1998 Dodge Caravan Clicks instead of start

My '98 Dodge Caravan is a dream to drive. I love it and its been so reliable. Until.
It just started this quirky thing where it just clicks when you turn the key. The dash lights go on, the radio goes on, etc. My husband thought it was the battery. We replaced that and it still does it. Not all the time; usually when its been sitting a while. If it clicks you can just turn the ignition to off and try again. Sometimes it does it multiple times until the engine fnally starts. Today it did it 7 times. Am I living on borrowed time? What is the problem? Can we fit it ourselves or does this require the services of an expert? My husband used to be an auto technician so he is very handy. Any help is greatly appreciated. Oh - one last thing. The cruise control stopped working also, about a week ago.