T3i, 18-55mm, 55-250mm: Will This Package Be Good For Me?

Hi all,

I used to hang out quite a bit here, years ago, with my Sony F717 Things have changed in life and health, and I find myself wanting more in a camera. I am thinking of acting like a fool and buying, on Black Friday, a package deal with a T3i, 18-55mm lens, and a 55-250mm lens. However, this will be my first dslr and I need some help with making sure this is right for me. I don't have a ton of time for research, as Black Friday approaches quickly

I love to do macros, and I take a lot of pictures of birds and wildlife that show up outside my window, on my many feeders. I would love to take nice looking photos of myself and my husband for portraits, and of other family members. Photos will be for my own enjoyment and for family. I do like sharp, detailed, close-up photos of the wildlife. I know taking it through window glass is rather tough but it's a necessity now. I have not done too poorly with my F717. I just find it lacking in shutter speed, focus speed, etc. By the time I focus and press a remote shutter release and it takes the picture, the bird is gone. I have purchased a zoom lens for the F717, but though it does get close enough most times (well, when is it ever "to close"?), since the birds land no further than 20ft away from my window, the details and sharpness are lacking. I would like to print the photos at least 8x10 and preferably 13x19 if I can.

Would the 55-250mm fill the frame with a bird 20ft away and be nicely detailed? What other lenses should I be looking at? How close do I have to be for something like:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27305749@N08/4281471704/lightbox/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/swaheel/3637563817/sizes/z/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mothernaturephotos/4632455941/lightbox/

The above are not my photos, but these are the types I photos I enjoy taking. Below are some I have taken through my window. They look decent at this size, but I feel I can't print them very large, or maybe I just didn't know what I was doing. It's been years since I took these.

This was taken with my F717, squirrel was about 4 ft away on other side of kitchen window. No extra lens.

This feeder was stuck right to my window. I can't remember if I used a tele here. I don't think I did. I remember having to stick the lens right on the window or I would get a reflection of a circle right on the bird, lol.

Same feeder, same set up. I have many different birds from this feeder

The ones that are farther away from my window just do not have the clarity, closeness, and focus that these do, and I find myself cropping out stuff and not having a nice sharp, detailed photo that I would be proud to print at 13x19. Do I need Photoshop classes or another camera?

I've never had interchangeable lenses, so I don't really understand what the lens info means yet. I'm on a budget. I'm a beginner to dslr. I don't want to spend $1000 on a lens. That would be pretty much my entire budget for now, lol. I'm almost afraid to hit the "post" button because I am such a newbie with big newbie questions, but I'm looking for guidance because I don't have tons of time.

I have a lot to learn, but I can't really learn it unless I have something to learn it on

Thanks for any suggestions, I know I am being vague. Any advice would be helpful.

Gina