husband knows I love him.”

Allison + her girls (Naomi & Nora) + her sister, Ashley.

2) OTHER WOMEN WHO INSPIRE YOU?

Other women that inspire me are moms who are raising kids and building their own businesses and/or careers, as well as stay at home moms. Each role is equally important and challenging.  

“My sister Ashley, has always been a huge inspiration for me.  She recently took a huge leap and followed a passion and is living an inspired life in wine country.

“My favorite social media feeds are currently the Modern Proper and Dishing up the Dirt.  They both have the most amazing recipes and style, and are Northwest locals, so I always love seeing places that they recommend.”

  

3) PIE-IN-THE-SKY DREAM OR AMBITION? 

“My pie-in-the-sky dream is to leave the bedside as a nurse and figure out how to get pet therapy for healthcare workers everywhere. Dogs are the best! J”

4) GO-TO RECIPE?

“Go-to recipe would have to be my version of the Pioneer Woman’s sloppy joes.  I always use elk or deer met though, so much leaner—simple and makes great leftovers for lunch. I also love making soup but couldn't name a favorite.”

Dream big, dream small...and believe YOLO

Crazy. Gnarly. Intense. These are all words that describe Leslee (Olson) Schader as a competitor...and as a mother, friend, and pretty much any other hat she wears. 

I don't like to insert myself into these stories, but to truly tell Leslee's story, I feel I must. 

When I first met Les, I thought she must be training for something the way she was pushing herself, running sprints on a stairclimber (yes, you read that correctly). But she was just fitting in a typical workout. At 4:30 in the morning. On a random weekday.

That's partly a lie. I really met Leslee for the first time in a grocery store when I was with my mom. At the time, I was in college, and my mom kept telling me over the phone about her new friend at the gym. She'd met Leslee in spin class, and she instantly knew she was an athlete because of her fit build. My mom chats with everyone (a trait she, Leslee, and I all have in common), and after several conversations post-class with Leslee, my mom learned Les had been a professional snowboarder. "She even won gold medals in the X Games," according to my mom.

I figured my mom had gotten the facts wrong and responded with something like, "Sure, Mom, your new 'friend' at the gym won the X Games," complete with air quotes and eye-rolls invisible to her on the other line. Then, I happened to be home from college, and my mom and I bumped into Leslee at the store. I felt an instant connection with her, which is a general reaction for just about anybody after meeting Les, and I knew we were going to be friends. She had just come from the gym (imagine that!), and she was heading home to study. 

Leslee + her friends/Chorus co-owners.

Leslee was in her late 20s, newly-ish married, and finishing nursing school while working at Starbucks. I was a handful of years younger and immediately admired Leslee for her athleticism, zest for life, and her ability to infuse her faith in God into just about anything. I couldn't wait to get together for killer workout sessions (even those early, early in the morning) and for inspiration and encouragement on setting my own path in life. Because the story my mom told me was completely accurate--Leslee really did win gold medals in the X Games and jumped out of helicopters on her snowboard. But those formal accolades hardly hold a candle to all that she's achieved, along with the blinding light she shines for all who come in contact with her daily.

Growing up in Bend, Oregon, Leslee was a trailblazer for females in the sport of snowboarding. She started to snowboard when she was 9, entered (and won) her first competition at age 11, and turned pro at 17. Her accomplishments are endless: She took first in the Winter X Games BoarderCross on more than one occasion, was the Female BoarderCross Rider of the Year, started a women's snowboarding company (Chorus) at age 22, and made her virtual debut as just one of two female athletes featured in a PlayStation 2 snowboarding video game...just to name a few of the pages of awards on her resume. And while most snowboarders specialize in either the halfpipe or racing, Leslee mastered both.

"I just never gave up," she said. "I'd practice, practice, practice, and then crash, crash, crash."

Leslee + son, Barron, and daughter, Andee.

Although some naysayers scoffed when she chose the path of professional athletics over college, Les proved those doubters wrong when she completed her degree in nursing, with dreams of opening her own nursing home, after her illustrious snowboarding career came to a close. Fast-forward more than 10 years later, and Leslee is a mom of two and a cardiac nurse. After working the night shift while her kids were babies, she now works just a few nights a month so she can be at the ready for volunteering, coaching, and inviting the entire elementary school over to her house to celebrate the end of school. Not kidding.

"People are like, 'You're crazy,' but I feel like it's my calling right now, and I'd rather have the kids' friends here so I can see how they are and make a difference in those kids' lives," Leslee said.

Leslee still dreams of someday opening a nursing home or doing some sort of in-home health care, but presently, she focuses her attention first and foremost on her family with whom she infuses her loves of service and sports. 

"My kids are my priority," she said. "I try to do things along with my kids, like skateboard to school with them, or go to the BMX park with them. I just try to expose them and encourage them to believe in themselves. Kids are so much stronger than you think they are...let them do things they're capable of doing. I snowboard with them as much as I can. Troy [Leslee's husband] does Ninja Warrior with them." 

While she dreamed big (and achieved big) with snowboarding, Leslee also believes in the power of dreaming small, focusing on doing the little things for others. 

"Everyday things matter. I have my kids talk to people at the grocery store or telling them they can make a difference at school by talking to people who don't get talked to. Write a note. Pull the neighbors' garbages in. I like to be helpful, and I love people. I want to pay it forward to other moms and love on their kids." 

Along with devoting a lot of time to her kids' elementary school, including wearing the mascot suit for the annual jog-a-thon, Leslee is starting a Moms in Prayer group for the school and also volunteers for Meals on Wheels. 

"I'm always busy doing something," she said.  

Her pro snowboarding days might be long gone, but Leslee's still pushing herself to the extreme, whether it's crushing workouts at dawn (yep, she still gets after it and out of the gym before most people hit the snooze button) or having 16 kids over for a random playdate (complete with the Schader family's bouncy house). With God as her guiding light and embodying the expression "you only live once," nothing's out of reach or too much to handle for Leslee.

IN HER WORDS

Advice for dream seekers:

"Don't give up, believe in yourself...if you work hard enough for anything then anything is possible. I was just a practicer and a worker and never gave up. Preparation. Work really hard."

Other females who inspire you:

"Moms in general...because parenting is so stinking hard. [My best friend] Shannon Dunn-Downing in snowboarding--she's still so inspiring with [her efforts with] Moms in Prayer. She's a really good mom, and she's been my role model. I'm always learning from her. 

"Other athletes out there pushing themselves...all the snowboarders now. I thought what we were doing was gnarly, but now it's like next level. 

"Instagram fitness people who are doing crazy things. So inspiring.

"Kelly Clark inspires me. So many gold medals and just loves Jesus. She's a light in a dark world. Kelly wrote a book last year called Inspired: Pursuit of Progress. So good." 

Favorite kitchen utensil/appliance:

"Vitamix--I use it every day--and my juicer. Also the barbecue."

Favorite style of cooking:

"Simple: Veg, meat--ooh, roasted veggie and some type of meat on the barbecue or tacos. We do salmon every week. Just basic."

Can't live without ingredient:

"Eggs, avocados, coffee...and Coffee-Mate!"

Go-to recipe:

"Salmon in tin foil on the barbie or broccoli and Brussels sprouts roasted with balsamic." (Check back for a quick tutorial of Leslee's roasted veggies.)

Follow Leslee: @lesleeo78