I have this camera and lens. For the money, I think it would be hard to go wrong on the lens, and the camera is a no-brainer. Given the price difference between the 30D and the 5D you're getting a heck of a camera.

The lens is sharp from wide open to fully stopped down, and the IS works very well. The 28-135 range makes it a great carry-around lens. That said, if possible you should take a CF card to a dealer and shoot some pics in the store with the camera and lens combo, then take the card home and see what you got. Especially let your wife play with it, since the controls are so different between Nikon and Canon. I looked at a Nikon D200 before I bought my 30D and I couldn't figure out how to make it work after having learned to use my Canon 10D.

Another consideration is lenses. I'm a Canon guy, but if you already have a fortune invested in Nikon lenses you should think long and hard before switching to an incompatible brand. In the long run, the glass is more important than the body. You'll eventually go through several bodies while building a stable of compatible lenses.

HTH,
Dennis