i'd probably start with a nice body. The higher image quality is hard to beat, along with more in-camera options. And unless you want to do a lot of sports photography, or other more specialized work, a good 50mm and a decent zoom are good places to start.

-Dave

Both are important, but I'd have to lean toward the lens for my final answer.

Many a new photographer will jump on a good deal for his first DSLR but is quickly frustrated when his images aren't much better than with the old point-and-shoot. Typical reason: the infamous "kit lens." A jack-of-all-trades but master of none, these inexpensive lenses are often intended to get a new camera buyer up and running as soon as the battery is charged. That's why I always recommend individuals buy an quality, affordable camera body that is going to keep them happy for at least 4-5 years and find a used lens that gets better reviews than the lens packaged in a kit. I tend to trust reviews from kenrockwell.com.

Each component – lens and camera – creates its own limitations, but once a photographer learns to work within those boundaries and becomes comfortable with his or her gear, the fun begins.

Example: my current camera cost me $2500, but I get better action photos with my older digital SLR that cost $1000 less. My $100 lens can do things my $1200 lens cannot, and vice versa. It takes time and research, but learning what each piece contributes to making a good photo goes a long way in the end.

In short, a good body and a good lens can help make a great image. Practice and confidence seal the deal.

Thanks to an old friend for reminding me of this popular, helpful (albeit a bit quirky) YouTube video to answer the Body Vs. Lens question: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk5IMmEDWH4

Define "nice". Your pocketbook may be the deciding factor here. Many of the Canon and Nikon lenses have image stabilization built in which bumps the price considerably.

Based on my own experience, you don't need a body that will break the pocketbook. I suggest you do some comparison shopping, and go from there. Pentax actually has some really good kit lenses to get you started if you wanted to go that way and then get other lenses later on as you practice and experiment.

No indeed it is not impossible.. I use a point and shoot on many occasions and have achieved remarkable pictures. The thing to remember is hold it very still during taking the exposure. This is especially true if you are using a zoom lens on a point and shoot.

Some point and shoot cameras are much better than others so it partially depends on that.

The 18-55mm is a good everyday lens. The 55-250mm is going to be most useful to you in the daytime outdoors – anywhere that there's a lot of light. The funny numbers at the end (i.e. f/4-5.6) refer to the maximum lens aperture. Some call it the lens' "speed," and others bring it up when talking about how soft/blurry you can make the background appear. The smaller the f/ number, the:
1) "faster" the lens (or its ability to take pictures in low light). E.g. f/1.8 is much more suited for low-light situations than f/5.6.
2) softer/more out-of-focus the lens can render the foreground/background.
3) more expensive the lens.

Take your new 55-250 lens to the park and play around with it. Use it to zoom in on things 50-100 ft. away from you and fire away! You'll quickly see what it can do.

After awhile you may discover that you want to use the telephoto zoom all the time, because it can capture a variety of situations and gives you great flexibility, without having to change lenses.

Some good info here: http://digital-photography-school.com/mastering-panning-to-photograph-moving-subjects

Panning can be tricky! The objective is to have the subject sharp, while also achieving a blurred background which enhances the perception of motion. The panning of the camera will take care of the background, therefore the objective is to get a sharp subject. This does not have so much to do with F stop, as it does with focus. With experience you will decide whether "auto" focus or "manual" focus works best for you. This will also depend on the situation - taking a racehorse at full gallop vs a bird in flight - for me I shoot the bird on manual focus.

Ben- yes- two lenses. I thought it was a pretty good deal, but now I'm realizing I have no idea what either lens will be good for.