A Fun Krewe of Highland Parade Experience for All [PHOTOS]

You're likely seeing photos all over social media sites from Sunday's Krewe of Highland parade, and it looks like a fun time was had by all.

Everyone I know has been raving about how much bigger the parade was this year, both in number of participants in the parade to crowds of people who came out to watch it. People keep talking about all the unusual items they snagged, from hot dogs to Moon Pies to stuffed animals to toys and candy.

My 7-year-old daughter and I were there for all the excitement. This was only our second-ever Highland parade experience, and we were much better prepared for this one. We brought our chairs and picnic blanket, snacks and drinks, and a little cash for whatever we might need to pick up on the way to the parade.

We chose a perfect spot...Kings and Highland, right near the corner where Highland Table is. Fortunately for us, the business had people outside selling beverages and food, so we grabbed a couple of hot dogs for lunch.

It could not have been a more perfect day for parading! The sun was out, there was a nice, cool breeze, and the best part...NO RAIN! That was our biggest issue with the last Highland parade we attended. The festivities got bumped up an hour because of nasty weather that was headed our way, but we still didn't escape it.

Things were great to start, but by the end of the parade, we were soaked and chilled to the bone. We had to walk back to our parking spot in the rain, carrying as much as we could in our arms. Thank heaven for the nice lady at our church, who helped us get everything to the car.

This past Sunday's parade did get bumped up an hour, but not because of bad weather. Krewe members wanted to make sure everyone got back home in time to watch the Super Bowl.

My little one, in her pretty, purple 'Mardi Gras princess' dress, jumped up and down waving her arms, yelled, screamed, danced...and had an absolute blast! I might have missed out on catching Moon Pies and hot dogs, but seeing her enjoying herself like she was made the whole experience worthwhile -- even the trip back to the car with two folding chairs, a heavy backback full of goodies, and a lunch box.

By the time we got home, we were exhausted...but it was worth it. I hope you had as much fun as we did. Happy Fat Tuesday, everyone! Take a look at photos from our Highland experience: