10 Things the Grownup Me Misses

Growing up isn't always all it's cracked up to be. Kids don't know how easy they have it in life. By the time you become a grownup, it's too late to enjoy the freedom, joy and pleasure of being a kid. As a kid, you can hang upside down and act goofy and nobody notices.

If someone had told the little kid me to enjoy the simple pleasures of being a kid, I probably would have laughed at them. We were kids of the '60s who made our own fun with simple objects like this box.

A generation later, my three kids made their own fun with a box. Looking at this photo brings back memories of an era gone by, when kids could be carefree with no worries.

Here are 10 things the grownup me misses about the carefree days of my childhood. Although some of these may still be options, others are off-limits until my back heals completely.

The 10-year-old me loved riding my bike with no hands. The grownup me isn't quite as brave, or foolish if you prefer. This photo was taken before my back injury, but hopefully I'll be back on a bike again soon.

The 10-year-old me loved swinging as high as I could, then jumping out of the swing. The grownup me found this swing hanging from a tree at Percival's Island several years ago. I was thrilled to enjoy swinging, but didn't jump out.

The kid me didn't realize how luck I was to be living with my siblings. My older sister Debbie was my roommate for most of my life. My older brother Butch taught me all of the tomboy tricks I know. I was blessed with seven siblings and I really miss being under the same roof together.

One of the neat things about being a little kid is eating from plates and bowls with cute designs. Eating from my Rudolph plate made every meal fun.

Catching lightning bugs was one of the many things we did late at night. Summer days were endless, but summer nights were even better. We played outside in our yard or neighborhood until late at night.

I wish I had a photo of some of the forts we built in the woods, but I don't. Building forts in the woods was one of the ways kids of the '60s spent their time.

There's a good reason for the fence surrounding the Angel Oak Tree on St. John's Island near Charleston, S.C. Climbing trees was one of my favorite things to do as a kid. This might be the best ever climbing tree.

As kids, we spent endless summer days riding bikes, at the pool or playing outside. We had a tetherball pole, swing sets and basketball goal in the back yard and life was good.

One of the things I didn't know to appreciate as a kid was having no worries about anything, especially money. As a child, I held seven 100-dollar bills when my parents payed off their mortgage. As an adult, having direct deposit means I've rarely held my own 100-dollar bills.

When I saw this necklace, I took a photo of it because it reminded me of the carefree days of childhood. Doing What I Want When I Want If I Want is the motto of toddlers everywhere and I was no different. My Mom told me that she rounded me up from dancing on the dining room table in the middle of the night when I was a toddler.

Although I love the life I live now and love being a wife, mom and grandma, I miss the carefree days of my childhood. Kids have it made, but they just don't realize it until they are grownups.

Until the next time, I'll take what I can get when I can get it and do the best I can to face each day with a smile on my face, a prayer on my lips and a song in my heart.

Blogging Grandma Sandy, signing off for now.