If you want one lens for everywhere, buy Canon 350D+sigma 18-125/3.5-5.6. One friend just bought one with a small tripod and 1G CF card for about $2k (and got a small camera bag and UV filter for free). I tried this lens, auto focus speed is fast. The lens is small to carry, weight is OK, not feel so plastic.
If you are going to develop the hobby to more professional, then choose the lens zoom range at 28-70 and big aperture. Zoom lens is better for beginer to capture, especialy for kids. Then with your bugget, forget about Canon or Nikon. Canon 24-70/2.8L itself costs $1700. You can choose Tamron or sigma. Tokina's image quality is OK, but autofocus too slow.
If you are really serious photographer, critical for image quality, maybe you have to buy prime lens, not zoom, like 50/1.4, ...
For the body, I sugest Canon or Nikon, more lenses to choose.
good luck.
If you are going to develop the hobby to more professional, then choose the lens zoom range at 28-70 and big aperture. Zoom lens is better for beginer to capture, especialy for kids. Then with your bugget, forget about Canon or Nikon. Canon 24-70/2.8L itself costs $1700. You can choose Tamron or sigma. Tokina's image quality is OK, but autofocus too slow.
If you are really serious photographer, critical for image quality, maybe you have to buy prime lens, not zoom, like 50/1.4, ...
For the body, I sugest Canon or Nikon, more lenses to choose.
good luck.