In "Lucky Leon" I got the impression that Lois had some sort of falling out with her father when she was 17. Yet in "Home is Where the Hurt is" When Sam says "I'm the father", Lois and Ellen say, in unison "not for the last 17 years", which would suggest Sam moved out of the house when Lois was about 11.

Maybe Sam left when Lois was 11, but then her mom ended up in rehab, so she and Lucy got shuffled off to Sam's. At 17, Lois had had enough and left and lived on her own (which is what she's saying during Lucky Leon date).