My top priority now: Family is number one. I figure out how I can give them what they need, and in turn be given the time to do what I want. For instance, when I was considering the TV show, I sat my kids down and said, "There's a project that Mommy wants to do. It's going to be three months, and there might be days that I'm not going to be here when you wake up or when you go to bed. But then I might have two days off, and you can have Mommy all to yourself." And their response was, "Oh, yeah, that's cool, Ma!" Willow said, "When you come home late, will you just come in my bedroom and give me a kiss?" The whole family is spending the summer in China, where Jaden's shooting a remake of The Karate Kid. I was going to be in the film with him, but I decided that when he's working, he needs Mommy — just Mommy, who gives the apples with the peanut butter.

My unbreakable mom rule: Respect. My kids are extremely respectful. You might not have to go to bed at a certain time, but do not talk crooked to anybody! Always treat people the way you want to be treated.

My guilty pleasure: Pizza and french fries! I call it happy food.

The ideal family day: I love just being at home. We'll go outside on the trampoline or the swing, take a nature walk, bake — 7-Up cake, red velvet cake, chocolate chip cookies. I love to bake — that's the only thing I do. I don't cook at all. I can't. My mother didn't cook; my grandmother couldn't cook a lick!

The ideal day with pals: I've started putting Sundays aside for my friends. That's the weakest area of my life — friendships; between family and work, I don't have a lot of time. But Sundays I get up at 7 A.M. and go on hikes with my girlfriends. Last week we went to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine together after the hike. That was fun. And I took my husband out on a date that night, after the day with my friends.

My husband and I always make time for: Sex! Always. No matter how busy we are. And if I told you the places! You would not even believe! It's crazy the risks that we take. But that's what keeps it so much fun. I never thought that I'd be married to anybody, and I surely never thought I'd be married to anybody as long as I've been married to him. And I plan on being married to him for the rest of my life. It's been eye-opening how much the connection between my husband and me has deepened.