Noob here with a million questions..

I just got done taking about 120 pics with my moms XSi using her Canon 55-250 1:4 5.6 IS. Most the pictures were either focused on the trees/plants in the background, or blurred

Your interest in photography should begin with a book or two and not the camera.

I dunno, I find it is much easier to learn things hands on, instead of just reading about something you don't have in front of you

Pick up Understanding Exposure by Ryan Peterson and then use the camera hands-on while reading through it One of the first things I did was spend a week or so, in the evenings, sitting on my couch with the camera in-hand and the book.

Although, I would recommend doing so in daylight so you actually have decent light to practice in. I had a lot of blurry, DARK pictures to start out with