UPDATE: there IS a plumber in the house

we went a few days not certain if the toilet paper holder was still lodged in the toilet or not. it would flush but seemed a bit slow and we saved the "big jobs" for our other toilet (thank goodness we have 2) just to be safe. jason had tried the auger but did not retrieve anything on the end. then last nigt he decided to take apart the whole thing to be sure. he took the whole toilet off and TAH-DAH, the holder was poking out at him. still had to "fish" it out but it is done. yeah jason, my plumbing hero...