the engine gets overheated and have replace the water pump and the thermostat recently maybe 6 months ago...also lots of white smoke coming from the exhaust while driving and idling. also sputters right after start up and have replaced plugs and wires. any ideas would be appreciated.

 

Your problems are one of two things. Both really bad and cost a lot of money.
you either have a blown headgasket, or a crack in the block\cylinder head.

Do you have a 4 cylinder or 6?
The 4 cylinders are famous for leaking headgaskets

 

it has a 4 cylinder and also what would be the 'headache' in changing the head gasket?

 

You have to get heads resurfaced at machine shop, and might as well get valve grind, And the pain of getting your engine all torn apart! Not a do it yourself if you do not know what you are doing i have done about 12 the first one i did was a pain because i was 16 and did not know what i was doing