Did the astronauts really do a moon landing & take-off? If they did, & took off so easily, why not from earth?

A friend asked me this & made sense, considering the hooplah it takes to do a takeoff from Florida, when they took off from the moon so easily? and why can't they do it from earth? Also, why do they not plan take-offs in winter, when there are no thunderstorms and lightening, as even aircraft fly better in cooler weather...hmmm.??