Two more questions: You did have it set to “Auto” or “P” and not “A” right? “A” is aperture-priority, not automatic mode. Also, I’m just looking at the photo of the camera, usually the flash will automatically pop out, but is there a button (usually on the left side of the flash) that you need to press for it to pop out?
We had popped up the flash, but since my niece took the picture she may have hit something that shut it off. Not sure. It has gone off every time I have used it, so she probably did hit the flash off button. I am not even 100% sure she had it in auto mode now. When you pull the camera out of the bag, you can accidentally change the dial without knowing. I always look at it before I use it.
A few questions answered from other posts.
The manual that came with the camera is very basic…how to load batteries, set the date, etc. There is a full manual on a CD. I haven’t had time to pop it in and look at it. I will soon. I know it is unfathomable to some people that I would use the camera before studying the manual, but again, the old Cannon camera was so easy, I never had to study up on anything. I was spoiled. If this all becomes too time consuming, I may just take it back and get another Cannon, since I had great luck with that one. Well great luck until it died on me after 5 years…I think that swayed me away from getting another one.
mini rant Why doesn’t anything last more than 5-7 years lately. We had a TV die after 7 years. Our camcorder lasted one year. I am so sick of spending money on all this technology only to have it be disposable. And no, we aren’t rough with our stuff. I always take very good care of everything. Rant over.
I don’t know if there is a lighting mode on the camera yet. If there is, it is under a section of the menu I have not seen yet.
Thanks for the advice and for all the correction attempts of the picture everyone. I appreciate the time you took to do that for me.
The ‘lighting mode’ will be under a category called “WB” or “White Balance”
As for the flash, onboard flashes typically have a range of about 10 feet (+/- 5ft), but if the flash get’s used and the subjects are too far away you should end up with a dark picture, not grainy.
You are also going to find that the high end names in cameras do not make as simple a camera as you want now. You may have to go to some really cheap brand or try to Ebay up an old one like you had. 5 years is a loooong time in the digi camera world.
IMO, better to learn more since you have the capacity to do more with what you have.
I like Cannon also and your piece of mind and confidence in the brand may just be more important than any of our superior advice. 
Trade it back and take lots of pictures that make you happy, not us.
It’s worth noting that megapixel counts are not all they’re cracked up to be. Unless you’re going to be printing a picture and blowing it up to a large size, 5mp cameras are fine. I’m no expert but I understand that packing more and more pixels into the same compact camera sized sensor can do more harm than good and has more to do with being able to quote bigger numbers in marketing brochures than getting a better picture.